The 8th Senate had reviewed the credentials of Ngiraingas and voted to confirm his appointment last week.
However, last Friday Ngiraingas did not take his oath of office as did other confirmed appointees.Members of the Judicial Branch of the government took turns to administer oaths to Senate confirmed presidential appointees to the varying ministries and offices. The appointees who took oaths of offices were: Sandra S. Pierantozzi, who will serve as Minster of State; Dr. Stevenson Kuartei, who will serve as Minister of Health; Masa-Aki Emesiochl, who will serve as Minister of Education; Johnny Gibbons, who will serve as Minister of Justice; Micheal Copeland, who will serve as the Special Prosecutor; and Joshua Koshiba, who will serve as the lead Compact Negotiator between Palau and the United States.Toribiong had said during the swearing in ceremony last Friday that the Senate had confirmed Ngiraingas’ appointment and “Ngiraingas will be the Minister of Public Infrastructure, Industries, and Commerce.”Toribiong said that Ngiraingas will officially take oath of office after his duties and responsibilities as Governor of Peleliu State are delegated to his successor.“As soon as Ngiraingas relinquishes his governorship, he will be sworn in as Minister of Public Infrastructure, Industries, and Commerce,” Toribiong had said.Ngiraingas will oversee functions of the government that were managed under the former Ministry of Resources and Development (MRD). Pursuant to law enacted last year and to take effect this year, MRD was dismantled to create two new ministries – the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Industries, and Commerce and the Ministry Natural Resources, Environment, and Tourism. To date, no one has been confirmed to head the latter of the ministries.
