The Compact Road should be cleared and maintained at all times
NOT too long ago, most of the asphalt paved segments of the Compact Road, if not all, were in danger of being overtaken and covered by the fast-growing grasses and wild weeds that thrive on the side of the road. With encouragement from the National Government, the Governors of Babeldaob took matters into their hands and began clearing and cleaning the Compact Road and today all segments of the 53-miles road are sporting cleaner, refreshing looks.The National Government should enter into a contract with the Governors of Babeldaob and their people so that they would be given the task of clearing and maintaining the Compact Road. Such an arrangement would provide much needed employments for many local people, something all the communities on Babeldaob sorely need, and would give the people on Babeldaob pride in the responsibility of working for the improvements of their own communities. The contract should provide sufficient budgets for fuel and for the purchase and repair of equipment that would be needed on the project.The mud-slide problems that have occurred and are still occurring at different sections of the Compact Road should best be dealt with separately from the normal clearing and cleaning duties the Babeldaob Governors and their people would be performing. The cleaning and repairs of these mudslides may require expertise and sophisticated equipment, which the governors may not be able to provide. Before the US Army Corps of Engineers leaves Palau the ROP National Government and the US Department of the Interior should ask the Corps, which designed the Compact Road, to provide the best solution to these mud-slidesIf you get into an accident on the Compact Road, don’t let yourself get chilled while waiting for helpIf you find yourself stuck on an isolated section of the Compact Road without a cellular phone to call for assistance and help does not seem to come fast enough for you, the first thing you should do is to make sure you don’t get chilled to the bones while you’re waiting. If it rains, stay in your vehicle and keep yourself warm and dry until help arrives. Make sure the other people with you, particularly young children and the elderly, do the same while you’re waiting for help to arrive.If there’s no vehicle or anything that you could find shelter in and it appears that it would rain soon and darkness is approaching, the best thing to do is to begin walking briskly toward the nearest settlement where you could ask for assistance. On a rainy afternoon or on a cold night a brisk walk would prevent you and everyone else with you, from being chilled to the bones. A brisk walk would also bring you faster to whatever assistance might be available in the vicinity. You could also do what is called the “Rurtubak” or “Old-man’s run” to achieve the same objective. So don’t sulk and curse your bad luck while being chilled to the bones. Get up and walk or do the “Rurtubak” to save yourself from getting hypothermia .
