先週、パラオ国内のOcean Summitが開催され反対意見も明確になり、すんなりとは通らなそうである。下記記事参照。
それよりも成立しそうな案件がある。カジノ法案。日本の事ではない。パラオである。
小国お金がないのはどこも同じ。シンガポールのように金融都市になるか、モナコ公国のようにカジノで収入を確保するか。それともブルネイ王国のように強固な王制を敷いて資源管理するか。。
サモアでもSIDS会議開催日に合わせ、初のカジノがオープンした。
米国のコンパクトマネーが未だに保留状態のパラオ。公務員の整理をいよいよする必要があるとの噂も出ている。そんな財政難の中、パラオ政府がカジノを持ちたいと思うのも当然であろう。
しかも７月頃から香港ーパラオ線が就航し（＊２）中国本土からの観光客がパラオを占領しているという。彼らにカジノは必須なのかもしれない。
サモアのように観光客のみを対象したカジノであればこの財政難の時期、反対派の女性票もなびく可能性はある。
カジノーこれも当方土素人であるが、小国の法執行機能は弱いのでその運営が気になる。金融マフィアが暗躍する可能性とか、色々ありそうな気がする。
やはりここは、以前当方がパラオ大統領に提案した「日本パラオ自由連合協定」を早々に締結し、教育、医療、公共インフラ、公務員給料等々は日本が一部負担したらどうであろうか？
パラオの年間国家予算７０億円。沖縄への予算が３千億強円。
人口比で割っても、パラオには年間40億円に相当する。国家予算の半分強。
これでパラオにカジノも、それからペリリューで再開したらしき怪しい投資計画も必要なくなる。
カジノや怪しい投資話で回るお金は、中国の公務員の汚職金であったり、テロ、マフィア等々の犯罪資金である可能性もある。日本からの４０億円がパラオのみならず、世界平和にも寄与するのではなかろうか。
＊Island Timesの記事
Ocean Summit held
WRITTEN BY ADMINISTRATOR
FRIDAY, 10 OCTOBER 2014 08:37
The Ocean Summit was successfully staged yesterday at the Ngarachamayong Cultural Center.
Several hundred people packed the venue to exchange ideas and to hear various lectures about the ocean and related issues.
Attendees include President Remengesau, Senate President Camsek Chin, House of Delegates (HOD) Speaker Sabino Anastacio, High Chief Ibedul Yutaka Gibbons, senators, delegates, governors, chiefs, students from the Palau High School (PHS), representatives from foreign embassies, representatives from The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Palau Conservation Society (PCS), Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC), and many other groups and agencies. {REG}
After welcoming remarks by Minister Umiich Sengebau of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Tourism (MNRET), former House Speaker Noah Idechong, who is now Special Fisheries Advisor to the Environment Minister, discussed about Protected Areas Network (PAN), the continuing depletion of ocean resources and plan for more conservation initiatives.
Idechong was followed by Palau Visitors Authority (PVA) Managing Director Nanae Singeo, who discussed about Palau’s tourism industry and the effort to attract high-end tourists. Attracting high-end tourism is one of the main thrusts of the Remengesau Administration, who sees it as the best way to bring in more tourist dollars to Palau.
PICRC CEO Yimnang Golbuu came next with his presentation about threats and hopes for the ocean. Among the major threats to the ocean he mentioned was coral bleaching and calcification. He noted that because of the El Nino phenomena Palau is in danger of experiencing another devastating coral bleaching in the near future.
Steven Victor, Deputy Director of the TNC, discussed about Reef Fish Management. He noted that fish and fishing are economically and culturally important to Palau and the one of the main sources of protein for the people. He also said that fish stocks continue to decline and cited some of the reasons for the decline.
After two presentations about tuna stocks and the plan to establish a national marine sanctuary, Presidential Press Secretary Keobel Sakuma came up with his lecture entitled “Maritime Surveillance and Enforcement: Exploring Feasible Options for Palau”.
Sakuma cited the need for increased marine surveillance in the face of increasing incidence of illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) fishing within Palau’s waters.
He noted that some of the challenges faced by Palau include scale, hotbed, limited resources (patrol boats, funding, technology, and manpower).
He said that actions taken so far to improve Palau’s maritime surveillance capabilities include a Presidential Task Force created in 2013, regional working groups, and due diligence and research.
He also took note of the demonstrations of various surveillance technologies that include Aerosonde unmanned aerial vehicle, Island MDA and Sea Dragon, wave glider, and Google and other satellite technologies.
Similar to what he said in New York earlier, President Remengesau, in his message discussed his new conservation initiatives, which include the creation of a National Marine Sanctuary.
President Remengesau announced during the recently-concluded 69th United Nations General Assembly that Palau in the next several months will formalize the creation of a national marine sanctuary which will include a complete prohibition on purse seine fishing that covers 100 percent of the EEZ; a no-take Marine Sanctuary that covers over 80 percent of the Palau EEZ; a highly regulated Fishing Zone that covers approximately 20 percent of the EEZ that will provide for only Palau’s domestic fishing needs; and a prohibition on commercial fish exports.
The President said that Palau is bound to lose some $5 million in fishing revenues if the plan pushes through, but according to him, Palau can easily find alternative revenue sources.
“We can live without it,” he explained.
He said that various foreign governments and organizations have promised to help Palau with its conservation efforts through monetary pledges.
He said that TNC promised $5 million over five years and that PEW also promised another $5 million on top of the $300,000 offered by the Italian government.
He said that Palau can also get additional revenues from alternative ocean activities and attractions like sports fishing, whale watching, and dolphin watching.
The President said that everyone (national government, state governments, NGOs, etc.) has a role and should work together to make the plan successful.
After the lectures, the Council of Chiefs, Palau Chamber of Commerce, Senate President, House Speaker, Governor’s Association gave their comments about the conservation plans and efforts to protect the ocean.
Among the notable comments was that Senate President Camsek Chin who said that very strong enforcement of marine laws is needed for these conservation initiatives to succeed.
“This idea of sustainable development has been around for so long. Let us stop this nonsense and take some action. Let’s do it,” he said.
PCOC President Kaleb Udui said the plan about the national marine sanctuary needs a careful study.
Comments were also given by REKEMESIK Surangel Whipps, Sr. on behalf of the Council of Chiefs, Peleliu Governor Temmy Shmull on behalf of the Governor’s Association, and House Speaker Sabino Anastacio. Their comments mostly supported the President’s conservation initiatives.
A film created by National Geographic and a film by PVA on Palau’s new tourism brand were also shown in-between the lectures.
The gathering was meant for Palau’s National, State and Community leaders, private sector and business leaders, as well as interested representatives and members of Civil Society Organizations to come together for a vital discussion and sharing of ideas and viewpoints that will help chart Palau’s path towards the sustainable management of its ocean resources.
The event was organized by the Office of the President and the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Tourism (MNRET).
8月までの観光客数
2014年年初から8月までにパラオを訪れた観光客の総数は87,611人であり，昨年同期比に比べ24.13％増加した。内，日本人は26,172人（前年同期比12.06％増），台湾人は23,154人（同31.24％増），韓国人は10,112人（5.64％減）であった。他方，中国本土（含香港）からの観光客は15,595人（同130.52％増）となり，引き続き激増している。
中国線新規就航相次ぐ
16日，米国拠点のダイナミック航空が，月6便の計画で香港－パラオ線の運航を開始した。これまでメガ・モルディブ航空が同路線を週2便運航し，中国からの観光客増加に貢献している。一方，タイ拠点のアジアン・エアが26日，マカオ経由バンコク－パラオ線のチャーター便を就航した。また，台北－パラオ間を運航してきた中華航空は，現在の週5便から週7便に増便する計画を表明している。
カジノ法案再提出
4日，13人の下院議員がカジノ合法化法案を提出した。ライセンス料からの収入は，社会保障，教育，医療等に使われる計画。パラオでは過去にもカジノ合法化が議論されており，2010年には国民投票で75.5%の反対票が投じられた。2003年にはレメンゲサウ大統領，2009年にはトリビオン大統領（いずれも当時）が拒否権を発動し，今国会では上院にもバウレス議員によって同様の法案が提出されたが，審議されないままとなっている。法案提出後，6人の下院議員がカジノを合法化したサイパンを視察した。
