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Senate looks into Guam restrictions on some holders of CNMI driver’s license
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Posted on Dec 01 2011
By Haidee V. Eugenio
Reporter
Reporter
A special Senate committee is now looking into Guam restrictions on CNMI youth holding CNMI driver’s license for fewer than five years. These drivers are not being allowed to obtain a Guam driver’s license unless they complete a Guam driver’s education program first.
Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) created a special committee to look into the matter and report to the Senate leadership.
Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan’s (Ind-MP) brought the matter to the attention of the Senate president and House Speaker Eli Cabrera (R-Saipan) early this month, saying this Guam restriction negatively impacts many of the CNMI’s youth moving to Guam for schooling or for work.
“We have been informed that youth holding valid Northern Mariana Islands drivers’ licenses for fewer than five years may not obtain a Guam driver’s license unless they complete a Guam driver’s education program, which entails 32 hours of classroom instruction and eight hours of road instruction,” Sablan said.
He also said Guam law provides that the holder of a valid license issued by another territory, commonwealth, or state of the United States may operate a vehicle on the roads of Guam for a period not exceeding 30 days after the date of that person’s arrival in Guam.
But Sablan said the driver’s education program requirement does not apply to applicants from the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
He said this disparity exists because Guam adopted a “graduated driver licensing system” in 2000, but the CNMI does not employ such a system.
The Senate president named Senate floor leader Pete Reyes (R-Saipan) as head of the special committee to look into this matter.
Reyes appointed as committee members Sen. Juan Ayuyu (Ind-Rota) and Sen. Henry San Nicolas (Cov-Saipan), along with legal counsel Antonette Villagomez, who will help the panel.
The delegate said there appears to be some logistical inconsistencies with respect to the Guam position on this matter.
He said one thing is certain-that this situation is logistically and financially detrimental to the CNMI youth living in Guam.
