The president at the same time accepted the courtesy resignations of two members of the FIB board as a result of their decision.
The Philippine Survivor series is being filmed here through Roll Em Production.The president said the imposition of the workers’ fees on Roll Em Production , the FIB “is engaged in discrimination and unequal protection of the law.”The president accepted the resignations of FIB board members Lee Otobed and Ulai Teltull.“As the President of Palau, I have certain priorities and policies I want to implement and goals I want to achieve,” the president said.He said that he wanted to promote tourism and the national economy and the hosting of the Philippine Survivor should be encouraged.The president said he does not agree with the interpretation of the FIB since the regulation applies only to employees with work permits, not employees who will be utilized for not more than 90 days and are not holders of work permits.The FIB decision was to collect $500 each for the foreign workers’ employed during the filming.The Philippine survivor has brought in 100 crew members to Palau under Rollem Production.He said the FIB decision is discriminatory and unfair since it did not impose the same fee on the production company that filmed American Survivor series in Palau.The president cited that it did not also imposed the same fees to the company that filmed the French Survivor here.The president gave the FIB until June 5 to reconsider its decision nor will he exercise his authority to reverse the decision and waive the fee.“Under the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution , it is extremely disturbing to learn that the FIB is not treating all similarly situated individuals equally and in the same manner but have decided to impose the same fee on others in similar situation. This is unacceptable,” the president said.Toribiong said that the Philippine Survivor total expenditures will be over $800,000 and have employed more than 100 Palauans.
