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Municipal council revives Neighborhood Watch
The 16th Saipan & Northern Islands Municipal Council has officially adopted to restore the Saipan Neighborhood Watch program as one of its immediate signature priority community projects.
This comes in view of the lifting of austerity measures, restoring the council’s full operations with availability and restoration of government appropriations through the American Rescue Plan Act funding. The program was in a hiatus in 2015 during the 13th Council due to lack of funding.
The principal goal of the program is to implement a year-round community-based “Neighborhood Watch” effort by all to preserve the safety and security of all—children (famagu’on), youth (manhobin), adults and elderly (man’amku), families, households, businesses, non-profit organizations, and public facilities—in villages throughout Saipan.
“Our goal, too, is to call upon the 22nd…Legislature’s support to pass a bill (and appropriate annual project funding) to dedicate this project in honor of the lives of Maleina and Faloma Quitugua Luhk, who mysteriously went missing a decade ago on May 25, 2011,” said council chair Ana Demapan-Castro. “Everyone’s lives and peace of mind matter.”
In an effort to inform the 16th Council of the best approach forward, a series of public meetings will be held on Saipan from 5:30pm to 6:30pm to meet with, solicit input, and secure the valuable support and participation from the residents of Saipan on the orogram and the installation of CCTV cameras in captive areas (school bus stops, sports and recreational facilities, public parks, etc.) during interactive hours daily as a built-in deterrent.
June 28, 2021–Saipan Leadership Memorial Kios Ku in Chalan Kanoa (across U.S. Post Office);
July 13, 2021—Kagman Community Center in Kagman 3;
July 15, 2021—Carolinian Utt in Garapan; and
July 20, 2021—Tanapag Social Hall (across Sta. Remedios Church).
Input may also be sent via email to spnmunicipalcouncil@gmail.com or by calling the council office numbers at 664-2700 or 664-2701. (PR)
