Overview:
After 10 years and more than $7 million in investment, Palau has completed its new National Correctional Facility. The 160-inmate facility is expected to begin operations by the end of November, with hopes it will strengthen public safety and support rehabilitation.
By: L.N. Reklai
BABELDAOB, Palau (Nov. 2, 2026) – Palau has completed its new National Correctional Facility after a decade of development, marking a major investment in the country’s justice system and raising expectations for improved rehabilitation, accountability and public safety.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the project’s completion, Ikelau Uro, civil engineer for the Capital Improvement Programs under the Division of Public Works of the Ministry of Public Infrastructures and Industries, described the facility as a 10-year undertaking.
“The Correctional Facility has been a 10-year-long project,” Uro said.
The new facility can accommodate up to 160 inmates and includes separate housing areas for men, women and juveniles. Its facilities include a chapel, medical unit, basketball court, open yard and family visiting rooms, along with holding cells, isolation rooms and monitoring rooms.
The project cost $7,023,482. The Palau national government provided the initial funding for Phase I, while the Republic of China (Taiwan) funded Phases II and III. U.S.-Palau Compact funds were used to connect the facility to the national power grid.
President Surangel Whipps Jr. said the timing of the power connection was critical to completing the project.
“Timing is the key,” Whipps said, explaining that the completion of the eastern loop under a Japan-funded power grid project made it possible to connect the facility to the national grid.
The original plan called for an independent power supply and water source because the facility was located far from both essential infrastructure systems. However, approval of the Compact Review Agreement made Capital Improvement Program funding available to connect the facility to the power supply.
Beyond providing additional space for inmates, Whipps said the facility represents Palau’s commitment to the rule of law and its determination to prosecute crimes.
He said the facility should serve as a deterrent and demonstrate that the government is prepared to invest the resources necessary to prosecute criminal offenses.
At the same time, Whipps emphasized that filling the facility should not be the goal.
The facility has capacity for 160 inmates, while the Koror jail currently houses 116.
“The last thing we want to do is fill it up,” Whipps said, stressing that the correctional facility should also function as an educational system for those sent there.
His remarks pointed to broader expectations for the new institution: not only to house individuals convicted of crimes, but also to provide an environment that supports accountability and opportunities for change.
Airai State Gov. Norman Ngiratecheboet, speaking on behalf of the Governors Association, said the facility reflects the nation’s commitment to “fairness, accountability and opportunity for renewal.”
U.S. Charge d’Affaires Shankar Rao, representing the U.S. government, described the completion as an important step toward improving public safety.
“Today we mark a concrete step toward a strong, safer Palau,” Rao said.
Taiwanese Ambassador to Palau Andy Kang-I Chen said Taiwan had been part of the project since 2001 and welcomed the completion of a modern correctional facility as an important contribution to Palau’s institutional capacity.
“Taiwan has been part of the project since 2001 and … we believe that a modern and well-equipped correctional facility is an important part of Palau’s institutional capacity … and we are truly delighted to have been part of this project,” Chen said.
While the building represents a major investment, Whipps also recognized that its effectiveness will depend on the people responsible for operating it.
“The facility is only as strong as the people who serve within it,” he said, acknowledging the work of law enforcement officers, particularly personnel under the Division of Corrections of the Bureau of Public Safety.
The facility is complete and expected to begin receiving inmates shortly. Bureau of Public Safety Director Curtis Elobt said the government is working toward moving inmates into the new facility by the end of November.
“We are pushing for end of November,” Elobt said, explaining that officials are waiting for one final shipping container carrying additional beds. Once the beds are installed, inmates can be transferred to the new facility.
Justice Minister Jennifer Olegeriil also expressed appreciation to the community, particularly organizations and community groups that have supported the Division of Corrections over the years through food donations and other basic necessities.
She thanked the community for its continued support, saying, “A klekerngel a beluu a ngercheled el rokui.”
With the completion of the 10-year project, Palau now has a modern correctional facility designed to strengthen its justice system. The challenge ahead will be ensuring that the institution fulfills the expectations expressed at its opening: supporting the rule of law, improving public safety, promoting accountability and providing opportunities for rehabilitation and renewal.