2010: Year of the Citizens

By Kambes Kesolei

The big hope of 2009 was that the new political class would be an antidote to the egotistical excesses that was in full display in past governments of the Republic. Such odd behavior exhibited by the previous political leaders occupied most of their time and away from focusing on workable and timely policies. It became an impediment to a unified direction for the whole country. And it was such conduct that was rejected outright by the citizens that eventually set the stage for this new group of leaders.

The rightful veto: a victory at home

By Kambes Kesolei

Last Monday, President Johnson Toribiong vetoed the bill designed to open Palau to gambling activities. A bill hailed by few in OEK as solution for jobs and increase of minimum wage. Yet, no one is willing to answer where did the bill come from or who drafted it.

Is US meddling in Palau’s internal politics?

By Kambes Kesolei

Lets be straight, Palau’s foreign policy is to toe the U.S. line to coax for more aid. It had its start right after the Second World War when the US naval administration took over and followed by years under the US Trust Territory Government right up into the Compact era that began in 1994, in which Palau never achieved economic independence.

Courage is what the OEK needs

By Kambes Kesolei

Most of the Eighth OEK members did not win their seats as a culmination of years of cultivating mental strength and developing their policy making skills and or defeating incumbents along the way. They won as a result of the opportunity presented by the referendum in 2004 that forced the seasoned veterans to retire. The reapportionment commission aided by adding four more seats to the Senate, raising the total number of seats to thirteen. All together the current term has 29 members, including six holdovers and 23 new faces. Thus, putting into motion the law of unintended consequences.

A disinterested public is the biggest threat

By Kambes Kesolei

Last Thursday in his press briefing President Toribiong announced an important victory and good news to the great relief of all. The good news is the U.S Congress approved the DOI budget, and therefore, the extension of the financial assistance worth $18 million to Palau for another year. Say what you will, but there can be no denying that this news may have saved plenty faces as tough budget choices that await leaders, have been postponed for another day.

Weighing the competing priorities

By Kambes Kesolei

The inauguration of the new government on January 15 was marked by an unusual episode that was brief in which others who witnessed it jokingly said it portends of what is to come of the 8^th government of the republic. It happened right after the oath-taking, photo-op, and lunch procession. A packed cloud of heavy rain showers started to form unexpectedly with a powerful gale that disjointed the tents, tore the roof cover, overturned chairs and left the center stage where the elected leaders sat moments before look like a war path.

Taxpayers’ funded junket to Philippines

By Kambes Kesolei

What are the commitments as a representative of the people?

The data provided by the 2009 Household Income Survey raise questions of those who ought to be the ones most aware of the plight of their own people and whether they are doing enough to improve the lives of their citizens.

Palau’s quality of life declining

By Kambes Kesolei

What was lost among the good news during the media briefing on September 30 at the old Olbiil Era Kelulau, was the disturbing piece of information from Minister of Justice John C. Gibbons who reported that of all the theft cases recorded by the police in a recent one week period in September, 80 percent involve stolen food items.

Ratcheting up public discussions

By Kambes Kesolei

While we place so much blame – and rightfully so – on our elected leaders on the need for a more effective lawmaking body, especially when Palau suffers from the lack of a coherent and convincing set of public policies with which to tackle the many issues confronting our republic today, and perhaps it is unfair to point fingers toward only Ngerulmud, but the blame may also lies elsewhere as in the intellectual class of the society.  Anyone who is interested in the thinking and slicing further into issues beyond where others are satisfied can be considered members of this class. Raising the bar in the thinking area is the work of intellectuals.

Toribiong a hit abroad but needs victory at home

By Kambes Kesolei

President Johnson Toribiong has earned great raves in the international arena with a proactive stance on the environment by declaring Palau as the world’s first shark sanctuary and calling for the establishment of Organization of Tuna Exporting Countries to a wide applause in the UN forum, and his push for the community of nations to take likewise immediate actions on climate change, renewable energy, and whole host of other issues critical to the survival of the small islands states was accorded coverage on television, internet, and print media that only leaders of large and powerful countries command in their presentations.