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Sparse attendance at climate change group meetings
Left to right, Rebecca Skeele (Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality), Geri Dela Cruz (Department of Public Works), Maryann Arriola (Zoning Board), Robbie Greene (BECQ), and Lainie Zanores (BECQ) attend the Climate Change Working Group?s monthly meeting at the Zoning Office conference room on April 8, 2014. (Contributed Photo)
Of the 33 participating agencies and organizations in the Climate Change Working Group, only five members showed up during its monthly meeting Tuesday.
The group first convened in June 2012 to lay a strategic foundation for climate change adaptation planning in the CNMI.
According to Maryann Arriola, zoning planner for CNMI Zoning, members that usually show up for the monthly meetings range from three to seven. This month’s meeting only had five members representing three government agencies out of 33 agencies and organizations.
Members that showed up were Rebecca Skeele, Robbie Greene, and Lainie Zanores from the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, Geri Dela Cruz from the Department of Public Works, and Arriola from the Zoning Board.
“There’s not much people from different organizations showing up,” Arriola said. “We encourage them to attend and suggest that they come to the meeting every month because we need to get together for contribution. We need their input.”
The group was created to develop a unified CNMI approach for adapting to climate change.
Arriola noted that the group has been pushing for a framework and adaptation plan for the CNMI, including goals and actions that need to be addressed.
“We can’t put the goals and decision-making [in motion] when everyone doesn’t show up,” she said.
She encouraged more representatives from the participating organizations to attend the meetings. “Again, we encourage all participating organizations to send representatives for our monthly meetings because we don’t want to wait until its too late to make any decisions.”
In a statement that Gov. Eloy S. Inos sent to all department and activity heads last Feb. 6, he directed all departments, divisions, offices, government corporations, boards, and commissions of the Commonwealth government to appoint a representative from their respective offices to participate in the meetings, trainings, and associated activities of the group.
