House passes bill adding members to PDAC

The House of Representatives unanimously passed yesterday a bill that amends a statute to include additional members to serve on the Planning and Development Advisory Council.

The Office of Planning and Development (OPD) was established to “improve the planning process in the CNMI, to increase the effectiveness of government and private actions, to improve coordination among different agencies and levels of government, to provide for wise us of the CNMI’s resources, and to guide the future development of the CNMI.”

In the OPD, there is a Commonwealth Planning and Development Advisory Council to be chaired by the council members.

Guerrero

Rep. Joseph Lee Pan Guerrero (R-Saipan), who introduced House Bill No. 21-106 HS1, said the Office of Planning and Development with the recommendation from the administrator there are some minor amendments and inclusion as members of the Council.

Guerrero, who chairs House’s Commerce and Tourism Committee, explained the amendments and the new members of the council.

Under the proposed legislation, the Council shall be comprised of the following members: director of the Office of Planning and Development; administrator of the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality; secretary of the Department of Public Works; secretary of the Department of Public Lands; secretary of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources; secretary of the Department of Commerce; and Zoning administrator.

The other members are: executive director of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.; managing director of the Marianas Visitors Authority; a representative from the Office of the Mayor of Tinian and Aguiguan; a representative from the Office of the Mayor of Rota; a representative from the Office of the Mayor of Saipan; a representative from the Office of the Mayor of the Northern Islands; president of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce; chairperson of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors; a member of the House of Representatives who shall be appointed by the speaker; and a member of the Senate who shall be appointed by the Senate president.

The other members are the chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.; secretary of the Department of Finance; executive director of the Commonwealth Ports Authority; chairperson of the Marianas Alliance of Non-Governmental Organizations; a representative of the education system; special assistant of the Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs; secretary of the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs; and commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.

The bill proposed to increase to 25 from the original 15 members of the Commonwealth Planning and Development Advisory Board.

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