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Other funding sources eyed for NI summit, as $15K remains ‘missing’
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Posted on Aug 08 2011
The Northern Islands Development Planning Committee will tap other funding sources to finance a summit slated next month while the proposed $15,000 summit budget remains “missing.”
“The committee will be looking into other funding sources since we don’t have the budget from the government yet,” Jerome Aldan, committee member and Northern Islands Mayor’s Office program manager, told Saipan Tribune.
Aldan said he is concerned about the missing $15,000 budget proposed by the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation that was removed from the final budget signed into law last June 7 by then acting governor Eloy S. Inos.
“It magically disappeared from the budget and we were told by the Legislature that they’re going to look into it,” he said.
However, Aldan said they have yet to hear back from the delegation, a little over a month before the summit. “We were told to just focus on planning the summit and not to worry about the funding,” he added.
The “1st Northern Islands Development Summit: Re-Settlement and Economic Re-Development Opportunities – CNMI’s Northern Frontier” is scheduled on Sept. 15 at the Saipan World Resort, which is still up for confirmation.
Aldan said the committee plans to meet with the delegation “to follow up on the status of the $15,000.”
For now, Aldan said they will get in touch with government and private organizations that could potentially provide financial support for the summit.
