Aldan, Kia’aina meet to discuss Pagan

U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Esther Kia’aina meets with Northern Islands Mayor Jerome Aldan yesterday for a briefing on Pagan. (Contributed Photo)

U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Esther Kia’aina and Northern Islands Mayor Jerome Aldan met over lunch to discuss Pagan before she left for Guam Tuesday. It was Kia’aina’s first time to meet Aldan.

Office of Insular Affairs staff and Jim Richardson of the American Memorial Park-National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior accompanied Kia’aina at the meeting with Aldan.

Aldan was accompanied by consultant and former lawmaker William Torres.

Kia’aina shared with Aldan OIA’s assistance in the resettlement of the natives of Rongolap Atoll in the Marshall Islands, wherein her office provided technical assistance in aquaculture caged fishing project.

“The assistant secretary was interested in learning about the Northern Islands resettlement and redevelopment plans,” Aldan told Saipan Tribune.

Aldan also discussed with Kia’aina the Northern Islands First Northern Islands Frontier Summit held in 2012, and presented the OIA official with a copy of the Northern Frontier Socio-Economic Development Plan. The mayor also shared his recent consultation with the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation on the establishment of a free trade zone under Public Law 18-16.

The mayor informed Kia’aina of NIMO’s agriculture and aquaculture master plans for the islands, including the Pagan Fishing Community that kicks off this month with 18 people who relocated to the Northern Islands earlier this month.

“Kia’aina was thrilled with the scope and breadth of our strategic plans that was way ahead of its time before the advent of live fire bombing proposal,” he said.

Kia’aina was also interested in the agriculture and village homestead program. The mayor told Kia’aina that claimants have long filed their application in accordance with applicable laws and are waiting for the issuance of their homestead permits from the Department of Public Lands.

While permits for Saipan, Tinian, and Rota have long been issued, Aldan said the long-awaited permits for residents of the Northern Islands have not been issued for no reason whatsoever.

Kia’aina was curious about the lack of progress over homesteads and wondered whether this has any bearings on the volcanic activity in the Northern Islands.

Aldan said there is already an evacuation plan and that resettlement and redevelopment are compatible with the natural condition in the Northern Islands, being in the ring of fire, using the recent eruption in Japan as an example of how people and nature could co-exist.

Although Aldan said that Kia’aina was mainly interested to learn more about Pagan Island, Aldan was clear in his sentiments against live-fire bombing on the island.

Aldan said that one day the Northern Islands will be supporting the entire CNMI from revenues generated from pozzolan deposits that require removal to make more arable land available.

Aldan said that Kia’aina is sensitive to the issues facing the natives considering she was born and raised in Guam and is a native Hawaiian with vast experience dealing with Pacific regional issues, concerns, and priorities.

The meeting also touched on communication and the accessibility of Pagan Island through an Internet connection in 2013 but this was abruptly terminated last year due to maintenance cost.

“I remain hopeful we would be given what Northern Islands deserve for its socio-economic programs,” he said.