Palau is up for a long weekend as the entire country commemorates the contributions of all its presidents through the President’s Day celebration which kicked off yesterday, May 30.
The commemoration started off with a Cook Off contest held at the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) parking lot yesterday evening. The contest promoted the government’s ‘Choose Pelagics’ initiative which encourages the use of Pelagic fish, such as tuna, for sustainable fishery.
A catch-and-release fishing derby will also be held today starting 8am while a visitation to the deceased president’s graves are also scheduled. Meanwhile, the country’s living presidents will also be given fruit baskets and bouquet.
In a statement sent to Island Times, incumbent President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. said that each president being celebrated by Palau had helped build a nation that is “reflective of the values of its proud people and to make our country better, stronger, and truer to the ideals of its culture and traditions.”
“On this special occasion, let us rededicate ourselves to maintaining those values we hold most dear, for ourselves and for future generations to come,” Remengesau said.
There had been a total of eight individuals who became presidents of the country namely Haruo Remeliik (deceased), Alfonso Oiterong (deceased), Lazarus Salii (deceased), Ngiratkel Etpison (deceased) Thomas Remengesau, Sr., Kuniwo Nakamura, Johnson Toribiong, and the incumbent president Remengesau, Jr. (By Rhealyn C. Pojas)