By B.B.
For Horizon

Many businesses are complaining that the National Government has not been paying its bills in their shops and some have even given notices that they would no longer allow government offices or agencies to obtain, on credit, goods and services from their establishments. This was the major topic of discussion in recent days at one popular coffee shop in town where a number of business people meet to relax and talk about things that are happening in the community.
"They keep telling us that the economy of the country is good, so how come the Government does not pay its debts on time like everyone else," one disgruntled storeowner complained. "Maybe the Government should beg Taiwan, again, for a small grant to pay its debts in the local stores", he said. Another businessman, who claimed that the Government still owes him lots of money for goods and services rendered, said what the Government is doing is not only unfair but may be illegal as well. "But if we take them to court, they would have a salaried government lawyer to defend them while we have to spend our own money to hire a lawyer to argue our cause. No, it is useless to fight against inept government bureaucracies. The cards are always stacked against us", the man said.
A lady store owner who had been listening to the talks in the coffee shop while waiting for her orders interposed with some enlightening remarks of her own.
"They threaten to cut our water, electricity, and phone lines if we don’t pay our bills on time, but they conveniently forget to pay what they owe to the local businesses at the end of every month. Furthermore, they charge reconnection fees for putting us back on their services. All these are very infuriating, but what can we do? Maybe we should stone the offices of those forgetful government officers to remind them to pay their overdue bills. And we should charge them some fees for allowing them to receive goods and services on credit again", the lady suggested with tongue-in-cheek.
Ebil-ra-Klai of Ngerusar Installed
We frequently hear about female traditional titles that many Palauan women hold, but we seldom get to see how a woman is actually installed as a title-holder in her clan and a member of the women’s organization in her village. One such ceremony took place last Sunday, March 25, at the BAI’R MELABCH of Ngerusar Hamlet in Airai where Esther Moded Baules, the sister of Tuchermel Geggie Anson, was installed as Ebil-ra-Klai of Klai Clan and head of the Ngerusar women organization called Ngarabiech. The previous title holder was Ngetuai, Moded’s mother, who passed away in 2006.The female heads of the ten recognized clans of Ngerusar were all present at the installation ceremony. Senator Surangel Whipps, a senior male clan member, prepared the foods for the feast that followed the installation ceremony.
In the photo below, Moded, the new Ebil-ra-Klai (Second from left in the front row) posed with the members of the Ngarabiech women’s organization for a group photo after the ceremony.