By Nazario Rodriguez Jr.
Horizon news staff

Delegate Kerai Mariur was recently asked to investigate about the expenses from the Stimulus Grant funds that had been used last year to repair Angaur’s state boat, A/V Regina IV.
A letter to Mariur from Dirkemul Clara Michael, Victorio Uherbelau and Severio Takesi Joseph dated Feb. 19 was faxed to Horizon yesterday morning.
The three said they are concerned citizens and registered voters of Angaur State, who join many other concerned Palauan citizens in commending his House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Affairs for conducting legislative oversight hearings on the administration of the multi-million dollar Stimulus Grants from Taiwan.
They told Mariur that like all Angaurese, they consider themselves fortunate that their small island had been among the recipients of larger shares of the grant.
They said that in fact the third and final phase of the cement road construction from the village to the airport is now ongoing, commending Surangel and Sons Construction Company for an excellent job.
The three Angaur residents noted that the second major CIP project that was financed under the Stimulus Program is the A/V Regina JV.
The state owned and operated commuter boat is running alternate, weekly and bi-weekly, services between Koror and Angaur.
They noted that a total sum of $140,000. Has reportedly been spent repairing and dry-docking Regina IV.
"But everyone knows the poor ferry boat frequently breaks down endangering the very lives and safety of its passengers," they told Mariur.
Ironically, they said that after an amount of $50,000 was announced during the ribbon cutting ceremonies of the second phase of the road project, the boat on its return to Koror the very next day, developed mechanical problems on its way.
Governor Horace Rafael announced last year that a sum of $90,000 had been spent for repair and dry-docking of the state boat. He said that the money was part of the stimulus grant fund from Taiwan.
"Yet the boat to this day remains unseaworthy and continues to cross the seven-mile open sea between Peleliu and Angaur," Michael, Uherbelau and Joseph told Mariur.