Politics
During his three-year tenure from 1997 to 2000, Minister Chin initiated and completed a number of projects for the Ministry and the community of Palau . He designed and built the three-story BRT Building that now houses the Ministry of Justice Office and the Bureau of Public Safety Administration, using his own Ministry's operating funds and utilizing prisoners as construction workers to minimize costs.
Through an arrangement with Chief Rengulbai and the Governor of Aimeliik, Minister Chin turned a plot of land in Nekken into a successful Sublek Farm run by prisoners. Harvests of vegetables, fruit and root crops and meat from the piggery and poultry farm supplemented the prison menus. And the prisoners learned valuable lessons and skills for the future. Produce from the farm was also shared with Aimeliik Elementary School and the national hospital.
Minister Chin initiated an alternative juvenile justice program called Omengull ma Okurullel a Klechad, popularly dubbed Double OK, by enlisting traditional leaders, state governors and parents as partners to serve as mentors and guidance counselors to the young offenders on the Palauan traditional values and disciplines. He acquired a grant and, using prisoners again as workers, built buoys with solar lights around the islands of Babeldaob, Koror and Peleliu
In his private life following his term as Minister of Justice, he dedicated his time to designing, building and fundraising for the construction of Father Felix Yaoch Gymnasium. In November 2000, Mr. Chin was elected as a senator to the Sixth Olbiil Era Kelulau (Palau National Congress).
On 2 November 2004, the people overwhelmingly elected Chin Vice President of the Republic of Palau. He and his wife, Miriam, have two children, Lalii Antolina (27), an attorney, and Nathan Lee Beches (22), a University of Washington graduate and current medical school applicant.
In the 2008 election on 4 November 2008, Chin ran for the presidency, but was defeated in the second round, winning 49 per cent of the vote. Johnson Toribiong was elected president with 51 per cent.
Read more about this topic: Elias Camsek Chin
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