“I want them to remain open,” he said.
Toribiong, with his chief of staff Isaac N. Soaladaob, are here to attend the inauguration of Gov. Benigno R. Fitial today.
Yesterday, Toribiong met with the members of the Palauan community to discuss their concerns, most notably the closure of the consulate here.
Toribiong said he told legislators in Palau that his office received letters from Palauans on Guam and Saipan, urging against the closure of the consulates.
Lack of funding is the reason for the shutdown of the Saipan consulate last Dec. 31, and Guam’s this March.
Toribiong said the consulates are very vital since the Marianas are the first points of entry to the United States.
“Now that CNMI immigration has been federalized, Saipan, too, will be the first point of entry into the U.S.,” he added.
Toribiong said he will re-open the Saipan consulate “as soon as possible.”
Palau also has diplomatic offices in Washington D.C.; Tokyo, Japan; Taipei, Taiwan; and Manila, the Philippines.
Toribiong said he sent Soaladaob to Guam to look into the operational expenses of the consulate there.
He said Soaladaob will also “do the same on Saipan so we can find ways to fund” the consulate again.
Toribiong said funding will be included in the fiscal year 2010 supplemental budget.
Palau, he added, was able to renew, for at least a year, its direct Compact financial assistance from the U.S., which amounts to $14 million.
