Your watching the "Special Report" for February 10, 2009 (requires Quicktime 7.4)

News from Palau and Micronesia

Below is the text version of the Special report with headlines from around Palau and the Pacific.

BREAKING NEWS

Youlsau Bells Withdrawls, Diaz Introduces Bill to end OTV

by OTV Staff Reporters

Ministerial Candidate Youlsau Bells has been withdrawn from consideration. 

President Johnson Toribiong, in a letter to the Senate President, explained that Ms. Bells has decided to withdraw her name from consideration due to an emergency family situation which will require her to leave Palau for an extended period of time.  The letter did not reveal the nature of the emergency or how long Ms. Bells would be away from Palau.

It was a busy Friday night as the Senate amended it’s rules of procedure to prevent any videotaping or filming in the Senate chambers.

Also in the midnight session last Friday Senator Diaz introduced a bill to repeal the current radio and TV regulations and to replace them entirely.  The new set of rules include a provision that would shut down Otv which is Palaus only news source accredited by the United Nations.   It eliminates all media companies with even a 1% foreign ownership from producing or broadcasting any local content.  This will give Diaz a monopoly over Palau’s radio and TV, including news.

While this bill would eliminate MBTV’s competition,  Diaz not follow simple senate rules requiring him to disclose his conflict of interest.   The Senate rules clearly prevent a Senator from voting on a matter in which he or she has a direct financial interest.

The bill is also in direct conflict with the Copyright Law as it seeks to eliminate the use of video clips for news stories which are vital to informing the public.

Not only is this bill a serious threat to democracy by restricting freedom of speech, it targets Otv which is legally operating in and partly owned by U.S. citizens at a time when President Toribiong is trying to open Palau to foreign investment and to allow foreign businesses to operate without harassment.

The bill was introduced by Alfonzo Diaz and signed by Surangel Whipps Jr., Raynold B. Oilouch, and Albert Eledui and passed first reading. Senator Diaz tried to push for a Second reading in the same session before being challenged by other members of the Senate.

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