Bilung Gloria Salii, the chief matriarch of Koror State said that she had assumed the duties and responsibilities of Ibedul and therefore should be receiving Ibedul’s monthly honorarium.
Koror State law provides compensation to the members of the House of Traditional Leaders (HOTL). $700 for Ibedul, $500 for each Ngarameketii member, paid every 15th and 30th of the month.
“Therefore I request that the Klobak’s monthly honorarium of Ibedul be issued to my name Bilung Gloria Salii,” stated the letter signed Ibedul Bilung Gloria Salii to Koror State Governor Franco Gibbons.
An opinion issued by Governor Gibbons’s attorney regarding Bilung’s request stated that Koror State law requires that honorarium be paid to a person that actually holds a title “and sits as a member of the House of Traditional Leaders.” The law further states that if there are two claimants to the title that the honorarium is held until the court has determined the proper bearer of the title.
The opinion further states that there has been no document from HOTL to show that they have taken action to accept Bilung as a member of the HOTL. Until such a document is produced, the Koror state government may not have a legal basis to pay the honorarium. But if such a document is produced, then the government should pay the Ibedul’s honorarium to Bilung.
Bilung had also informed the National Council of Chiefs that she had taken over the responsibilities and duties of Ibedul and that anything related to the role of Ibedul should go to her. The Council of Chiefs replied expressing their sorrow over the passing of their friend and said they look forward to the submission of the name of the next Ibedul.
It is a rare event for a female counterpart (keldorolel a rubak) to assume the chief’s title but it is the first time that it is seen in the position of a paramount chief.