March 7, medications 2012
Palau
In an effort to close the U.S. Detention Center in Guantanamo Bay, Obama sought refuge for the Chinese Uighur detainees who otherwise risked mistreatment if they were repatriated to China. In an act that some characterized as a great humanitarian gesture and others as a brilliant diplomatic move, the President of Palau offered its assistance to the U.S. in its time of need by extending asylum to the Uighurs.
The President of Palau now faces a lawsuit over issues surrounding the Uighurs’ resettlement to the Pacific island nation of Palau.
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On March 7, 2012, Five Senators of the Republic of Palau filed a private civil suit against Palau’s President and Vice President in both their official capacity and private capacity over the use of the funds provided by the Government of the United States to the Government of Palau in the amount of approximately $500,000 for the resettlement of five Uighurs.
The suit alleges that President Toribiong took personal charge of the Uighur funds and that the funds were ordered only to be disbursed pursuant to the President’s authorization. The lawsuit contends that approximately $250,000 of the funds were disbursed in large lump sum payments to Toribiong Enterprises and to the President’s sister- in -law, Sandy Toribiong, for housing, renovation, and furniture for the Uighurs’ residences. These payments were allegedly made without any competitive bidding and contrary to Palau’s procurement laws. The lawsuit claims that the President’s conduct was an ethical violation in that his immediate family members directly financially benefited from these disbursements.
The lawsuit also alleges one cause of action unrelated to the Uighurs, but is also another issue of financial mismanagement, claiming that 2009 audit reports show that the President and Vice President spent more funds then the Executive Branch were authorized by Congress to spend and such spending was in violation of the Republic’s laws.
The full complaint in .pdf format is available here:
complaint-uighurs-palau-president
9 thoughts on “PALAU'S PRESIDENT SUED FOR ALLEGED MISHANDLING OF UIGHURS' FUNDS”
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can the AG represent the President or will he get private counsel?
According to the President the AG is the Presidents attorney. This is why any opinion from the AG regarding the law has to be approved by the president before it is released. It is also why the AG cannot act as an “Independent” Special Prosecutor.
@spicy coconut: I hope you don’t agree with the president regardless of whether he in fact reasons as you say he does about the AG. Let us not dare be blind to the overwhelmingly obviously convoluted reasoning there: that a president has any say on what is supposed to be an objective interpretation of law. For this reason, the president is cause for alarm around the world to check Palau’s commitment to democracy. After all we’ve been through to become a model of democracy in the world and this current president is acting like he’s the Frank Bainimarama of the northwest pacific. Remengesau was right to boycott any meetings with Bainimarama to prove a point. Now it seems Toribiong will soon make an official visit to Fiji. And why not? He’s been everywhere else. Might make more sense than going to Monaco.
If it was a problem from the very beginning…why didn’t anyone question this….
Yes, this shoud have been sent to the Special Prosecutor for examination, oh….whoops.
Not sure about Palau, but assuming that we are a democratic nation and have similar laws and policies as the US. Here is the role of AD in US. In the federal government of the United States, the Attorney General is a member of the Cabinet and as head of the Department of Justice is the top law enforcement officer and lawyer for the government. The attorney general may need to be distinguished from the Solicitor General, a high Justice Department official with the responsibility of representing the government before the Supreme Court. In cases of exceptional importance, however, the Attorney General may choose to represent the government himself or herself to the Supreme Court.
The individual U.S. states and territories, as well as the Federal capital of Washington, D.C. also have attorneys general with similar responsibilities. The majority of state Attorneys General are chosen by popular election, as opposed to the U.S. Attorney General who is a presidential appointee.
Why is our President shaking hands with these terrorists? have they ever shake hands with Obama?
alii kede merengang el sengkyo ra belau kede mla sengkyo ra ngariou a skulir el mor office e mle ungil merael a rokui el tekoi, e elchang a merael isel chad top honor ra uw washngton top lawyer in island as well ia problem a betekngang, uuwiii dolkoi a klmeral tekoi lets go for kamsek chin known in white house high rank military they salute him prrrrrrrrrrt thank you………
alii all have to be separate.. AG not suppose to get along with president or anyone, president should hire his own attorney