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Torres: NMI has no control over opening of borders, but has control over vaccinations
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Posted on Nov 18 2021
The CNMI has no control over the reopening of its borders to international airlines, but it has control over getting everyone on the islands be vaccinated, according to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres.
In response to a question during his Friday radio press briefing, Torres said that President Joe Biden’s directive lifting some restrictions for foreign travelers from 33 countries who are fully vaccinated applies across the nation, so it’s the CNMI’s obligation to fulfill that mandate. One of the sticking factors of that directive, though, is for foreign travelers to be fully vaccinated.
“That’s a very big point because we can’t stop airlines from coming in,” Torres said.
He said they want to be accommodating and welcome the CNMI’s business partners that are bringing in tourists but, at the same time, Torres underscored the importance of doing what the CNMI can do to safeguard its community.
He said that when Biden issued the directive, the CNMI needs to follow it as much as it can and work on implementing additional safeguards for the community.
Torres said the community needs to understand that COVID-19 is going to be here and that the CNMI is mandated to open up its borders.
“Those are the things that we don’t have control over. What our control is to get our kids vaccinated. The control is to get each and every one on these islands vaccinated,” he said.
Torres said control means the government and the people can tell their family members, friends, neighbors, business partners about the need to get vaccinated as it is to protect everybody individually.
Effective Nov. 8, 2021, all fully vaccinated travelers are now allowed to enter the United States. (Ferdie de la Torre)
