Liberation Day committee sticks with float entry fee

The 2016 Fourth of July Liberation Day committee will be sticking with the $100 entry fee for this year’s float contest, which they hope would attract more than 20 entries. Application opens on April 4 and the deadline for submission of entries is on June 17.

Float sub committee chair Mariano Fajardo suggested in yesterday’s meeting at the Saipan Mayor’s Office conference room that the fee be lowered to $50 in order to attract more groups to join the annual parade. Only 11 floats participated last year with the $100 entry fee.

Fajardo said he is hoping to invite the hotels and resorts on the island to join or have an entry in the float parade and contest. The high cost of renting lowboys, which is also used for floats, is the reason why Fajardo suggested in lowering the entry fee.

Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang said that he would talk to several construction companies to either lend the lowboys or have it rented at a lower rate.

Aqua Resort Club, Coral Ocean Golf Resort, Fiesta Resort & Spa, Grandvrio Resort Saipan, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Kanoa Resort, Laolao Bay Golf & Resort, Mariana Resort & Spa, and Pacific Islands Club are the major hotels and resorts on Saipan.

Several typhoons caused the postponement of the Liberation Day parade last year that’s why only few joined last year’s parade and the cost of setting up a float are some of the reasons that the committee thought why some groups don’t want to join the event.

But some committee members said that even a pickup truck could also be used as in the case of the Papago Lancherus, which won second place in last year’s contest.

The cash prizes will be $4,000 for the top winner, while the second, third, and fourth placers will get $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000, respectively.

Last year, the Yapese community won the $4,000 top prize, while Choll A Bellu and the United Filipino Organization took home $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.

The 2016 Liberation Day committee is also reminding the public that they can still submit entries for the slogan contest in the 71st celebration of the World War II liberation. Entries must have a brief essay that is related to the significance of the anniversary’s impact in the lives of the people of the CNMI.

The deadline of submission is before 4pm on Monday, Feb. 29, at the Saipan Mayor’s Office or email your entries at ldcnmi@gmail.com. The winning slogan will get $500.