TRYING EVERYTHING
Dmitri Kyle Villanueva and his father Norbert participated in all 3 major chess tournaments in Palau in 2003-- the 2003 Open, the 2003 Age Group and the 2003 Seniors and Juniors Open. He is only 8 and a half years old when he played 58-year-old Ben Ramos in the Class B of 2003 Open at Image Restaurant.
Now a teen-ager, he has tried everything from chess to basketball, weightlifting, essay writing and other sports and activities in trying to discover which one he will excell.
Youth in Palau POV: CITIZENSHIP IN PALAU]
From Dmitri Kyle Villanueva
December 14, 2011
Palau's current laws on citizenship are very strict. To become a citizen in the Republic of Palau, one must have Palauan blood. In other words, at least one of his or her parents has to be Palauan. In some other countries like the United States, citizenship can be gotten Jus Soli, meaning if a person is born on in the boundaries of the USA, then that person is automatically eligible to be a citizen, even if both parents are not citizens. In the United States, people can also become citizens through the process of naturalization. This means that an immigrant can apply for citizenship after living in the United States for a certain number of years and meet certain requirements. In Palau though, the only way to become a citizen is by being born of a Palauan parent.
There are some possible detrimental affects to allowing foreigners to gain citizenship. One is overpopulation. Palau is a tiny island nation and it doesn't currently have the infrastructure to support a large population. One has to think about what might happen if we start making people citizens and they decide to move their families from outside Palau, into Palau. The population could increase by a lot, and this could cause problems to the infrastructure. Another possible harm is that the crime rate will go up.
From Dmitri Kyle Villanueva
December 14, 2011
Palau's current laws on citizenship are very strict. To become a citizen in the Republic of Palau, one must have Palauan blood. In other words, at least one of his or her parents has to be Palauan. In some other countries like the United States, citizenship can be gotten Jus Soli, meaning if a person is born on in the boundaries of the USA, then that person is automatically eligible to be a citizen, even if both parents are not citizens. In the United States, people can also become citizens through the process of naturalization. This means that an immigrant can apply for citizenship after living in the United States for a certain number of years and meet certain requirements. In Palau though, the only way to become a citizen is by being born of a Palauan parent.
There are some possible detrimental affects to allowing foreigners to gain citizenship. One is overpopulation. Palau is a tiny island nation and it doesn't currently have the infrastructure to support a large population. One has to think about what might happen if we start making people citizens and they decide to move their families from outside Palau, into Palau. The population could increase by a lot, and this could cause problems to the infrastructure. Another possible harm is that the crime rate will go up.
As the population increase, and different people become “Palauans”, more crime might happen, and also more poverty too, as there aren’t enough substantial jobs. Another one that I can think of is the further loss of Palauan culture. Now all the other detrimental effects are just my speculation, but the loss of Palauan culture as we know and practice it now will no doubt happen and happen at a faster rate if allow more people from different backgrounds to become citizens. There may even be clashes between the blood born Palauans and the naturalized Palauans. If this happens, then it would be very bad for society. Very bad.
Now to the good things that might come about if we allow foreigners to become citizens. One upside to allowing others to become naturalized citizens is that it may be good for the economy. We all hear about how foreign workers send their wages back home and don't spend it in Palau. The theory goes that if they were citizens and so were their families, then they would spend their money in Palau and so the money will circulate within Palau’s economy and not be sent off to a different place. Another good thing that I can think of is an increase in social diversity. People with different ideas and backgrounds from a Palauan would see things differently. And sometimes, it’s good to have different viewpoints because it provides more options. Maybe a person not from the traditional Palauan background can show an alternative way of doing things that may improve society. Another good thing is that we can make better the work force. Palau is lacking a lot of professionals or tradesmen. There aren’t many doctors, mechanics, and I’ve definitely never heard of a Palauan engineer. Most of these positions are filled by foreigners. If these people were citizens and they lived here as citizens and not just workers, and their families were here, then maybe it would be good for society. They would actually have a stake in Palau and its government, they would treat Palau
Now to the good things that might come about if we allow foreigners to become citizens. One upside to allowing others to become naturalized citizens is that it may be good for the economy. We all hear about how foreign workers send their wages back home and don't spend it in Palau. The theory goes that if they were citizens and so were their families, then they would spend their money in Palau and so the money will circulate within Palau’s economy and not be sent off to a different place. Another good thing that I can think of is an increase in social diversity. People with different ideas and backgrounds from a Palauan would see things differently. And sometimes, it’s good to have different viewpoints because it provides more options. Maybe a person not from the traditional Palauan background can show an alternative way of doing things that may improve society. Another good thing is that we can make better the work force. Palau is lacking a lot of professionals or tradesmen. There aren’t many doctors, mechanics, and I’ve definitely never heard of a Palauan engineer. Most of these positions are filled by foreigners. If these people were citizens and they lived here as citizens and not just workers, and their families were here, then maybe it would be good for society. They would actually have a stake in Palau and its government, they would treat Palau
as their own country, their money earned from work can be spent within Palau, and they would receive all the privileges being a citizen has. I mean, just imagine if all the doctors from outside working in the hospital were to become citizens, and stayed in Palau as their home and not just a work place. Wouldn't that be good?
My position on this issue is that I think it would be a good idea to allow foreigners the chance to become citizens, but regulations have to be made and it has to be done right. We can't just allow anyone to be citizens, but I think we could use some citizens from outside. Palau I think has one of the best and easiest standards of living in the world. So I think given the chance, many people would of course want to become citizens. I have spoken to a friend who works here and has a wife back home. He sends his money back home. He misses his wife but he says it would be better for him to go back then to bring his wife here where although it is easy living, he cannot get the same benefits of being a citizen like social security and so on. And I think that if they do become citizens and live here, as with others, then it would improve the social atmosphere in Palau. Like adding another screw into the structure of Palauan society, or something like that. But of course, there has to be rules governing the naturalization of people into citizens, like a foreigner has to stay here for a specified amount of time to allow him or her to properly learn the norms of our society. This person must also be a functioning member of society and prove that his addition into officially becoming part of our nation can only do more good than harm. It must be done in a way to minimize the unwanted effects of allowing foreigners to become citizens. Also, allowing naturalized citizens will eliminate the need for any “front businesses” because then people don't have to be deceptive about starting their business, and more of the small businesses can be truly owned by Palauan citizens
Now, if it was up to me, right now I would only allow a few foreigners to become citizens, one of them is a guy named Kelvin. He is Filipino by blood but I’ve never once heard him speak Tagalog and in fact, every time I hear him he is speaking Palauan. He is familiar with the way of life here, because he was born and raised here. Other people that I know and think would be good if they were allowed to be citizens now are people like Mr. George Domingo. He speaks fluent Palauan and was a productive member of our society, though I haven’t seen him around lately and had no idea where he is now. (He is currently in the United States with his wife Donna, a former school teacher at Maris Stella School for quite a while). But what I mean is, we should allow the opportunity to people who have shown that they do make good citizens and contribute to the workings of Palauan society. We just have to have a process by which we can go about making sure the prospective citizens are good, like they have no criminal records, and that they meet certain requirements to become naturalized citizens, like a predetermined residency and substantial knowledge of the norms in Palauan society. I cannot tell of how this will be done, as civics is definitely not my area, but I think that if done right by the right government in Palau, then it could work and work very well.
My position on this issue is that I think it would be a good idea to allow foreigners the chance to become citizens, but regulations have to be made and it has to be done right. We can't just allow anyone to be citizens, but I think we could use some citizens from outside. Palau I think has one of the best and easiest standards of living in the world. So I think given the chance, many people would of course want to become citizens. I have spoken to a friend who works here and has a wife back home. He sends his money back home. He misses his wife but he says it would be better for him to go back then to bring his wife here where although it is easy living, he cannot get the same benefits of being a citizen like social security and so on. And I think that if they do become citizens and live here, as with others, then it would improve the social atmosphere in Palau. Like adding another screw into the structure of Palauan society, or something like that. But of course, there has to be rules governing the naturalization of people into citizens, like a foreigner has to stay here for a specified amount of time to allow him or her to properly learn the norms of our society. This person must also be a functioning member of society and prove that his addition into officially becoming part of our nation can only do more good than harm. It must be done in a way to minimize the unwanted effects of allowing foreigners to become citizens. Also, allowing naturalized citizens will eliminate the need for any “front businesses” because then people don't have to be deceptive about starting their business, and more of the small businesses can be truly owned by Palauan citizens
Now, if it was up to me, right now I would only allow a few foreigners to become citizens, one of them is a guy named Kelvin. He is Filipino by blood but I’ve never once heard him speak Tagalog and in fact, every time I hear him he is speaking Palauan. He is familiar with the way of life here, because he was born and raised here. Other people that I know and think would be good if they were allowed to be citizens now are people like Mr. George Domingo. He speaks fluent Palauan and was a productive member of our society, though I haven’t seen him around lately and had no idea where he is now. (He is currently in the United States with his wife Donna, a former school teacher at Maris Stella School for quite a while). But what I mean is, we should allow the opportunity to people who have shown that they do make good citizens and contribute to the workings of Palauan society. We just have to have a process by which we can go about making sure the prospective citizens are good, like they have no criminal records, and that they meet certain requirements to become naturalized citizens, like a predetermined residency and substantial knowledge of the norms in Palauan society. I cannot tell of how this will be done, as civics is definitely not my area, but I think that if done right by the right government in Palau, then it could work and work very well.
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