By Santy Asanuma —
Published 1/02/03 Whatanow Column
Alii B,
I strongly believe that everyone has to say that 2002 was an eventful (“betok el tekoi el dilubech”) year to say the least. Some good and some bad. However, it is the bad things mostly that preoccupied (“ikel de blechoel mesaod malechub e ke domdasu el kirel”) our time and resources. Things in general in Palau kept going toward more complications (“mral mobedul a cheliseksikd”). Only few who are paying close attention on what is happening to Palau or those perceptive enough (“sebechir leues a tekoi e te mo medengei el kmo ngara ngarengii malechub e ng mo dubech”) are uneasy (“suebek a rengrir”) where we are heading as a country. The combined Palauan leadership both elected and traditional continues to be in the state of denial (“ng di tir el mengeuid a rengrir ra betok el telemall el de ngara chesel”). To top it all, Palau lost Fr. Felix Yaoch at the end of the year. He was one of the few church leaders who have always reminded us to stay on the side of good. He used to say to Palauan churchgoers that we have to be good persons (“ungil el chad”) and good Palauans (“ungil el chad er a Belau”) before becoming good Christians.
