Remeliik escorts President to Southwest Islands

President Remengesau, along with First Lady Remengesau and members of his Cabinet, sailed for the Southwest Islands yesterday aboard the tour ship Ocean Hunter, escorted by the new patrol boat Remeliik II.
The President will be visiting schools in Pulo Anna, Sonsorol, and Hatohobei to deliver school supplies and sports equipment, as well as deliver foods such as rice and canned goods to the people on the Southwest Islands. He is also visiting cultural and conservation sites such as Helen Reef Conservation Area.
The delegation includes a nurse from the Ministry of Health, who is accompanying the President in response to requests for medical attention within the communities.
The PSS President Remeliik II is undergoing its first patrol in Palau since its arrival on October 28. The new Guardian-class patrol boat was a donation from the Australian Government, and is meant to improve Palau’s ability to survey its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The vessel is in effect serving to fill a gap left by the patrol-ship Kedam, which was donated to Marine Law by the Nippon Foundation in 2018, but has spent much of its time out-of-service due to engine failures.
The Remeliik II’s predecessor, PSS Remeliik, served Palau’s marine surveillance for 24 years before returning back to Australia in July of this year.
The Remeliik II, captained by Lt. Commander Emerson Nobuo, carries 21 crew members. The personnel reportedly tested negative for COVID three times before arriving in Palau, and underwent a quarantine period of 14 days aboard the patrol boat following their October 28th arrival.
President Remengesau is due to return to Koror this coming Tuesday, November 17.
The delegation aboard the Ocean Hunter includes Minister of Finance Elbuchel Sadang, Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs Baklai Temengil-Chilton, Historical Preservation Director Sunny Ngirmang and Deputy HPO Calvin Emesiochel, Energy Office Executive Director Tutii Joe Chilton, and Press Secretary Rolynda Jonathan.
This follows a patrol to the island of Sonsorol by the US Coast Guard Cutter Sequoia in late October, which, in addition to scoping out defense strategy prospects in the Southwest Islands, also delivered supplies like fuel, food, and medicine from the Ministry of Health to the Sonsorol community.