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By Rolynda Jonathan
Typhoon Bopha Relief funds administered by the Bopha Catastrophe Relief Committee and its coordinator Vice President Antonio Bells is being criticized after awarding cash relief for secondary home repairs.
The decision made by the Committee to change its policy to include cash awards to secondary homes is said to include repair works that don’t qualify as emergency. Vice President Bells, who is among more than 300 homeowners who received assistance, defended the policy change saying the committee received a large amount of request to extend assistance to secondary homes and structures.
A spreadsheet with list of Bopha Relief recipients, which was shared with OTV, confirms that Bells, Finance Minister Elbuchel Sadang, and Ngaraard State Speaker Isaac Bai were awarded for secondary home repairs.
The amount they were awarded was not listed. However, over $97,000 was awarded to secondary homeowners from May 14-16.
Brian Melairei, acting Director of Public Works and subcommittee chair of the Committee says there was no policy to accommodate any particularly high government officials or any favoritism in the policy change.
Since Bopha’s devastated Palau in December 2012, a total of over $3.4 million have been awarded for primary and secondary homes, public infrastructures and rebuilding projects.