On Tuesday October 20th, the Palau Public Land Authority along with President Tommy Remengesau signed a quitclaim deed returning eleven (11) land lots to Ngchesar State Public Land Authority.
These 11 lands given back to Ngchesar State Public Land Authority include 9 lands in Ngersuul and 2 lands in Ngerngesang hamlets of Ngchesar State.
A quitclaim deed transfers all the rights, responsibilities and authorities the national public land authority has over certain public lands to State Public Lands Authorities.
Before the signing of the quitclaim deed, Chairman of Palau Public Land Authority Martin Sokau congratulated Ngchesar State for getting back its eleven land lots. He added that assistance should be provided to the states to help them get their lands back.
“We should come together to help with the process and their plans to transfer the lands to the state governments,” said Sokau.
President Remengesau Jr. said that this was another historic moment where 11 land lots are returned at one time to the State. He added that it is important that State public lands authority develop plans for their public lands and with good communication with PPLA, be able to facilitate the transfer of public lands back to the states.
Remengesau had referred back a bill that proposed to return all public lands held by the national government to the States.
“National and state governments all serve the same people. It would be best that the State land authorities have good plans on how the public lands can be used and laws to clearly support them so that when lands are returned, it will be clear how they will be utilized. The bill was also returned because national government also have need for public land such as schools and hospitals, to serve the Palauan people,” stated Remengesau.
Public lands are lands taken for use by previous colonial administrations, were placed under a Palau Public Land Authority entity to serves as trustees of these lands until the rightful owners have had the chance to go through the process to claim them back.
Land lots that either were not claimed or claimants lost during litigation process, become properties of State Land Authorities.
Gov’t returns 11 land lots back to Ngchesar State
