Palau’s inauguration ceremony drew attendees from around the world
BY MAUREEN N. MARATITA, reporting from Negerulmud Journal Staff
While an inauguration is a once in a lifetime experience, Palau’s current importance also drew a significant number of regional officials and diplomats to the Jan. 16 inauguration of President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. and Vice President Raynold Oilouch.
The ceremony was open to Palau’s citizens and other members of the public and drew an estimated 1,000 people.
The inauguration was held in the capital – Palau’s official seat of government in Ngerulmud, which is in Melekeok State that is located on the largest island of Babeldaob.
The country’s 15 newly-elected senators – members of the upper house of the Olbiil Era Kelulau or parliament — and 16 delegates entered the inner courtyard of the capitol building with their family members first.
The event included a cultural element of chants – clearly popular with local attendees who responded enthusiastically. Whipps spoke in both Palauan and English during his speech.
What that speech contained was the president’s aims and hopes for the next four years.
These are the need for affordable housing, a focus on expanding the tourism industry to include new hotels. Whipps would also welcome “innovative high-end travel experiences like Sky Taxi using cable cars that take people from Babeldaob to Koror, and drones to take tourists to [the] Rock Islands.” The president also called for “new legislation that improves the climate for entrepreneurs and small businesses.” Measures that would help entrepreneurs include access to financing, reasonable rates on commercial loans, and policies that help businesses collect money owed. He also called for simplifying the loan process for Palauans by allowing banks to access tax records, and legislation to allow small contractors to access bonding requirements.
Unwelcome news is likely to be a call to “raise the cost of foreign workers’ permits” despite the intent to “use the additional funds to support scholarships, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs, [and] on the job and skills training.”
The president also spoke of the creation of a new Ministry of Interior “to focus on culture, youth and sports and work with all state and traditional leaders” to strengthen the Palauan language and culture, increasing penalties for drug traffickers,
Attending the inauguration were President Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands, Vice President Aren B. Palik of the Federated States of Micronesia, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung of Taiwan, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya of Japan, Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea, Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa, and Gov. Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero from Guam. Glen Hunter, special assistant for broadband policy, represented the Northern Mariana Islands.
Ambassadors to Palau at the event included Joel Ehrendreich of the U.S., Richelle Turner of Australia, and Ambassador Orikasa Hiroyuki of Japan. Also present were Palau’s ambassadors.
Carmen G. Cantor, assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Insular Affairs flew in as did diplomats – many from Manila – representing Russia, Morocco, Tuvalu, Serbia, Vietnam, Norway, Thailand, Kosovo, Germany the Philippines, Korea, China, India, Romania, the Czech Republic, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.
The U.S. military was represented by Major Gen. Lance A. Okamura, deputy commanding general with the U.S. Army Pacific; Col. Alejandro L. Buniag Jr., chief of staff for Joint Task Force-Micronesia, Brig. General Michael W. Cruz, adjutant general of the Guam National Guard; and Capt. Jessica Worst, commander of Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam.
Attendees of the Judiciary were Associate Justice F. Philip Carbullido of the Supreme Court of Guam; Associate Justice Fred M. Isaacs of the Supreme Court of Palau; and Associate Justice Peter D. Huffman of the Supreme Court of Palau.
Not attending were Rear Adm. Gregory C. Huffman, commander for Task Force-Micronesia; and Rear Adm. Brent DeVore, commander of Joint Region Marianas. The pair were called to a meeting with Admiral Samuel J. Paparo Jr., commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, according to sources.
Sponsors of the event included IR Motors, the Governor’s Association Palau, CTSI Logistics, $paco Finance, Sun’s Flower Shop, Airai State Gov. Legislative Branch, WESPAC Kyowa, NSG, Bank of Hawaii, Palau Royal Resort, Palasia Hotel Palau, Pure Drops, WCTC, HBO Construction, Palau Water, mhc Digital Group, Palau International Ship Registry, Matson Navigation Co., Blue Bay Petroleum, Office of the Governor of Airai State, Surangel’s Construction Co. and Pie Printing/Summit Printing. mbj
