Guam, NMI leaders build foundation for an historic ‘Un Marianas’ policy agenda

‘This historic agreement sets into motion many things that we may achieve together for Guam and the CNMI’

Guam Gov. Eddie Baza Calvo, CNMI Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, and agency representatives came together for the inaugural Marianas Working Group business meeting starting last Thursday.

The two-day meeting was designed to identify matters affecting both Guam and the CNMI. The working group further aims to develop policy solutions that will mutually benefit both jurisdictions.

Approximately 150 officials from Guam and the CNMI convened in working groups to share data, emerging trends, challenges, best practices, and opportunities for collaborating on topics spanning seven categories: labor and education; commerce and ports; homeland security and public safety; health and food security; finance and taxation; land, environment and veteran’s affairs; as well as infrastructure, utilities and telecommunications.

Culture and language was discussed within each of the respective working groups.

“There’s so much potential for the Marianas. But we have to go thousands and thousands of miles away to try to fix the problems that we didn’t create. Today, this meeting is about our people coming together to address these issues, and create opportunities for the Northern Marianas and Guam,” said Calvo.

“We come together today to don our thinking caps, let flow our creative thinking juices; and to chart our canoe towards a closer, stronger, and more inseparable un Marianas, un kurason, un sensin, un håga’, un guinaiya, un guinifi for our future generation,” said John Oliver DLR “Bolis” Gonzales, chief of staff of Lt. Gov. Victor B. Hocog, and the event’s emcee.

“This working group reaffirms the shared commitment by both Gov. Torres and Gov. Calvo for the Marianas to come together in organic policy discussions that will lead to long-term benefits. Collective problems require collective solutions and leaning on this concept of inafa’maolek will help the CNMI and Guam achieve this goal,” said press secretary Kevin Bautista.

“Right now we are in agreement that Guam and the CNMI face a shortage of skilled laborers to meet current demands. The irony is that this is due to no fault of our own. However, I am confident that together we will address and solve this labor shortage crisis,” Torres added.

“Both jurisdictions are natural partners. It is time to build up our Marianas together,” said Guam Sen. Will Castro. (PR)