Koror, the most populous and prosperous State in Palau, will hold its 12th General election in November of this year, and with whispers still floating around of potential candidates, a sitting woman legislator Jennifer Sugiyama, has announced her decision to run for the seat of governor of Koror State on Diaz Broadcasting and in Tia Belau publication.
Ms. Sugiyama, a first term legislator elected at large is a vocal candidate, candid with her opinions and observations of the workings of Koror State Government. She is active in community events, and a regular personality in radio talk shows and television broadcasts, garnering an audience in and outside of Koror.
Sugiyama coming out and declaring her candidacy, triggers possibly one of the tightest race for Koror State gubernatorial seat yet.
Names of rumored candidates that have not officially declared include current Governor Franco Gibbons, former Governor Yoshitaka Adachi, current Speaker Alan Marbou and former Speaker Eyos Rudimch.
Given Sugiyama’s announcement, other names are expected to be formally announced soon.
This year, with miasma of COVID-19 pandemic still hanging around, Koror State, second to the national government in size, is facing financial and public health challenges like never before. Its leadership is faced with keeping its government afloat until economy recovers and is expected to do so for at least 3 more years.
Despite such challenges, a long-time voter and observer of Koror politics who doesn’t want to be named, says the election outcome will be based on familial relationships. Many of the rumored candidates are closely related. It is still early to predict but it will be an interesting race to observe.
Koror Race for Governor Is On
