The Senate on Friday passed on third and final reading Senate Bill 8-27, SD2.
The bill stated that any person or entity that wishes to employ a foreign worker in the said areas are not restricted from doing so unless he or she can prove that after making reasonable effort to employ a Palauan citizen, there is no local available and willing to be employed as a dive guide or tour guide, tour bus, tour boat or taxi driver.Including the dive guide in the restriction was a floor amendment and was not included in the original bill.A foreign worker who currently holds a work permit as tour boat operator, tour bus operator or taxi driver shall be exempt from the restrictions of the act until the expiration of his or her permit or operator’s license.The bill however will not apply to operators of a live aboard vessels registered outside of Palau and who had a permit to operate live aboard vessel in Palau prior to the effective date of the act. Every individual or entity that employs an exempt operator shall be required to pay an annual fee of $2,000 to the Maritime Safety Branch of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Industries and Commerce.The money will go to a separate fund to be known as the Boat Operators Fund.The ministry, through its Maritime Safety Branch and with the advice of the Palau Boaters Association, shall be required to promulgate rules and regulations regarding the fund which can be used to subsidize the training of Palauan citizens by the association as tour boat operators.Those who will violate the act shall be fined not more than $500 for first offense. For subsequent violations, the fine will be not less than $500 but not more than $2,000.The bill also requires drug testing for tour bus and taxi operators. It will be a misdemeanor for any tour boat operator to refuse to submit to drug or alcohol testing or to test positive for the use of illegal drugs or alcohol.
