By Gordon Peake CANBERRA, 28 MAY 2026 (DEVPOLICY.ORG) — For reasons relating to the terms and conditions of the permanent public service, ingrained habits of reticence learned therein, or the uncertainties of consulting, many who work in and around development are hypersensitive about putting their names to their opinions. I am reminded of this every […]
Category: Opinion
Posted inOpinion
Why the BBNJ Agreement Matters to Every Palauan
For small island but big ocean states (BOS) like Palau, where the ocean is not just a resource but a way of life, decisions made in United Nations conference rooms in New York carry real consequences for our people, our livelihoods, and our future. Ratifying the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement is not just […]
Posted inOpinion
Satire: Palau’s New Rituals of Consumption
Dear Editor, Once upon a tide, the people of Palau practiced a quiet liturgy of reef and garden, where the altar was a canoe and the sacrament was breadfruit and fish. Our healers measured health by the weight of nets and the laughter at communal feasts. Then the Nacirema arrived — not in person but […]
Posted inOpinion
Each One Teach One: Building Producers, Not Just Consumers
In Palau, the future of our nation rests on how we teach our children. The principle of Each One Teach One reminds us that every lesson we pass on, from parent to child, elder to youth, teacher to student, multiplies across generations. If we want to build a nation of producers instead of consumers, we […]
Posted inOpinion
Digital-Driven Healthcare Transformation:
A New Chapter of Holistic Care in Taiwan Dr. Chung-Liang Shih Minister of Health and Welfare Taiwan As the world confronts the challenges of population aging and healthcare workforce shortages, digital transformation in healthcare is no longer optional but essential. Taiwan has introduced the “Healthy Taiwan” vision, placing “driving digital healthcare” at its core. By […]
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The Rants of How and Why
Dear Editor, How can a leader take the oath of office — whether Senator, Delegate, President, or Minister — and suddenly become a “Doctor of Everything”? One day you are a farmer, the next you speak like an expert in sustainable financing. This is the frustration of Palau today: leaders who claim expertise in every […]