This was statement of Palau President Johnson Toribiong as he defended himself and some members of his government from charges that they unnecessarily spent taxpayers’ dollars with their trips abroad.
In an interview, Pres. Toribiong said it is “unfair” for some people to brand his government’s foreign trips as junkets, when in fact they brought many benefits to Palau with their official travels abroad.
Several lawmakers and opinion writers have questioned the president’s and other officials’ trips, saying they were unnecessary wastage of taxpayers’ money when the nation is experiencing a budget shortfall of more than $ 10 million, which forced it to cut spending for programs and social services this fiscal year.
Specifically, critics have pointed out to the October trip of the President and more than 20 other members of his government to the Philippines to attend a regional investment summit where the Palau delegation reportedly spent more than $50, 000 to cover food, travel, and accommodation expenses.
“The insinuation of a junket and lavish, unnecessary spending of people’s money is simply unfounded, “the president said.
“We went to those foreign places with the primary intent of “selling” our country, to promote it to the outside world and get assistance for development projects that we are planning to implement here in Palau,” he added.
Toribiong said that considering the relative obscurity of Palau, and its reliance on foreign assistance and goodwill it is a necessity forofficials go abroad to promote their country and meet with officials there.
“Only a few people know about our country and where it is located,” he pointed out.
Toribiong said that instead of lambasting their trips overseas, people should instead praise him and members of his administration for embarking on such missions.
“Every time I and other officials go abroad, we brought much more benefits than what has been spent for the travel,” he pointed out.
Toribiong cited their September trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly as an example.
‘We meet there with top officials of the German and Canadian governments and they promised to help our country,” he said.
According to him, they was able to convince the German government to send a team to assess the environmental damage in Angaur brought by German phosphate mining in the 1900s preparatory to rehabilitating the area.
Also, he said they were able to solicit the help of the Canadian and US governments in removing unexploded ordnance in the island of Peleliu, which was the site of a major battle during World War II.
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