Temmy Shmull
{{Short description|Palauan politician (1947–2025)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Temmy Shmull
| image = Temmy Shmull at the 75th Commemoration of the Battle of Peleliu.jpg
| caption = Shmull in 2019
| order1 = Governor of Peleliu
| term_start1 = 1 January 2013
| term_end1 = 1 January 2022
| predecessor1 = Kangichi Uchau
| successor1 = Emais Roberts
| office2 = Minister of State
| president2 = Thomas Remengesau Jr.
| term_start2 = January 2001
| term_end2 = 2009
| predecessor2 = Sabino Anastacio
| successor2 = Sandra Pierantozzi
| birth_name = Temmy L. Shmull
| birth_date = 3 August 1947
| birth_place = Peleliu
| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|2|28|1947|8|3|df=yes}}
| party = Independent
| occupation = Politician
| spouse =
| children =
}}
Temmy L. Shmull (3{{nbsp}}August 1947{{snd}}28{{nbsp}}February 2025) was a Palauan politician who served as Governor of Peleliu for three terms from January 2013 to January 2022. He previously served as the {{ill|Ministry of State (Palau)|lt=Minister of State|qid=Q113581812|s=1}} of Palau from 2001 to 2009 and was also the vice president of the Palau National Olympic Committee.
Early life
Shmull was born in Peleliu on 3{{nbsp}}August 1947.{{Cite web |last=Reklai |first=Leilani N. |date=28 March 2025 |title=Temmy L. Shmull |url=https://islandtimes.org/temmy-l-shmull/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250402223507/https://islandtimes.org/temmy-l-shmull/ |archive-date=2 April 2025 |access-date=2 April 2025 |website=Island Times}} He was a teacher at Peleliu Elementary School.
Political career
He worked in the government as a foreign service officer and later became an advisor to Acting President Thomas Remengesau. He was the Chief of Staff of President Kuniwo Nakamura before being appointed the {{ill|Ministry of State (Palau)|lt=Minister of State|qid=Q113581812|s=1}} of Palau in 2001 under Thomas Remengesau Jr.{{Cite web |date=14 December 2018 |title=Shmull secures Peleliu gubernatorial seat for third time |url=http://islandtimes.org/shmull-secures-peleliu-gubernatorial-seat-for-third-time/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217103716/https://islandtimes.org/shmull-secures-peleliu-gubernatorial-seat-for-third-time/ |archive-date=17 December 2023 |access-date=13 July 2021 |website=Island Times}} Shmull accompanied President Remengesau on his visit to Japan from 1 August 2001 to 8 August 2001.{{Cite web |date=August 2001 |title=Visit to Japan by His Excellency Tommy E. Remengesau Jr., President of the Republic of Palau |url=https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/palau/pv0108/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228213848/https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/palau/pv0108/index.html |archive-date=28 December 2023 |access-date=28 December 2023 |website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan}} On 3 March 2006, he submitted the country's application for membership to the International Atomic Energy Agency which was approved on 8 March 2006.{{Cite web |date=12 July 2006 |title=Applications for Membership of the Agency: Application by the Republic of Palau |url=https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/gc/gc50-11_en.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228214408/https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/gc/gc50-11_en.pdf |archive-date=28 December 2023 |access-date=28 December 2023 |website=International Atomic Energy Agency}} On 9 March 2006, the Governor of Peleliu Jackson Ngiraingas asked the Senate of Palau to conduct an investigation into numerous allegations of conflicts of interest against Shmull and other politicians.{{Cite web |date=9 March 2006 |title=Ngiraingas asks Senate to conduct investigation on Remengesau and cabinet members |url=https://okedyulabeluu.typepad.com/okedyulabeluu/2006/03/ngiraingas_asks_1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231228220349/https://okedyulabeluu.typepad.com/okedyulabeluu/2006/03/ngiraingas_asks_1.html |archive-date=28 December 2023 |access-date=28 December 2023 |website=Island Times}} Shmull's alleged conflict of interest being his $85,000 purchase of a speedboat at Surangel & Sons in 2005.
He became the Governor of Peleliu in January 2013. In January 2014, he was charged with soliciting prostitutes at a karaoke bar which is illegal in Palau.{{Cite web |date=3 January 2014 |title=Money laundering and prostitution related charges issued in Palau |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/232403/money-laundering-and-prostitution-related-charges-issued-in-palau |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222174928/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/232403/money-laundering-and-prostitution-related-charges-issued-in-palau |archive-date=22 December 2023 |access-date=22 December 2023 |website=RNZ}} In March 2014, former Palauan politician Joshua Koshiba called for the removal of Shmull as vice president of the Palau National Olympic Committee though he would be reconfirmed in his position in February 2017.{{Cite web |title=Former Politician Calls For The Removal Of Peleliu Governor From PNOC – Oceania Television Network |url=http://www.oceaniatv.net/2014/03/11/former-politician-calls-for-the-removal-of-peleliu-governor-from-pnoc/ |website=www.oceaniatv.net}}{{Cite web |date=7 February 2017 |title=Palau National Olympic Committee discuss approach to upcoming Games |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1046985/palau-national-olympic-committee-discuss-approach-to-upcoming-games |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222181126/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1046985/palau-national-olympic-committee-discuss-approach-to-upcoming-games |archive-date=22 December 2023 |access-date=22 December 2023 |website=www.insidethegames.biz}} He successfully ran for a second term as governor in the December 2015 election defeating former governor Jackson Ngiraingas.{{Cite web |last=Senase |first=Jose Rodriguez T. |date=8 October 2015 |title=Peleliu election: 2 file for governor, 19 for state legislature |url=https://islandtimes.org/?option=content&view=article&id=2067 |url-status=dead |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 |access-date=28 December 2023 |website=Island Times}} He won his third term as governor in the December 2018 election in which he received 309 votes and Ngiraingas received 265 votes.{{Cite web |date=25 September 2018 |title=Shmull re-enters Peleliu gubernatorial race |url=http://islandtimes.org/shmull-re-enters-peleliu-gubernatorial-race/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217103506/https://islandtimes.org/shmull-re-enters-peleliu-gubernatorial-race/ |archive-date=17 December 2023 |access-date=13 July 2021 |website=Island Times}}{{Cite web |date=14 December 2018 |title=Shmull secures Peleliu gubernatorial seat for third time |url=http://islandtimes.org/shmull-secures-peleliu-gubernatorial-seat-for-third-time/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222124130/https://islandtimes.org/shmull-secures-peleliu-gubernatorial-seat-for-third-time/ |archive-date=22 December 2023 |access-date=22 December 2023 |website=Island Times}} In April 2019, to commemorate International Mine Awareness Day, Shmull announced that he believed the presence of anti-personnel landmines had been eradicated from the state.{{Cite web |date=2 April 2019 |title=No more Anti-Personnel mines in Peleliu says Governor Shmull |url=https://islandtimes.org/no-more-anti-personnel-mines-in-peleliu-says-governor-shmull/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228211340/https://islandtimes.org/no-more-anti-personnel-mines-in-peleliu-says-governor-shmull/ |archive-date=28 December 2023 |access-date=28 December 2023 |website=Island Times}} In April 2020, he was sued by Ngiraingas for violating the Open Government Act by not responding to his letters requesting information in 2015 and had to pay a fine of $500 and make the requested documents available.{{Cite web |last=Reklai |first=Leilani |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}} He stepped down due to the term limits of the constitution of Peleliu and was succeeded by Emais Roberts, who he endorsed, in January 2022.{{Cite web |date=7 December 2018 |title=Shmull leads Peleliu gubernatorial race by slim margin |url=http://islandtimes.org/shmull-leads-peleliu-gubernatorial-race-by-slim-margin/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217103909/https://islandtimes.org/shmull-leads-peleliu-gubernatorial-race-by-slim-margin/ |archive-date=17 December 2023 |access-date=13 July 2021 |website=Island Times}}{{Cite web |last=Reklai |first=Leilani |date=7 May 2021 |title=Dr. Roberts named in race for Peleliu Governor |url=http://islandtimes.org/dr-roberts-named-in-race-for-peleliu-governor/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217172757/https://islandtimes.org/dr-roberts-named-in-race-for-peleliu-governor/ |archive-date=17 December 2023 |access-date=17 December 2023 |website=Island Times}}
Personal life
The funeral of his mother Dirramolei Mellomes E. Shmull took place in August 2018.{{Cite web |last=Cortbus |first=Colin C. |date=10 August 2018 |title=Funeral of Governor's Mother On Peleliu |url=http://islandtimes.org/funeral-of-governors-mother-on-peleliu/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222112719/https://islandtimes.org/funeral-of-governors-mother-on-peleliu/ |archive-date=22 December 2023 |access-date=22 December 2023 |website=Island Times}} Shmull's son Temmy Shmull Jr. was treasurer of Belau Offshore Fisheries Inc., the country's official administrator of tuna and other fish species.{{Cite web |last=Woody |first=Todd |date=17 November 2022 |title=How an Ancient Island Culture Copes With Climate Change |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2022-palau-pacific-islands-sea-level-cop27/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222172216/https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2022-palau-pacific-islands-sea-level-cop27/ |archive-date=22 December 2023 |access-date=22 December 2023 |website=Bloomberg |via=www.bloomberg.com}}{{Cite web |date=8 May 2020 |title=Belau Offshore Fisheries Incorporated is "sole administrator of tuna and other fish species" |url=http://islandtimes.org/belau-offshore-fisheries-incorporated-is-sole-administrator-of-tuna-and-other-fish-species/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222172514/https://islandtimes.org/belau-offshore-fisheries-incorporated-is-sole-administrator-of-tuna-and-other-fish-species/ |archive-date=22 December 2023 |access-date=22 December 2023 |website=Island Times}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons-inline}}
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{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Sabino Anastacio}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister of State of Palau|years=2001-2009}}
{{s-aft|after=Sandra Pierantozzi}}
{{s-bef|before=Kangichi Uchau}}
{{s-ttl|title=Governor of Peleliu|years=2013-2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Emais Roberts}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shmull, Temmy}}
Category:21st-century Palauan politicians
Category:Ministers of state of Palau