By Bernadette H. Carreon
Horizon news staff

President Remengesau urged the Senate to take action on the issue of confirming members of the Palau Public Lands Authority Board of Trustees because of pending matters the board has to tackle.
In a letter to Senate Floor Leader Alan Seid, Remengesau said that Congress should immediately act on the confirmation so that the PPLA work may commence immediately.
The president said the Senate has set aside the nominees and instead is working on amending the proposed measure which will lower the number of board members from 16 to seven.
Senate Bill No. 7-162, was passed by both houses and sent to the president for signing, the president however referred it back to Congress where it is still pending.
He said because of the inaction, PPLA board’s work is piling.
He stated that there are outstanding matters requiring PPLA’s board action such as the ratification of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Koror State Government segretation stations and approval of corrections to defects in Angaur deed so that the Aimeliik State Public Lands Authority can proceed with the planned activities on public lands.
The president also stated that the PPLA board also needs to authorize litigation in several matters including certain leases with past due payments and disputes in certain land transactions, approve deeds conveying additional lands to state public lands authorities which lands have been adjudicated and determined to be public lands held by PPLA.
PPLA will also have to approve revisions to 1999 national and state regulations and hire a new executive director by Jan. 2008 and negotiate and approve new land settlement agreement with KSPLA .
Pending works of the PPLA are also the approval of exchange of public for private lands by state PLAs and approval of settlement option in pending litigations.
"By this letter, I ask that the Senate take action on the names submitted so that important work at PPLA may commence forthwith. Meanwhile, we can continue to address the proposed policy changes and hopefully arrive at a solution that is the best interest of the people of the Republic of Palau," the president said.