The following is an editorial submitted to Oceania Television Network. It does not necessarily reflect the views of Roll’em Productions or OTV. Editorials can be sent to news@oceaniatv.net
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Are the people to blame?
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I woke up with a slight hangover, about it grabbed my tet and a Pokka coffee, stomach stumbled into my beat-up sedan and turned on the radio. There it was, a Senator interviewing a fellow majority Senator like it was some kind of unbiased election interview. What? Is this for real? Brush that one off.
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Then, a few days later, bam! The same Senator interviewing the President, the cousin of the Senate President and majority Senator that was on the same show a few days earlier? Hmmmm, is this some kind of conspiracy? The Senate Majority and the President colluding to control the election? Okay, shake that one off.
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Arrive at my underpaid job in an office that is to damn cold with the paint peeling off the green walls and Christmas decorations still hanging. What? the budget passed, finally. Wait, it says what? The President used the budget as a tool to nullify two lawsuits against him with the Senate majority pushing it through and only 6 delegates voting yes? How does this happen?
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Now I will admit I was one of those who went to school off-island so I have may a slightly different take on politics BUT… something stinks! As just the average Joe, I don’t have access to all the inside information of how the government works, but I do have a little knowledge of how a democratic system is supposed to work. The Legislative branch makes the laws, the Executive Branch enforces the law and the Judiciary interprets the law. Some call the media the fourth branch of the government who’s job it is to inform the people by keeping an eye on all three branches. This is called the balance of power. So let’s take a look at what is happening here.
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The Executive Branch appears to be interpreting the laws by restricting who the Attorney General can investigate and what they can offer an opinion on; the legislature is rubber stamping the laws the President makes; the Judiciary refuses to penalize anyone for breaking the law; and the media is owned by a Legislator who is a mouth-piece for the Executive branch and the Legislature. Folks, this is a broken system. I know democracy is hard in any world especially a small community but we have lost all sight of a government that is supposed to better the people and society.
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So the question is how did we get here? To this place in time where the Executive Branch, the majority of the Senate and media are all in one gang? How did we get to a time when the highest officials act like Kings spending our money on lavish trips and salary increases while we wallow in beer and overpriced betel nut? Sorry to tell you this folks, we did and continue to do it. Bottom line is we don’t seem to care. Sure some people complain, stand up and shout — but the government just laughs. They have all the power and they are tightening their grip. I am not going to go into all the details of how the officials are getting away with it but lets face it, Uaeb is watching the buffet table and with no SP and a muffled AG, the people have no way to control him.
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It is up to you folks. You want increased minimum wage, responsible spending, politicians working for the people (yes they work for you, your taxes pay them), real justice for real crimes, safer streets, better education, more jobs, etc. Then don’t sell your vote for 50 bucks and a case of beer. Think about Palau not just your clan. Think bout your kids and what future you want them to have.
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It is our fault people, now lets fix it.
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With a heavy heart,
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Concerned Citizen
Palau’s government is so messed up right now. The Senate Majorit is going to drive themselves right out of a job! And at last we get to tell them with our votes what we think of all of this.
Thanks for the post.
Well, Concerned Citizen, you have valid concerns which require real solutions.
But here’s the problem: as long as those like you who “went to school off-island” and so “may have a slightly different take on politics” keep assuming that those that DIDN’T go to school off-island have lower expectations and standards, the same old guard will keep passing the keys to their sons and grandsons.
And besides, those Christmas decorations still being up in the middle of March is something we can solve without government. That may be our problem. Perhaps beer, like government, is the cause of and answer to all of life’s problems.
Cheers!
Well to Conrad, It seems you’re right. The gov’t seems messed up. When the minimum wage is half the price of a gallon of gasoline and in congress someone brought up a bill to “balance” the media because some tv network is “bad-mouthing” (ometuut) the gov’t. Are you kidding me? Let’s get the priorities in order.
Technically it’s the people’s fault and now they are just victims trying to get what they can to get by. Here’s how it worked out…
The people picked the leaders which they trusted initially, then these “leaders” ran the country in a way that the people are now poor, therefore, they are more susceptible to “sell” their vote for 50 bucks and perhaps a case of beer.
So these “leaders” are now in a position where they can buy votes, and so they do.
I believe there should be more public awareness/education on how the gov’t is suppose to be and more gov’t transparency. This is where the media comes in. I like what you guys do, keep it up. Do it for our country and its people.
alii kedmo meral melkoi, alsekum meng mekngit eng mekngit, ngdiak di domiou mal chub e dilkid loutingaul er kid,ngla mo taim el bodemduch el sengkyo lelak a chelbuul a dimelmolm,kedomes rar meral meruul a ureor el mo tabesul ra rokui el chad ra belau ngdiak dil bora druchall el kirel a mo chisel malchub eng mo betok ludoud el morngii, al kekerei el meduis ra ureor honest, betik a rengul ra beluu ma rechad ra beluu eng ngera kentil,elchang eng sebeched el mesa siasing ra teruich el rak er medad kedelmuut el mo uai airechar kerdi mo ouasi merael er bebul a esuart el mora obornngii leng di kial mochar a gasoring elmuut emomelikes a prer el mora chei leng dikial mochar a kasoring el muut el momengiis a chorchertoll leng dikial mochar a cholchui meng mo diak de harau a sewer line kedelmuut el molsiu a ngau el mruul a kall emo omekard a lambei meng mo diak de harau ra dengki aikaikid a meklou e udesuall al sekum meng diak el meketmokl a minimum wage el mo checken balance ra rokui el tekoi, kemekrang e oureor el talsikang ia ududem ra tal sikang a ngesonges ra cheral chimol chuasi ek mekerang e siungii a delengcheklem, ngii el rokui el di mla mo udoud obora chei ma obom moureor, ma omomengur meng ngudoud arokui a di ultuil ra udoud, if you vote right you may be live right…. tial saul…