The leadership of Ngchesar State Government has achieved a major accomplishment. The state will soon boast the biggest urban subdivision for a land lease program ever established in the Republic.
Ngchesar’s Lease Program was first conceived of about 20 years ago. Since then, its design and implementation has been mulled over, deferred, and/or tabled. In addition, lack of established state zoning and subdivision regulations hindered its refinement and establishment.
Ngchesar’s incumbent governor, Florencio Adelbai, one of the original advocate of the lease program, since taking office, has worked industriously along the with state’s 7th Council to review the details of program and to ensure its implementation. In the process of their work, they had solicited for assistance from National Bureau of Lands and Surveys of the National Ministry of Resource and Development (R&D).
The Bureau of Lands and Surveys (BLS), through the office of Minister Fritz Koshiba, sent forth a devised Temporary Subdivision and Zoning Regulations, based on existing National Zoning and Subdivision Laws, to be considered and approved of as technical guidelines in order for BLS to proceed with its preliminary work on the lease program progress.
Upon receipt of the Temporary Subdivision and Zoning Regulations, Governor Adelbai introduced in the 2nd Special Session of the 7th Ngchesar State Council a resolution (Resolution No. 7-29-6) that calls for the approval and adoption of the regulations to be used by Ngchesar State Government as guidelines in moving forward with the state’s land lease program. The resolution was unanimously approved and adopted on Tuesday, Nov. 06.
Ngchesar State Government is now gearing up to open its land lease program in January 2008. In an attempt to prevent future delays to the opening of the lease program and at the request of the state government, Minister Koshiba invited representatives from Palau Communication Corporation, Environmental Quality Protection Board, Historic Preservation Office, Protected Areas Network, Bureau of Lands and Surveys, and the National Public Works to join him in a special meeting with the Governor and Councilmen on Tuesday in Ngchesar to address specific questions relating to all the essential preliminary processes and requirements– acquisition of applications and permits, designs and plans for roads, power, water, sewer, and communication lines – relating to the land lease program, and to witness the signing of the Final Plat of the land designated to be subdivided for the land lease program.
This is a major accomplishment and a milestone for Palau that the people of Ngchesar have undertaken. It will be a challenge, but a challenge that the leaders of this state are well prepared for, remarked Minister Koshiba during the meeting. He further stated his office would continue to support and assist Ngchesar State Government with this development.
According to information received from state officials, the lease program will be implemented in January 2008. The government is preparing to lease out 152 lots. The sizes of the lots will vary; however, a set minimum size of the lots is 2000 square meters. The subdivision is situated within the area of the Compact Road asphalt batch plant and the Ngchesar market in Ngchesar. Work on the subdivision has begun.