CNMI withdraws PBDC membership

Barely two years after it re-joined the Pacific Basin Development Council, the Northern Marianas is once again pulling out of the organization citing lack of federal support to the group.

CNMI’s withdrawal from the Council leaves Guam and the American Samoa as its only remaining members among three American flag territories and one state in the Pacific.

Last year the State of Hawaii bailed out of PBDC, a regional organization binding four US flag territories in the Pacific — Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the CNMI.

At present, PBDC is believed to be in deep financial need since a significant amount from membership fees remain uncollected.

The CNMI alone failed to pay its membership dues when it re-entered the Council following Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio’s assumption to office in January 1998. The governor did not allocate funds for PBDC in his proposed fiscal year 2000 budget.

No payment has been made by the CNMI since it renewed its membership in 1998, although Mr. Tenorio appropriated funds for PBDC in his FY 1999 budget.

The governor allocated some $35,000 in total funds for the regional organization under the fiscal year 1999 appropriations.

In 1998, Mr. Tenorio met with the leadership of the Hawaii-based organization to discuss issues that would directly or indirectly affect the Northern Marianas once the Commonwealth rejoins the Council.

The CNMI had been very reluctant in re-joining the PBDC despite continuous invitation from the leadership of the PBDC since the Commonwealth bailed out of the regional organization.

CNMI withdrew from the PBDC during the administration of former Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio, who also quit the National Governors Association. The CNMI has not rejoined the Council since then.

CNMI had been a member of PBDC since the organization was established in 1980. It was established, initially, to foster regional economic and social development.

The Council’s initial membership include the governors of the US-affiliated Pacific islands of Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the CNMI.

The council’s headquarters is situated in Honolulu. Guam Gov. Carl Gutierrez is reportedly planning to relocate the office to any of the remaining member-territories.

PBDC’s programs of action includes the Pacific Coral Reef Initiative, Island First Responder Project, Electronic Monitoring System among others.