I'm a Palauan woman working in the sustainable development sector mainly as a consultant and also as a small business owner. I am also a State Legislator in my State of Ngardmau and sit on our State's Planning and Zoning Commission. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and a Master of Science degree in Biodiversity Conservation & Management. In University, I had to take a lot of Economics courses. Traditional economics had always angered and frustrated me because as an indigenous person, living in a country where our traditional economic system (our gift economy) is still alive, the two basic assumptions underlying the cash economy in traditional economics, I knew they were very, very wrong (at least in Palauan culture). These assumptions are: (1) that we will maximize our own individual self interest and (2) that scarcity is inherent as there are not enough resources in the world to fulfill everyone's limitless wants. In our culture it is disgraceful to be a person who seeks to "maximize our own self interest" and it is equally disgraceful to be a person who has "limitless wants." When I read Kate's book, I felt relieved and validated in my initial assessment of traditional economics. Unfortunately, we are stuck in this system and need to find our way back out because the cash economy and how it currently works is literally changing our people and our values in a very negative way.
I'm interested in topics around how to mainstream concepts of doughnut economics to shape the development of an indigenous Pacific Island society like Palau's. I'm interested in many different topics around sustainability - from culture to business and supply chains to governance to strengthening of social sectors as well as conservation and environment.
