The said resolution (Resolution No. 001-2010) stated that, “After lengthy deliberations it became clear to all members present that current members of the Board have displayed lack of leadership and have become dysfunctional, insensitive and unreasonable to the current and very serious crisis faced by the PRCS.” Hence, the PRCS membership has decided to terminate and replace all current Board members of the organization.
The decision was allegedly made during the PRCS General Membership meeting held at the former Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) building on October 20.
“There’s no truth to that,” Santiago Asanuma, Chairman of the Board of PRCS, said during an emergency meeting held at PRCS office last night. “The current Board is still a viable Board, which was elected last February 2009.” The Board has a term of four years.
“We are taking a legal action against Maria Rehuher, Father John Paul Ililau, Miriam Chin, and others, who have caused great harm and disharmony to the Red Cross Society,” Asanuma said.
Asanuma said the Board believes that Ililau and Rehuher are in connection with Chin in trying to take control of the Red Cross by forceful and illegal way.
According to the Constitution of the Palau Red Cross Society, only the Chairman can call for a general meeting to take place. And for a general meeting to be official it has to have four members of the Board present, and the Vice chairman has to conduct the meeting for it to be valid.
“The Board declared that the movement that was taken by these people who are now calling themselves the new Board was illegal, invalid and null and void. It is violating the Constitution of Palau Red Cross Society,” Asanuma said.
The central issue that started the quarreling in the PRCS, according to Asanuma, was when the Board begun pushing for full disclosure of all the Red Cross affairs. “We have to achieve transparency,” he said. “The people need to know what happened to the money that came in to the Red Cross.”
The Board recently hired a private accountant to set up the books of the Red Cross.
“Unfortunately, that was not the case for many years,” Asanuma disclosed.
The people of the Board are of good moral character, outstanding citizens and people of positions and authority within the community, Asanuma added.
Since the suspension of Chin in August, Asanuma said there were no crisis in the leadership and management of the Red Cross Society.
The Board also appeals to the public for their patience.
