Palau Presidential Candidate Whipps Picks Kuartei As Running Mate
The last pair of candidates for this year’s presidential election was formed at the campaign headquarters of Surangel Whipps when he named Billy Kuartei, current Chief of Staff of President Remengesau and chief negotiator on the Compact review with the U.S., as his running mate for Vice President.
Whipps announcement Thursday had been postponed a number of times during the past few months as he explained that his selection process was greatly influenced by his family and selection committee. Among the many rumored candidates have been past vice president Sandra Pierantozzi, Minister of State Temmy Shmull, and even President Remengesau himself. But the speculation is now over.
“It took a long time for my family and I to make this important decision. We prayed about it and searched our hearts to see if this was the right choice,” he said at his headquarters in Malakal.
What remains to be answered is whether Kuartei will now give up his position as chief negotiator to the ongoing Compact Review with the US. The response to Whipps' announcement was quick from competing presidential candidate Joshua Koshiba immediately said: “He (Kuartei) must step down or the President must replace him. It is the President’s own policy when he said that his appointee for chief negotiator back in December should not be involved in this year's election politics.”
This issue as well as the renewal of contract for Pacific Savings Bank Independent Counsel Lewis Harley will undoubtedly be the primary issues discussed if Koshiba accepts President Remengesau’s invitation to attend his weekly news conference next Wednesday. The President said this week that he would do that and also invite Harley to be there. If the President does extend those invitations, the public’s interest next Wednesday will certainly be upon that radio news conference usually broadcast live at 9 am on station WWFM.
