by Alonzo ‘Al’ Kahalic
Dear Editor, today’s article is about PERCEPTION.
PERCEPTION is, “A BELIEF OR OPINION,OFTEN HELD BY MANY PEOPLE AND
-from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/perception
It has been an interesting seven months since I last submitted the first article about what this column, wants to do for the Silent Majority in Palau.
So, we will focus on our Leaders and how they have handled our situation in the past one year of this administration. Again, LEADERSHIP IS NOT ABOUT BEING THE BEST, LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT MAKING EVERYONE ELSE BETTER. And for some reason we the people do not seem to get better. The people’s perception is that our government is not about US but about THEMSELVES.
The perception is that you (President and OEK) are only looking out for yourself and your interest and not looking for the interest of Palau. Why are we talking about perception? Because when you do not include people you serve, it looks more like it’s about you and not about us.
Why did you say in one press conference that our students have a right to protest, then the next press conference you complain about them? A leader will use that as an opportunity to talk with your future and see why they think that way and not be so arrogant to think we work for you. Alii, this is Palau and not a private business YOU do not tell us what to do, YOU lead us to a better future, and it seems like your messaging, and the people around you do not know the difference. It’s been one year in office, and we still do not know where we are going.
Since you ALL took office, it seems clearly from our perception that you think you are smarter than the rest of us and that you really do not care what we think especially since you kept talking about transparency and efficiency. You All keep talking about economic development but there is not one new industry that you have created. To have new money coming into Palau we need new industry and you have not done that. All you have done is take the work of all your predecessors and twist them to make you look good. Even our media is at a lose to your practice.
There are so many things to highlight so here is a partial list: Your super-minister is now the chair of PVA with no board, how can PVA operate without a board when it is mandated by law to operate with a board? Your finance minister is now in charge of one infrastructure. Your Blue Economy does not help people but only help some business. PNMS is already an economic business plan, just because you run a business doesn’t mean your plan is better? Your private business and lands seem to be benefiting from all the construction and military work. Leaders work with others to make them better not just your own. Your OOC organization was way off, your opening and closing speech were embarrassing. You did not even have any traditional chiefs in your OOC opening, this is coming from someone who preach’s Palauan’s first. Are we still first? Alii, you seem to forget what Klechibelau and Klebelau are. Especially coming from someone who dismantled the ministry in charge of culture and make it into a tourism thing. And the excuse we get is your trying in a Palauan context just shows that after one year in office you are still arrogant (perception) and that you do not respect or understand culture by the fact that there were no traditional leaders and you misused Palauan stories in a large international event that we hosted. You and your super-minister have shown in the past year that you are both disconnected from Palau and Palauan’s and that you have shown (perception) that you are both only in it for yourself.
Enough PERCEPTION. We will continue to question what you Leaders are doing for the next 3 years because what you are doing is not for Palau, it seems it is only for you.
Your Humble Servant
Al Kahalic