By B.B.
For Horizon

The recent action by the Governors Association calling for the deletion of a section of the law establishing PPLA, which directs that 25 percent of the revenues derived from state public lands should be paid to the National Treasury, is a long overdue governmental action to correct a public policy whose purpose and usefulness has long since passed.
In the mid-seventies when the Trust Territory Government began returning land properties under its control to the district entities where they were located, the Palau Legislature enacted a law (35 PNC, Section 217) creating the Palau Public Land Authority to accept and to hold these properties in trust until such time they could be returned to their proper owners. The 25% PPLA share of the fee levied on the rental of lands under its management was a practical and necessary arrangement for handling the situation at the time.
When the Constitution of Palau took effect in 1981, however, many provisions of the PPLA law, including the section providing a 25% fee to the National Treasury, had to be phased out at the proper time. When PPLA certifies that all public lands in a state have been turned over to that state government, all matters of management, including receipt of rental fees, should be under the exclusive control of that state government and nowhere else. The 25% management fee which the National Government had been entitled to should cease because PPLA would no longer have management responsibilities for that state’s land properties.
The sooner 35 PNC, Section 217 is amended to reflect this reality, the better for all concerned. The PPLA has largely fulfilled its obligations and responsibilities and it is time that these functions and responsibilities should be turned over to state governments, as intended by the Palau constitution. Furthermore, such a move, which the Governors of Palau fully endorsed in their recent conference, will give state government officials the legal authority and the confidence to administer and manage their own public lands in ways that could bring desirable developments, and much needed revenues, to their states. Section 217 of title 35 in the Palau National Code must be amended or deleted to allow that to take place.

Practice common courtesies on our crowded roads

Early this week I witnessed an incident on our road, which left me with anger and disgust. As I was coming from the South of town, an empty taxi cab sped ahead of me in front of the PCC complex. As we approached the Post Office area, I saw a mini bus with many tourists on board on the side road next to the Post Office parking lot, waiting for an opportunity to enter the main road.
There was an ample margin of safety for that mini bus to cut ahead of the taxi cab and enter the main road, which the bus driver took. Instead of slowing down to allow the mini bus and its passengers to enter the main road in safety, the driver of the taxi cab sped up to a few feet behind the bus. Sticking his head and clenched fist out of the opened window of his cab, he shouted a stream of obscenities, in Palauan and English, at the driver of the bus and his passengers. Gosh, how embarrassing! Please people, let’s all be courteous on our roads.