The purpose of the Seminar was to inform the National and State Government Officials and employees of the roles and functions of the Office of the Ombudsman, Office of the Special Prosecutor, Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Ethics Commission as prescribed by laws and what is required of officials relating to conflict of interest under the Code of Ethics Law. The Seminar was held in two (2) sessions with the first session held in the morning for all Governors and their immediate staff members, and the second session in the afternoon for all Bureau Directors and Division Chiefs of the National Government.
The presenters of the seminar were: Mr. Moses Uludong – Palau Ombudsman; the Attorney General – Ms. Ernestine Rengiil; the Special Prosecutor – Michael Copeland; Ethics Commissioner – Ms. Joyce Isechal; and Mr. Greg Andrews, Assistant Ombudsman of New South Wales of Australia. Mr. Andrews was sent by the Pacific Ombudsman Alliance, an organization of Ombudsman of the Pacific, at the invitation of the national government to assist the Office of the Ombudsman in preparing a proposed “Ombudsman Act” to be submitted to the Palau National Congress for consideration and enactment. This is part of the efforts to promote Good Governance, Transparency, Accountability and Rule of Law which is one of the four pillars of the Pacific Plan, a plan that Palau endorsed in 2005 along with all leaders of the sixteen (16) Pacific Island Countries in Port Moresby in 2005 to support and promote the concept of regional cooperation and integration. Mr. Greg Andrews first visited Palau in 2008 through the request of the Forum Secretariat to conduct consultation on the status of the Office of Ombudsman. The other pillars of the Pacific Plan are: Economic Growth, Sustainable Development and Security.The seminar brought together the AG, SP, Ethics Commission and Ombudsman to meet and advise the National and State Government Officials and their staff on the ethical and legal standards, and performance of their job and their annual reporting of their assets and liabilities to the Ethics Commission. The four top law enforcement officials also explained and gave presentation of their duties and functions under the law. This is the first time ever since the inception of the Palau Constitutional Government in 1981 that a seminar of this kind has been held to promote Good Governance, Transparency, Accountability and the Rule of Law which is in line with one of the major policies of the national government under the administration of President Johnson Toribiong. Such program will continue with officials and employees of each state, ministry, boards, commissions and corporation in the coming months and public notice will be issued after confirmation of the dates and place.The Seminar was a great success with attendance of State Governors and National Directors and Division Chiefs. The Minister of State and Office of the Ombudsman wish to extend their appreciation to all those who attended, and for their support in the promotion of Good Governance, Transparency, Accountability, and the Rule of Law in our state and national governments.
