Camsek Chin
Encyclopedia
Elias Camsek Chin is a Palau
an politician
. He served as the Vice President of Palau from 1 January 2005 to 15 January 2009.
Chin defeated incumbent Sandra Pierantozzi
in vice-presidential elections held on 2 November 2004, winning 71.1% of the vote.
, Palau
, on October 10, 1949. His father, Taktai Chin was the son of a Chinese
miner at Angaur and a Palauan mother, and became Palau's first doctor. His mother, Takeko Chin (née Kuratomi) was of Japanese
heritage. As a boy, his fondness for ten-gallon hats and cowboy boots earned him the nickname "Cowboy." Passionate about baseball, but always the tiniest kid when picking teams for neighborhood games, Cowboy was, sadly, always picked last.
As a youth, Camsek attended Farrington High School
in Honolulu, Hawaii
. While attending University of Hawaii
, Camsek met Miriam Rudimch. Camsek learned that Miriam was a tennis player and, in an attempt to impress Ms. Rudimch, decided to take on the sport (even though he initially found the sport to be boring and preferred to spend his days surfing Hawaii 's famous breaks). This time, however, Cowboy was picked first: Miriam Rudimch and Camsek Chin married on May 21, 1977.
Elias Camsek Chin attended the Electronic Institute of Hawaii, graduating with an AA degree in Electronics Engineering Technology. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree in psychology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa
where he also completed the Reserve Officer Training Corps Curriculum and Education course of Study. In 1975 Second Lieutenant Chin was commissioned in the Armor Corps of the U.S. Army. He later branch transferred to Aviation Corps and spent over 20 years as a U.S. Army combat aviator.
Lieutenant Colonel Chin is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Course, United States Army Flight School , Air Ground Operations School , the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College with emphasis on International Relations. He is also a graduate of U.S. Army Airborne School, U.S. Army Ranger School, U.S. Army Motor Officer School , and the U.S. Army Computer School.
His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merits, the Meritorious Service Medal with 2 nd Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with 2 nd Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, Parachutist Badge, Army Master Aviator Badge, and the Ranger Tab.
Upon Lieutenant Colonel Chin's retirement from the U.S. Army in 1997, President Kuniwo Nakamura nominated him to the position of Minister of Justice. The Fifth Olbiil Era Kelulau unanimously approved.
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.
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
an politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served as the Vice President of Palau from 1 January 2005 to 15 January 2009.
Chin defeated incumbent Sandra Pierantozzi
Sandra Pierantozzi
Sandra Sumang Pierantozzi is a Palauan politician. She served as the country's Vice-President from 19 January 2001 to 1 January 2005. Pierantozzi was defeated by Camsek Chin in the 2 November 2004 vice-presidential election, winning only 28.9% of the vote....
in vice-presidential elections held on 2 November 2004, winning 71.1% of the vote.
Early life
Elias Camsek Chin was born in PeleliuPeleliu
Peleliu is an island in the island nation of Palau. Peleliu forms, along with two small islands to its northeast, one of the sixteen states of Palau. It is located northeast of Angaur and southwest of Koror....
, Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
, on October 10, 1949. His father, Taktai Chin was the son of a Chinese
Chinese in Palau
Ethnic Chinese have been settling in Palau in small numbers since the 19th century. The early settlers consisted of traders and labourers, and often intermarried with Palauan women. Their offspring quickly assimilated with the local populace and generally identify themselves as Palauan...
miner at Angaur and a Palauan mother, and became Palau's first doctor. His mother, Takeko Chin (née Kuratomi) was of Japanese
Japanese settlement in Palau
There is a small Japanese community in Palau, which mainly consists of Japanese expatriates residing in Palau over a long-term basis. A few Japanese expatriates started to reside in Palau after it gained independence in 1994, and established long-term businesses in the country...
heritage. As a boy, his fondness for ten-gallon hats and cowboy boots earned him the nickname "Cowboy." Passionate about baseball, but always the tiniest kid when picking teams for neighborhood games, Cowboy was, sadly, always picked last.
As a youth, Camsek attended Farrington High School
Farrington High School
Governor Wallace Rider Farrington High School is a public secondary school located in the Kalihi district of Honolulu on the island of Oahu, Hawaii....
in Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
. While attending University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
, Camsek met Miriam Rudimch. Camsek learned that Miriam was a tennis player and, in an attempt to impress Ms. Rudimch, decided to take on the sport (even though he initially found the sport to be boring and preferred to spend his days surfing Hawaii 's famous breaks). This time, however, Cowboy was picked first: Miriam Rudimch and Camsek Chin married on May 21, 1977.
Elias Camsek Chin attended the Electronic Institute of Hawaii, graduating with an AA degree in Electronics Engineering Technology. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in psychology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system...
where he also completed the Reserve Officer Training Corps Curriculum and Education course of Study. In 1975 Second Lieutenant Chin was commissioned in the Armor Corps of the U.S. Army. He later branch transferred to Aviation Corps and spent over 20 years as a U.S. Army combat aviator.
Lieutenant Colonel Chin is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Course, United States Army Flight School , Air Ground Operations School , the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College with emphasis on International Relations. He is also a graduate of U.S. Army Airborne School, U.S. Army Ranger School, U.S. Army Motor Officer School , and the U.S. Army Computer School.
His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merits, the Meritorious Service Medal with 2 nd Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with 2 nd Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, Parachutist Badge, Army Master Aviator Badge, and the Ranger Tab.
Upon Lieutenant Colonel Chin's retirement from the U.S. Army in 1997, President Kuniwo Nakamura nominated him to the position of Minister of Justice. The Fifth Olbiil Era Kelulau unanimously approved.
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
Palauan presidential election, 2008
The Palauan presidential election was held as part of the Palauan general elections on November 4, 2008. It was won by Johnson Toribiong. Incumbent President Tommy Remengesau was ineligible to run because he has served the maximum two terms allowed....
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
Johnson Toribiong
Johnson Toribiong is a Palauan attorney and politician who is the current President of Palau, following his victory in the November 2008 election.-Background and earlier career:...
was elected president with 51 per cent.