By B.B
For Horizon

As we begin the New Year, it is important that we should identify those programs and projects that we must undertake in the next twelve months because; first, they must be tackled with this year and cannot be put off for a later time, and second, postponing action on them would result in the unforgivable loss of valuable opportunities or would only exacerbate existing grim situations that must be corrected with dispatch. Here are some of the issues that our National Government should address early in the New Year.
As far as we understand, Palau does not have accurate and up-to-date population data, which our public leaders could use with confident to plan and develop urgently needed programs and capital improvement projects for the country in the coming years. What we have are only projections that are based on earlier projections, which by now may be too far off the marks for meaningful planning purposes. We believe the time has come for the Olbill Era Kelulau to enact a comprehensive legislation calling for a National Census Program to be conducted this year.
The Census program should be designed to provide accurate and comprehensive population data, including age and sex breakdowns and employment and unemployment figures, which government agencies and private organizations could use when they make plans for the months and years immediately ahead. In other words, while the census should be taken on a "de facto" basis, that is a population count of people where they are located on Census Day, it should also be designed for the enumeration of the "de jure" population. This latter count identifies the states where citizens have their permanent residences and where they vote during elections.
Both citizens and non-citizens should be counted on Census Day, so we would have an accurate figure as to how many people actually live in Palau. The number of non-citizens, including their children, and where they reside in the country during the census year should also be recorded for use by our national planners and Immigration officials. The Census program should also be designed to enumerate the number and sizes of households, the number and types of facilities used for businesses, and the number and types of public facilities in the country. These statistics would form the bases for planning and establishing, among others, housing programs, safe water systems, sanitary sewer systems, and environmentally acceptable solid waste disposal areas in our communities.
The up-dated population data gathered in the new Census Program would provide the members of the next Reapportionment Commission with accurate figures to reapportion the OEK Senate in time for the next general election in 2008 as is required by our Constitution. If the Reapportionment Commission is not provided with valid population figures to work with, whatever composition they would come up with for the OEK Senate would inevitably generate unwelcome controversies, legal or otherwise, that will harm the standing of that organization as part of the law-making body for the country.
Finally, The Compact Review Commission and later our Negotiating Team for the Second Compact Treaty with the United States must be armed with accurate, up-to-date population data when they begin their talks with their US counterparts. The information gathered in the new Census would be of great importance in the negotiations for US Government Grants to Palau in the areas of health, education, social programs, and community development.