House JGO panel OKs Second Political Status Commission bill

The House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations is recommending full House passage of a bill seeking to create a Second Marianas Political Status Commission, which will re-examine whether people still want to continue the islands’ political relationship with the United States pursuant to the terms of the original Covenant agreement.

House Bill 17-7 could be acted on during the House’s next session, scheduled either for Wednesday or later this week.

JGO Committee chair Rep. Ralph Demapan (Cov-Saipan) said the panel feels it has “justifiable reasons to support a Commonwealth return to the negotiation table with the United States in the matter of revisiting the areas of self-government and its political status with the U.S.”

The committee also said in its findings that the U.S. government has made unilateral decisions on matters where the CNMI has declared opposing views, including the submerged lands issues and the Marine Monument.

It also said that White House documents circa 1963 contained “several condescending comments and discussions about the inability of ‘Micronesians’ to properly govern themselves because of their lack of education and other issues.”

Rep. Stanley Torres (Ind-Saipan), author of the bill, said he’s been introducing this bill since he first served in the 7th Legislature up to the current 17th Legislature, except in the 11th and 14th Legislatures.

“I’m thankful that the JGO Committee recommended passage of this bill. I’m hoping that the Senate will pass it when the House passes it this week,” Torres said.

Under the bill, the Second Marianas Political Status Commission will examine the provisions of the Covenant, review the actions of the United States in interpreting and implementing the Covenant, review and examine alternative political and economic status options for the CNMI, and make one or more recommendations regarding a desirable future political status to the Commonwealth Legislature for approval by the CNMI in a plebiscite under Commonwealth law.

The committee said the enactment of HB 17-7 will initially cost the CNMI $50,000 for the operations of the Political Status Commission.

“However, the Commonwealth could create a more desirable socio-economy scenario within its boundaries through a more viable self-governing status. Subsequently, this should relate to a better fiscal system of life in our islands, which in turn will translate to a healthier island community,” it said.

All the seven members of the JGO Committee signed the report. Besides Demapan and Torres, the other members are vice speaker Felicidad Ogumoro (Cov-Saipan), Rep. Teresita Santos (Ind-Rota), Rep. Joseph Palacios (R-Saipan), Rep. Tony Sablan (R-Saipan) and Rep. Ray Yumul (R-Saipan).