Presidential Directive No. 09-04

Declaring a Freeze on Governmnet Travel, Hirirng of New Employees and All Purchases Using Funds From Local Revenue Accounts.

WHEREAS...it is projected that the Republic of Palau will face significant shortfalls at the end of this Fiscal Year; and... 

WHEREAS, it has become evident that more severe and decisive actions must be taken to counter this trend of decline and ensure continued delivery of essential public service and maintain employment for our citizens; and...

NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to the powers vested in me...I HEREBY DECLARE THAT

1.  Executive Branch Ministries and Agencies shall restrict all hiring that require the use of funds derived from local revenue accounts.

2.  Executive Branch Ministries and Agencies shall restrict all government travel that require the use of funds derived from local revenue accounts with the exception of deemed essential by the President.

3.  Executive Branch Ministries and Agencies shall restrict all purchases requiring the use of funds derived from local revenue accounts with the exception of deemed essential by the President.

Comments

[olekyang]

Freeze 'em. Ain't nobody goin' die from it. Uncomfortable, yes, but we'll live.

[Taliban dreamer]

No increase in salary pay unless deemed essential by President too?

[anti-freeze]

Another freeze? These things are a waste of time. How many freezes have there been? Don't we always have shortfalls every year? JT is doing what all others before him have done - quick fixes and freezes. I thought he would be different. I thought he had better, more creative ways of dealing with the budget. Here's a few.
1. Stop all the stupid driving around passing invitations to this and that. Enforce use of the central mailroom.
2. Stop the extravagance at the ribbon cutting ceremonies, conferences, workshops, constitution day, independence day. And it's extravagance, not altogether.
3. Make people walk within Koror.
4. Have more people at Finance collecting money - there's always a ton of people in line and 1 or 2 clerks. Don't you want money? Why is it so hard to give money to the ROP?
5. Maintain ROPs assets so we don't end up spending tons of money buying new ones or having costly repairs.
6. Hire directors and chiefs who know how to balance a checkbook.

Oh well - same ole shiitake mushrooms.

[Jaime]

Iang chelik. Tiang ngeral mekemim el bau el kterengur er chelsial tial bai?

[olekyang]

a chedil e jaime, ke meral mesaul er a ikal kmal lungil tekingem. ke locha tara kmal bekikl er a beluad el dirrek meng ngarngii a belkul aikal tekingem el mora rechad.

really jaime, why don't you share some things that actually pose something that expresses your concern of the issues at home? i don't mean to offend but it seems like you're just trying to get someone to talk to you or some attention. so here is my concern and attention, it is directly to you so dwell on this: we talk about our concerns being overwhelmed by powerful decision-makers without our consent, we talk about the future of our islands, we talk about a fallen soldier and his fight for freedom, and you disrespect his life by trying to talk about these taro patches?

ngera moktek er kau? ng ngosecha renguk ele ak tara omdasu el kirel a beluu eng diak a ngeral lungil el knguu er kau. alsekum eng mekngit a moktek er kau e kau a mla remuul aikal meangel chais el mo klokolem. eng ngak sal kmal loureng el lomes a ungil cheldecheduch e kau di mongesengsang. mei me kulengit mede kakull e lak ede kaucheraro er tiang.

if you think that i've focused my attention to pester you or make it seem like i fell for some bait then know only that i only want something useful to contemplate. at least i've done something to acknowledge that. meng di tang e diak luut. adang :)

a dios el lobengkem.

[Be careful what y say!!]

Jaime,

Ngobe, tiang medel bum e diak modengei!! Kekedera di mongebelung e diak bo molechong...............ya..yaah..Kau meral bkengkum!!!

[Z]

Anti Freeze,

Add Off island travel on your list.

[bukitang]

WHEREAS...THEREFORE....belau is broke so we will continue to beg money thru our 'diplomatic' ties with countries that have money. our government needs to downsize otherwise we will continue to KISS other country's ass just to survive.

[Mosisecheklak]

A tuich a mla tmaut!!!

Se ra uchelel tial lolbiil e kede milsaod a ududir a rebeches el me soiseb. A cheral a eluch er sel taem a kmal mle uldirekork ea government a kmal mle betok a lolengesonges er ngii. E tir a
oketa ongasech a ududir e diak lomekerreu ra elebuul el merael mei. Elecha kede omrotech a bubuu e mocha melasm el mengkekerei ra omengitel a udoud eng di remengutling ra beluu a locha diak el retachel a ududir....

[Islander]

Hey Bukitang

Three years ago I warned that Palau was headed for financial turmoil! My prediction is now about to materialize.

Wait and watch what happens in 2010 and thereafter. We will have no money for fuel and power, our road system will be in disrepair, our sewage system will crumble, and apartments will become derelict. Hotels will be empty! Hospitals and schools will become unfit for purpose. This is no scare tactic. This is reality!

The question is who brought Palau to this state of crisis? Certainly not President Toribiong! He inherited this mess from the Remengesau administration.

There is only one way out and that is for this new government to make policies that are sensible. Palau needs to implement projects that stimulate business which create revenue.

No more TR type grandiose projects which soak up revenue.

Down scaling government is not the answer. All that will do is create mass unemployment and hardship which will lead to civil unrest.

[Mr. Brown]

The problem as I see it is that JT has too many uncouth characters who have his ear. These proponents of the wrong development scheme for Palau are filling his head with ill timed advice tinged with their pursuit of ill gotten gains just to fatten their wallets and increase their bottom line. This is the story that been told all over the Pacific and elsewhere. You're all grown ups. Look around the world and you'll see how the story ends. No predictions just reality. We lose Palau now and we lose it forever. In any case, I'd rather be broke with my dignity then sell my soul to the devils who tread themselves around our President and habitate Palau like its their personal joint.

[Realistic Man]

The only thing that needs freezing is Tommy.

Let's freeze his stupid mouth so that he shuts up!

[anti-freeze]

Islander,
A child could have predicted Palau's financial state. You make it sound like you had such a revelation back then. The disappointing point is this. JT is using TR and KN tactics with this freeze. I just thought he'd have different, better ways of dealing with the issues since he was a drafter of our Constitution, a Chief, and has been in Palau all this time. But the day is early yet. I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised. If you set your expectations low, anything else will be wonderful, right?

[anti-freeze]

Z,
Yes, off-island travels, the elephant in the room. I forgot all about the yearly visits to the Northwest.

[Omtar]

Freeze an empty account?

[There Are More Important Things Than Michael Jackson]

Omtar,
I guess you're right. You can't make ice cubes if you have no water.

[Say what]

MJ,

Why are you trying to shift attetnion to something not related to our issues back home. Forget about Michael Jackson!!!

[rsei]

does the republic need a directive to stop expenses. that should be the responsibilities of administration ministry to check and balance. is the trip a requirement, a necessity or just plain expense. then you match it with whether there is enough funds to accommodate the trip. the president does not have to make all the decisions. that is what the cabinet is for. you have a chain of command

[bukitang]

islander, downsizing our gov't means we need privatize some of its entities, that my friend create jobs. in return the government will operate at a smaller scale when it comes to budget. for a size of our coconut island our government by ratio is as big as guam's. there's so much potential on our plate but we've become comfortable with the rutt we're stuck in and even afraid to explore ideas but rather we point a finger time after time as to who to blame for everything that's wrong.

[anti-freeze]

rsei,
You have brought up a great point. I don't know if the President is wanting to be involved in the day to day operations, or if he's realized that the executive people in charge are incapable of doing things themselves. I think it's the latter. But what I see the current President doing is similar to what the past ones have done. And these things do not work. Accountability is what we need in our government. If a cabinet member does not deliver, then the President should make them, their directors, and chiefs accountable, not do their job for them.

I like your line "does the republic need a directive to stop expenses." We've become an island of directives and executive orders, a lot of bark and no bite.

[santy]

Alii anti-freeze,

The size of the government has been identified as a problem all the way back to the beginning of our constitutional government when Palauans relieved the Americans and took over the operation of our government.

The President has done the expected. Now the harder part I think is to push through. This will differentiate his administration from the rest if it materialize. We cannot aford the size of government that we have now regardless of the state of economy we are in. Experts have warned us for a long time already. With the economy down as it is, this would be the most opportune time to make true reforms to our system. This might be a blessing in disguise after all. My thoughts.

santy

[chelbuled]

ia chelik, a mesang mla travel el mo merek ngii mar soal kurup e mla hire el mo merek meng mocha freeze el leko desal mo omdasue el kmo ngmeruul ra mo ungil...chelbuled!