Inos’ body arrives Jan. 8

The body of the late governor Eloy S. Inos will arrive on Saturday at 3:30pm on a Delta Air Line flight, even as the administration of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres has targeted a Sunday or Monday state funeral for Inos, who died from complications from diabetes last Dec. 29.

Press secretary Ivan Blanco also said Thursday that the Torres administration will be holding a planning meeting at 10:30am today, Monday, on the logistics of the state funeral. Security details would be internally coordinated with the Department of Public Safety, and a meeting on this is also planned for 9:30am this morning, officials said.

Torres will also not be flying off-island to accompany Inos’ body, as earlier reported, officials said Thursday.

Blanco said they are working on the arrangements, which include preparations for off-island dignitaries.

On Wednesday afternoon, the administration also put online a website for Inos’ funeral information at govinosmemorial.wix.com/tribute. The website includes hotel room reservation and car rental information for those traveling from abroad to attend Inos’ funeral.

Officials also provided a brief biography of Inos, who passed away on Dec. 29 in Seattle, Washington, on the website.

Inos worked more than three decades in public service for the people Northern Mariana Islands, the biography states. Inos began his public service career as Tax Manager for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands’ Revenue Division and quickly moved up to hold the position of Secretary of Finance—a position he occupied under three different administrations.

“With his passion and talent for the field of finance, he was known for detail and precision and had the unique aptitude and ability to understand complex calculations quickly and accurately, making sense of facts that would ordinarily be viewed as meaningless numbers.

“He was dubbed by many as meticulous, a mathematician, the numbers guy, but always humble and kind and a true statesmen in every sense of the word. Governor Inos faithfully served his people in the position of governor of the Commonwealth from 2013 to 2015—a relatively short time—yet exerting perhaps the greatest impact in reviving a severely depressed economy, saving the Retirement Fund—and most importantly inspiring hope and a spirit of renewal for his people.”

“…Despite serious challenges to his health, Governor Inos never gave in to illness and proudly served all the people of the Northern Mariana Islands.”

Between his years of public service, Inos also worked for many years in the private sector as a former vice president of the Tan Holdings Corp., one of the largest business conglomerates in the Northern Mariana Islands and the region. Inos was elected and served in the First Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, including a term as Council Chairman from 1990 until 1992. He attended Mount Carmel High School on Saipan, graduating in May 1967. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Accounting (cum laude) from the University of Guam in May 1981. He also focused his studies on Business Administration while attending the University of Guam.