political reviews • micronesia 137 Humanities is sponsoring the pro- dent Remengesau’s offering Palau’s duction of an electronic encyclopedia existing facilities as additional staging as part of a nationwide National areas for military operations. Endowment for the Humanities pro- In other international affairs, ject. It involves scholars from around Mr Remengesau hosted the second the world and will take four to five Micronesian Presidents’ Summit in years to complete. A second elec- late July. Joined by President Leo tronic /Internet project is the Micro- Falcam of the Federated States of nesian Journal of Humanities and Micronesia and President Kessai Note Social Sciences, which is sponsored of the Marshall Islands, the chief by the Northern Marianas College executives of the freely associated <www.mjhss.comm>. Two editions states discussed a host of issues and of the journal have been published so released a joint communiqué at the far, providing outlets for scholars on end of their talks. The statement topics related to the Marianas, Micro- called for the continuation of open nesia, and Oceania; future issues will immigration to the United States and appear twice a year. requested technical assistance from The future prospects for the com- the United States in the area of secu- monwealth remain uncertain. The rity and anti-terrorism measures. World Trade Organization treaty A few weeks later, Remengesau led becomes operative at the end of a delegation to the Thirty-third Pacific 2004, probably resulting in the loss Island Forum meeting in Fiji. He pre- of a large number (but not all) of the sented two major proposals. The first estimated 33–35 garment factories called on the assembled nations to operating on Saipan. Increasing ease travel entry requirements for each security concerns related to world other’s citizens. The second initiative terrorism could result in dramatic called for greater support and prog- and drastic changes in the way the ress in adopting renewable energy commonwealth operates. Positive sources such as solar, hydro, wind, developments in tourism will depend and ocean thermal energy conversion. on revitalization of the industry Remengesau stated that his islands’ throughout the Pacific. total dependence on foreign sources samuel f mcphetres for fossil fuels diverted funds from much needed development projects. President Remengesau took on an activist role at the World Summit on Palau Sustainable Development that met in Reflecting their close ties with the South Africa in August and September United States, citizens of the Republic 2002. In a forum of 140 nations, he of Palau held a public ceremony to pushed his environmental agenda by pay tribute to the seven astronauts calling for greater support for expan- lost when space shuttle Columbia sion of renewable energy methodolo- disintegrated on its homeward jour- gies and expanded financing for sus- ney. In response to the Iraq war, the tainable development programs. He republic joined President Bush’s also persuaded the Association of Coalition of the Willing, with Presi- Small Island States, a subgroup in the 138 the contemporary pacific • spring 2004 summit, to include in its communiqué with Katsunuma City, Japan, for the key planks regarding the need for aging of the city’s popular wines in diversification in tourism and trans- Palau’s pristine lagoon waters. With portation sectors as primary elements preorders of some 15,000 bottles, this in sustainable development. At the could be the world’s cleanest source summit, both the European Union and of foreign exchange. Japan made commitments of funding The Swiss and New Zealand for renewable energy initiatives and ambassadors presented their creden- capacity building for sustainable tials early in the New Year. Also, development. Remengesau left South Remengesau appointed and the Senate Africa pleased that the summit’s “Plan approved Santos Olikong and Anita of Implementation” contained a chap- Suta as Palau’s ambassadors to Japan ter on the sustainable development and the Republic of the Philippines issues of the Small Island Developing respectively. Palau now has accredited States. This chapter focused attention ambassadors to the United Nations, on the serious problem of island vul- the United States, the Republic of nerability to global climate change China (Taiwan), Japan, and the and sea-level rise. Philippines. In March 2003, Remengesau met Remengesau was also busy signing with three other chief executives of agreements and memberships, includ- western Micronesia: Felix Camacho, ing a telecommunications agreement governor of Guam; Robert Ruecho, with Guam and Yap to connect the governor of Yap State; and Juan three jurisdictions by means of a Babauta, governor of the Common- fiber-optic cable estimated to cost wealth of the Mariana Islands. Meet- $60 million. He signed the UN World ing at Palau’s magnificent Dolphins Heritage Convention that provides Pacific Park, the men agreed to coop- technical assistance for the identifica- erate by having state groups examine tion and preservation of heritage sites. and report on nine key issues, includ- With Palau already a member of the ing regional tourism, a regional air- World Bank and the International line, health care, solid waste manage- Monetary Fund, Remengesau was, ment, fossil fuel costs, expanded at the end of the review period, work- shipping capacity, renewable energy, ing with the National Congress to find telecommunications, and improved funds to support Palau’s membership schools. in the Asian Development Bank. Such President Remengesau headed a membership will provide Palau with a delegation of Palauan leaders to the stronger voice in regional matters and Japan–South Pacific Summit in May. more effective diplomatic relations After the formalities, the delegation with Japan, the major donor to the visited several areas in Okinawa and bank. explored the possibilities of using President Remengesau’s biggest Japanese expertise for black-pearl international headache for the year farming and the eradication of insect was relieved in late April when some pests in Palau. Soon after this visit, 216 garment workers, mostly young Remengesau signed an agreement Chinese women, climbed aboard two political reviews • micronesia 139 Xiamen aircraft returning to the Peo- Congress, the Olbiil Era Kelulau ple’s Republic of China. In a scandal (oek) provided President Remengesau of major proportions, the owners of his greatest heartburn. During the Palau’s only garment factory, Orien- year, a majority of congressmen and tex, disappeared without a trace in the some former congressmen were under New Year, leaving the workers with- fire from the special prosecutor for out return air passage, with loss of illegal use of travel funds. In response, pay due to illegal wage deductions, the National Congress attempted to and owed at least five months back clip the special prosecutor’s wings by wages. The women had marched in eliminating the office and then recon- protest to Palau’s labor office and to stituting it under the ineffectual Ethics the president’s office, and they finally Commission. This move was con- took over Crystal Palace, a bar-restau- tained in a rider to the 2003 budget rant, before being physically removed law and thus put pressure on Remen- and placed under house arrest. The gesau. He vetoed the bill, but the workers’ protests got the diplomatic National Congress overrode his veto. wheels turning as a delegation from After hours of discussion over several the embassy of the People’s Republic days, Remengesau and the oek lead- of China in Pohnpei flew to Palau ership worked out a compromise. and quickly sorted out the matter The president would sign the budget with the president and his staff. act and in the New Year the National Charges against the protesters were Congress would remove the objec- dropped and the government filed a tionable rider provisions. This agree- civil case against the factory’s owners, ment was put in writing. Later in the as did the women. The women wept year, the congressmen, under a bar- and sang as they boarded the Chinese rage of public complaint, began sign- commercial aircraft for their flight ing settlement agreements with the home (TBN, 25 Apr–2 May 2003, 2). special prosecutor. It was a win-win Mr Remengesau’s minister of jus- arrangement: in exchange for full tice, Michael Rosenthal, met with payment owed on travel expenditures, Australian defense officials, who charges of wrongdoing and intent agreed to continue support for the to prosecute would be dropped. republic’s patrol boat program The public coffers received nearly a through 2027. Named after Palau’s quarter of a million dollars from the first president, the pss Haruo I congressmen. Remeliik will be outfitted with But the special prosecutor’s “drag upgraded equipment and undergo a net” (as it was termed by Palau’s local total refit in Australia. media) began catching state governors Finally, Mr Remengesau signed and legislators, and even traditional documents to admit Palau to full chiefs, with charges of misspending. membership in the International The special prosecutor even began a Whaling Commission and appointed new round of charges against the former President Kuniwo Nakamura entire National Congress. Recognizing as Palau’s first whale commissioner. some panic, a Senate committee In local affairs, Palau’s National offered a biased provision in a supple- 140 the contemporary pacific • spring 2004 mental budget bill. This attempted to road,” meaning that the cooperation justify the abuse of travel funds by he had requested from the National means of a presumption that such Congress since the beginning of his spending had been done in good faith presidency had not materialized, and since 1981 when the Palau Constitu- therefore a national vision had not tion came into force. Fortunately, a been established: “We can take the majority of Senate leaders recognized course that some of our regional the provision as self-serving and omit- neighbors have taken and wait until ted it from the bill (PH, 10–12 Jun, a financial crisis forces us into 10).