Jackson Ngiraingas
{{Short description|Palauan politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jackson Ngiraingas
| image =
| caption =
| office1 = Minister of Public Infrastructure
| president1 = Johnson Toribiong
| term_start1 = 10 February 2009
| term_end1 = 17 January 2013
| predecessor1 = Office established
| successor1 = Charles I. Obichang
| office2 = Governor of Peleliu
| term_start2 = 1 January 2004
| term_end2 = 14 February 2009
| predecessor2 = Timarong Sisior
| successor2 = Kalbesang Soalablai
| term_start3 = 1 January 1995
| term_end3 = 1 January 2001
| predecessor3 = Hinao Soalablai
| successor3 = Timarong Sisior
| birth_name = Jackson R. Ngiraingas
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| party = Independent
| occupation = Politician
| spouse = Terry Eledui Ngiraingas
| children = 1
}}
Jackson R. Ngiraingas is a Palauan politician and businessman who served as Governor of Peleliu from 1995 to 2001 and 2004 to 2009. He resigned during his fourth term to become Minister of Public Infrastructure from 2009 to 2013.
Career
Ngiraingas first served as governor for two terms from 1995 to 2001 succeeding Hinao Soalablai during which the Supreme Court of Palau found that he had unlawfully expended public funds and failed to comply with state laws which required him to inform the legislature about disbursements and transfer of funds.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/10/07/from-wwii-battleground-to-peacetime-pot-producer/9184f40d-0873-4efa-a017-5b02864d9b6a/|title=From WWII Battleground to Peacetime Pot Producer|first=William|last=Branigin|date=7 October 1994|access-date=1 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101082736/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/10/07/from-wwii-battleground-to-peacetime-pot-producer/9184f40d-0873-4efa-a017-5b02864d9b6a/|archive-date=1 January 2024|url-status=live|newspaper=Washington Post|quote=Hinao Soalablai, the governor of Peleliu, disputes that view.}}{{Cite web|page=202|url=https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/60ac30a5-8dec-462e-b572-996bb5c21a02/content|title=Political Reviews: Micronesia|date=1999|access-date=1 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101094650/https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/60ac30a5-8dec-462e-b572-996bb5c21a02/content|archive-date=1 January 2024|url-status=live|website=scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu|quote=The controversial governor of Peleliu State, Jackson Ngiraingas...}} Incumbent governor Timarong Sisior decided not to run in the December 2003 election in which Ngiraingas was able to win his third term.{{Cite web|url=https://pireport.org/articles/2003/12/09/elections-begin-palau’s-peleliu-state|title=Elections Begin in Palau's Peleliu State|date=9 December 2003|access-date=1 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115203734/https://pireport.org/articles/2003/12/09/elections-begin-palau’s-peleliu-state|archive-date=15 November 2017|url-status=dead|website=Pacific Islands Report|quote=Incumbent Gov. Timarong Sisior decided not to seek reelection.}}{{Cite web|first=Agnes M.|last=Abrau|url=https://pireport.org/articles/2003/12/10/ngiraingas-wins-peleliu-governor’s-race|title=Ngiraingas Wins Peleliu Governor's Race|date=10 December 2003|access-date=1 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117003110/https://pireport.org/articles/2003/12/10/ngiraingas-wins-peleliu-governor’s-race|archive-date=17 November 2017|url-status=dead|website=Pacific Islands Report|quote=The new officials will be sworn in on Jan. 1, 2004.}} He received 230 votes whilst runner-ups Postol Remeliik and Kangichi Uchau received 146 votes and 123 votes, respectively.
In March 2006, he asked the Senate of Palau to conduct an investigation into numerous allegations of conflicts of interest against President Thomas Remengesau Jr., Minister of State Temmy Shmull, Minister of Finance Elbuchel Sadang and First Lady Debbie Remengesau.{{Cite web|url=https://okedyulabeluu.typepad.com/okedyulabeluu/2006/03/ngiraingas_asks_1.html|title=Ngiraingas asks Senate to conduct investigation on Remengesau and cabinet members|date=9 March 2006|access-date=28 December 2023|archive-url=https://archive.today/20231228220349/https://okedyulabeluu.typepad.com/okedyulabeluu/2006/03/ngiraingas_asks_1.html|archive-date=28 December 2023|url-status=live|website=Island Times}} In 2009, whilst serving his fourth term as Governor of Peleliu he resigned to join Johnson Toribiong's government as Minister of Public Infrastructure.{{Cite web|url=http://www.palausupremecourt.net/doc/ROP_Reporters/18ROP/18%20ROP%20225.pdf|title=Ngiraingas v. Nakamura, 18 ROP 225 (2011)|date=13 September 2011|access-date=1 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101153810/http://www.palausupremecourt.net/doc/ROP_Reporters/18ROP/18%20ROP%20225.pdf|archive-date=1 January 2024|url-status=live|website=www.palausupremecourt.net|page=227|quote=...was a businessman in Koror and Peleliu, an elected legislator in the Peleliu State Legislature, and a four-term Governor of Peleliu.}}{{Cite web|first=Cherrie Anne E.|last=Villahermosa|url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2009/12/04/peleliu-voters-elect-new-governor-0|title=Peleliu Voters to Elect New Governor|date=2 December 2009|access-date=28 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116134104/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2009/12/04/peleliu-voters-elect-new-governor-0|archive-date=16 November 2017|url-status=dead|website=Pacific Islands Report}} He was sworn in on 14 February 2009 and was succeeded as governor by Kangichi Uchau in a special election. He unsuccessfully ran for vice president in the 2012 Palauan general election in which he came fourth in the primary with 969 votes and just over 10% of the vote.{{Cite news|title=Palau Primary Election Polling Begins: 3 candidates stand for president, 4 for vice-president |url=http://pidp.org/pireport/2012/September/09-27-12.htm|work=Islands Times|publisher=Pacific Islands Report|date=26 September 2012|access-date=27 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002508/http://pidp.org/pireport/2012/September/09-27-12.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.oceaniatv.net/republic-of-palau-2012-elections-candidates/|title=General Election Results|date=6 November 2012|access-date=28 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112044708/http://www.oceaniatv.net/republic-of-palau-2012-elections-candidates/|archive-date=12 November 2012|url-status=dead|website=Oceania Television Network}}
He unsuccessfully ran for re-election as Governor of Peleliu against incumbent Temmy Shmull in the December 2015 election.{{Cite web|first=Jose Rodriguez T.|last=Senase|url=https://islandtimes.org/?option=content&view=article&id=2067|title=Peleliu election: 2 file for governor, 19 for state legislature|date=8 October 2015|access-date=28 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228205032/https://www.facebook.com/ThinkBigPalau/photos/peleliu-election-2-file-for-governor-19-for-state-legislaturewritten-by-jose-rod/1081240641916371/|archive-date=28 December 2023|url-status=dead|website=Island Times}}
In December 2018, he unsuccessfully ran for re-election again in which he received 265 votes behind Shmull's 309 votes.{{Cite web|url=http://islandtimes.org/shmull-re-enters-peleliu-gubernatorial-race/|title=Shmull re-enters Peleliu gubernatorial race|date=25 September 2018|access-date=13 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217103506/https://islandtimes.org/shmull-re-enters-peleliu-gubernatorial-race/|archive-date=17 December 2023|url-status=live|website=Island Times}} In April 2020, he sued Shmull for violating the Open Government Act by not responding to his letters requesting information in 2015.{{Cite web|first=Leilani|last=Reklai|date=10 April 2020|title=Second ruling on Open Government Act issued|url=https://islandtimes.org/second-ruling-on-open-government-act-issued/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228162500/https://islandtimes.org/second-ruling-on-open-government-act-issued/|archive-date=28 December 2023|access-date=28 December 2023|website=Island Times}} In July 2021, he filed a lawsuit against Vice President and Minister of Justice Uduch Sengebau Senior claiming that she had "failed to issue a proper warning" of Typhoon Surigae, the case was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Palau in January 2023.{{Cite web|first=Leilani|last=Reklai|date=24 January 2023|title=Court dismisses Ngiraingas lawsuit against VP|url=https://islandtimes.org/court-dismisses-ngiraingas-lawsuit-against-vp/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228160051/https://islandtimes.org/court-dismisses-ngiraingas-lawsuit-against-vp/|archive-date=28 December 2023|access-date=28 December 2023|website=Island Times}} In December 2021, Shmull stepped down having reached the term limit and Ngiraingas unsuccessfully ran for re-election for a third time. Unofficial results from an election poll showed him receiving 174 votes behind former Minister of Health Emais Roberts who received 312 votes.{{Cite web|date=10 December 2021|title=Dr. Roberts tops race for governor of Peleliu State|url=http://islandtimes.org/dr-roberts-tops-race-for-governor-of-peleliu-state/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217190600/https://islandtimes.org/dr-roberts-tops-race-for-governor-of-peleliu-state/|archive-date=17 December 2023|access-date=17 December 2023|website=Island Times}}
Personal life
His wife Terry Eledui Ngiraingas served as a legal secretary for a law firm from 1984 to 1993 and Executive Secretary to the Chief Justice from 1998 to 2000. She also became the first former first lady to seek public office when she successfully ran as a candidate for Legislature-At-Large.{{Cite web|first=Cherrie Anne E.|last=Villahermosa|url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2009/12/11/former-palau-first-lady-wins-legislative-seat-0|title=Former Palau First Lady Wins Legislative Seat|date=9 December 2009|access-date=December 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117003135/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2009/12/11/former-palau-first-lady-wins-legislative-seat-0|archive-date=17 November 2017|url-status=dead|website=Pacific Islands Report}} Their son Terepkul Ngiraingas received a medical scholarship from the Cuban government.{{Cite web|date=23 July 2019|title=Two Palauans complete medicine studies in Cuba|url=https://islandtimes.org/two-palauans-complete-medicine-studies-in-cuba/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228200110/https://islandtimes.org/two-palauans-complete-medicine-studies-in-cuba/|archive-date=28 December 2023|access-date=28 December 2023|website=Island Times}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Hinao Soalablai}}
{{s-ttl|title=Governor of Peleliu|years=1995-2001}}
{{s-aft|after=Timarong Sisior}}
{{s-bef|before=Timarong Sisior}}
{{s-ttl|title=Governor of Peleliu|years=2004-2009}}
{{s-aft|after=Kangichi Uchau}}
{{s-bef|before=Office established}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Public Infrastructure|years=2009-2013}}
{{s-aft|after=Charles I. Obichang}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ngiraingas, Jackson}}
Category:20th-century Palauan politicians
Category:21st-century Palauan politicians
Category:Ministers of public infrastructure of Palau