Sablan elected chair of NMI Museum board

The newly reorganized board of the NMI Museum of History and Culture has elected Maggie S. Sablan as its chair during the body’s first meeting at the Northern Marianas Humanities Council conference room in Gualo Rai last Wednesday.

Sablan attributed her willingness to lead the board to “great mentors” during her time nine years ago as the museum’s executive director. Those past mentors include prior board members Herman Guerrero, Herbert Del Rosario, Genevieve Cabrera and others.

Members of the CNMI Museum board of governors pose for a photo after their most recent meeting, which saw the election of new officers. Pictured from left to right are Angel Hocog, board secretary; Mertie Kani, Mark Rabauliman, Maggie Sablan, chairperson; Scott Russell, and executive director Robert Hunter. Not pictured is John Gonzalez, vice chairperson. (Contributed Photo)

Sablan worked at the museum for about three and half years. She is currently the manager of the Tan Siu Lin Foundation, the charitable arm of Tan Holdings Corp.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Sablan urged board members to take the time to visit the museum.

“I ask everyone that we work together and help each other to get things done for the museum,” Sablan said.

Sablan told Saipan Tribune it is a privilege to serve on the board but to be the chair is something else. “I will be addressing the issues of what the CNMI Museum is facing. Based on the executive director’s report, we have our hands full,” she said.

“The museum houses everything that identifies us [the CNMI, the islands, and its people]. It is our duty to protect and preserve them. Otherwise everything about us will be lost and no one will know,” Sablan said. “With that said, I am encouraging our people both young and old to visit the museum so we can all have a voice that our history is properly reserved.”

Sablan said the issues the new board will address include staffing, facility maintenance and equipment, and funding.

The museum has two employees right now: an executive director and a groundkeeper. When Sablan was still the executive director, there was a total of eight staff.

“I am hoping that the board will join hands and try to work with the Legislature and [Inos] administration. I urge our leaders to come down and see what the state of the museum it is in,” Sablan said.

One of the things the new board wants to do right away is work with the Inos administration to fill the three remaining vacancies on the board so they could work together and address the museum’s problems.

Other board members are vice chair John Gonzales, secretary Angel Hocog, Scott Russell, Mark Rabauliman, Mertie Kani, and executive director Robert Hunter.