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By Rolynda Jonathan
Palau President has asked two of his cabinet members, who are recent recipients of the Typhoon Bopha Relief funds, to voluntarily return the awarded funds they each received to the national treasury.
Remengesau disclosed during his press conference this week that he did not approve the Bopha Catastrophe Relief Committee’s decision to include secondary homes and structures for emergency relief.
He says that although Vice President and Minister of Justice Antonio Bells, and Minister of Finance Elbuchel Sadang are victims of Typhoon Bopha, his belief is that no assistance should be extended to high government officials.
The President said he met with both cabinet members who reportedly agreed to return the funds.
It’s not clear how much were awarded to both officials for repairs of damaged secondary homes and structures, however a spreadsheet with a list of recipients confirms both officials were awarded with relief assistance. T
he change of policy to award funds for repair of homes and structures destroyed or damaged by Bopha, the President says was made because victims were not happy with the “one design fits all” policy for rebuilding homes.