Twenty-six (26) senatorial candidates for the upcoming 2020 General Election got to showcase themselves at the first ever “Senate Forum” held for two days at the Palau Community College.
The event, hosted by Palau Chamber of Commerce and Belau Tourism Association, was labeled an “educational forum”, according to the moderator Irene Olkeriil, to provide the voters the chance to see all the candidates together and learn about each candidate through his or her stance on various policy issues.
Questions range from government fiscal policy during the pandemic, tax policy, to quality infrastructures, to domestic violence, to vehicle and boat insurance, labor & immigration improvements and other issues.
On the second night of the forum, most of the participants were incumbent senators and two former congressmen. The only new candidate with no experience in the congress was RisongTarkong, the only new female candidate to the 2020 Senatorial race. She was joined by a female incumbent senator RukebaiInabo, who is vying again for a seat in the Senate.
With many of the candidates being veteran congressmen, the questions posed were easily answered, most with skills honed by years of debating issues on the Senate floor.
The candidates took advantage of the opportunity to pitch their campaign messages to Palau audience both here and abroad as the event was also broadcasted live on Facebook and on YouTube.
First ever Senate Forum held
