Key points:
- Single Senatorial District: The Senate will remain a single district, ensuring “one person, one vote” and fair representation across the population.
- Increased Seats: The number of Senate seats will increase from 13 to 15, allowing for broader constituent access and potentially more efficient legislative work.
- Focus on Representation: The Commission prioritized factors like workload balance and ensuring each Senator represents a reasonable number of constituents.
Koror, Palau – The Congressional Reapportionment Commission has released its 2024 Reapportionment Plan, increasing the number of Senate seats from 13 to 15.
Key factors considered in the plan included the latest population data, the need for equal representation, the operational expenses of the Senate, and the non-bias principle against incumbents. The 2020 Census data indicated a population decrease among citizens by approximately 3%, while non-citizen residents increased by nearly 8%. Notably, Koror and Airai remained the most populated states, with Airai and Babeldaob showing population growth due to ongoing infrastructure development.
The Commission upheld the “one person, one vote” principle by favoring a single senatorial district system, ensuring equal voting power across the population. This system was deemed to promote unity, fair representation, and inclusivity.
Operational expenses of the Senate were also reviewed, with a noted 6% decrease in the annual budget from Fiscal Year 2019 to 2023. While the Commission recognized that increasing Senate membership would raise overall expenses, it concluded that the impact would primarily affect members’ salaries without significant changes to other budget items.
The final plan maintains a single senatorial district and increases Senate seats from 13 to 15. According to the plan, this aims to enhance constituent access to elected officials, ensuring more equal representation and a broader distribution of political power.
Ms. Berry Moon Watson, the only female member of the Commission, proposed a future consideration for gender diversity in the Senate, reflecting Palau’s demographic makeup, where 47% of the population is female. The report said that, while the Commission acknowledged the importance of this proposal, it stressed that any constitutional amendments require due legislative process.
The Commission faced a statutory conflict that delayed the plan’s release by a year. The statute’s time constraint required an earlier publication than the Constitution mandated. Legal counsel advised the Commission to issue the plan before the constitutional deadline of 120 days prior to the general election, leading to the plan’s timely release.
The Commission, formed under Article IX, section 4(a) of the Constitution and 23 PNC sections 202 and 203, began its work on April 11, 2024. The seven-member panel elected Mr. Ongerung Kambes Kesolei as Chairman and Dr. Patrick U. Tellei as Vice Chairman. Other members include Ms. Berry Moon Watson, Mr. Wayne Andrew, Mr. Paul Reklai, Mr. Jefferson Thomas, and Mr. Raynold Mechol. The Commission operated with the authority to hire staff, contract services, and manage property to fulfill its duties.
So it appears that with single senatorial district, the house of delegates will eventually be disolved.
Palauans are dying, every week we’re burying our people, and every now and then Palauans are leaving Palau to go to the US to find the American Dream. We fill the void space with foreign people to do jobs that we don’t have manpower to do. Yet we are increasing the senate seats from thirteen to fifteen, as if our population is increasing, what kind of logic is that? Is it because we’ve been approved of the money from the Compact of Free Association so we’re creating more jobs and funding trips of groups as well as individuals under the umbrella of official obligations left and right? Are we in our right minds as a society and thinking of our future generations, or have we been blinded by the worldly greed?