AG Office suffers from credibility gap

A copy of the  following letter was sent to various media in Palau.

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August 26, 2011

Ernestine Rengiil

Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

P.0. Box 1365

Koror, Republic of Palau 96940

Dear Attorney General:

The Office of the Attorney General took over certain prosecutions filed by the Special Prosecutor in the absence of a functioning Office of the Special Prosecutor. It was your Office’s job to see that these cases proceeded with the highest degree of impartiality and fairness. I am writing this letter because I believe your Office has entirely disregarded its function to seek justice by its dismissal of the case of ROP v. Diaz, Criminal Case No. 09-067. This dismissal has compromised the appearance that your Office iscapable of prosecuting cases against high public officials with any degree of integrity.

Asst. AG awaits direction from the president on Oilouch

CONCLUSION

              The foregoing information sets forth the different restrictions concerning the work of the members of the OEK. My next task will be to apply this information to the reports you submitted concerning a particular member of the OEK [Sen. Arnold Oilouch]. I will then draft a letter setting out the different options that apply to this matter and await your direction. (Emphasis mine).

Update on Supplemental Budget

There will be sessions tomorrow starting at 1pm. House and Senate will each hold separate sessions to approve the conference version of the supplemental budget. The only information reported so far (at least to me) is that Green Fee  won’t be touched.

Why Senate wanted SP office closed…

Here’s the Senate Standing Committee Report No. 8-294 on the House Bill No. 8-146-11,HD3 (FY 2011 supplemental budget request)  on August 11, 2011.

Battle of the Supplemental Budget for FY 2011

A word of caution for those who haven’t been following the supplemental budget deliberations, there are more than what these documents tells us.

House of Delegates: FY2011 suppbudget analysis

Senate: Sen. WMFM Cmte. – 08.16.11 Press Release on Conf. Cmte. Mtg. re FY2011 Suppp. Budget

 

President: FY2011 Supplemental Budget Bill (as intro’d by President Toribiong) (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seid calls FY 2012 spending not transparent

(Island Times – Tuesday, August 2, 2011)

Former Senator Alan Seid criticized the budget as it only appropriates to ministry level giving more leeway for spend and reprogramming. “Appropriating to a ministry as a whole gives more leeway to spend or reprogram it. This is contrary to the practice before, to be transparent.”

Citizens now shouldering national government electric costs

(Island Times – Tuesday, August 2, 2011)

“Beginning September 1, billings will reflect the $0.029 increase per kilowatt hour of electricity consumed for the previous month. PPUC said that its has to cope with the recent increase in fuel cost…admitted that it has also fell short in paying for its fuel because of lack of funding.

National Treasury director refused to disclose amounts owed to PP and SS

Island Times, Friday, July 29, 2011 edition is reported to have confirmed with Director of the National Treasury Marino Rechesengel that the government has failed to pay Pension Plan and Social Security for 2 quarters (6 months)…Rechesengel however refused to disclose the amounts the government owed to Pension Plan and SS, saying he is not in liberty to divulge it.

Senators wants release of bank statement

Six senators including Baules, Remengesau, Ueki, Oilouch, Surangel, Chin are still seeking bank statements that will prove that green fee collected was deposited into separate accounts as required by law…

HOD July 28 agenda