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Hundreds of mayors to assemble on Saipan
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Posted on Mar 02 2009
[B]AGANA HEIGHTS, Guam[/B]—Hundreds of mayors from the Pacific Rim are expected to congregate in Garapan, Saipan, for the 2nd Annual Pacific Mayors’ Conference from May 14 to 17 at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan.
The conference is an activity of the Association of Pacific Island Local Governments.
Agana Heights Mayor Paul M. McDonald, association president, said he expects more than 300 mayors and municipal-level officials from all over the Philippines, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau to assemble for the conference.
“Following the great inaugural mayors’ conference that was held last April in Guam, hundreds of mayors’ offices have put this event on their calendars for this year,” McDonald said. “This is an exciting opportunity for Saipan to host these village- and city-level official from hundreds of neighborhoods around the Pacific. We will all do our best to make their conference meaningful and their visits memorable.”
The Mayors’ Council of Guam and the Saipan and Tinian Municipal Councils, and the mayors offices of Saipan and Tinian are sharing hosting of the event.
The slogan of the conference is “Maximizing Municipal Muscle,” and the focuses of the conference sessions are to look at changing immigration and tourism patterns due to new U.S. visa regulations for the Marianas, and to address preparations for the military buildup in the Marianas in regards to potential benefits for Pacific neighbors in such areas as manpower and supply requirements.
Immigration officials and experts will talk about developments with the federal takeover of immigration in the Northern Marianas, which takes effect on June 1, and coordination with Guam’s visa-waiver program; and the U.S. Department of Defense’s Joint Guam Program Office will explain what is going on with the military buildup in the region.
Among highlights of the conference are speeches by local experts, officials and dignitaries, a trade fair, a pre-opening cocktail party, a dinner with CNMI government officials, and a trip to Tinian for hosting by the Association of Marianas Mayors.
The gold sponsor of the 2nd Annual Pacific Mayors’ Conference is Tan Holdings Corp. and the silver sponsor is Joeten Enterprises Inc.
Last year’s inaugural conference attracted more than 450 delegates from around the Pacific Rim, making it the largest gathering of government officials ever in Guam and the region. [B][I](PR)[/I][/B]
