Fitial leaves for DC today

House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial leaves today for Washington DC to meet with federal officials in hopes to establish stronger ties with the Administration of President George W. Bush.

Mr. Fitial said he is meeting with newly-installed Interior Department Secretary Gale Norton, other administration as well as legislative officials and business leaders in the American capital, to foster friendship with the new US leadership.

The speaker also hopes to discuss with the Commonwealth’s allies in the US Congress the issue on the renewed federal takeover initiative put forward by some members of the US Senate led by Senators Daniel Akaka (Hawaii) and Frank Murkowski (Alaska).

Mr. Fitial is also meeting with federal environment and business officials, to ensure that the Commonwealth is properly considered in any legislative or administrative measures that relate to the environment and trade.

The speaker said environmental laws affecting the Commonwealth will be carefully discussed in light of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources complaints on mitigation banks.

He said certain laws should be clarified since most of these are not applicable in the Commonwealth.

Records said there are about 600 hectares of land in Kagman area specified by DLNR as mitigation banks. DLNR officials met with members of House of Representatives yesterday to raise their concerns on the issue.

To get a clearer picture of the case, Mr. Fitial vowed to get the necessary answer from federal officials involved in the environmental laws.

The meeting will also strengthen CNMI’s relationship with the federal government as efforts were beefed up to block the passage and implementation of a renewed proposal in the US Congress to strip the CNMI of its immigration and labor controls.

Mr. Fitial said communication lines have already been established between Commonwealth and US governments as part of local efforts to ensure Washington that measures are being taken to correct previous concerns raised by the Clinton Administration.

“I am confident that the federal takeover issue will eventually meet its death. Although we are hopeful that the US Senate will hold back the new federal takeover bill for reasons that it is unnecessary and would kill the islands’ economy,” he told an interview.

The speaker also mentioned that strong relationships have been established with a good number of US legislative leaders who are completely aware of the damaging effect of a federal takeover to the CNMI economy.

Although the meeting will not focus on federal takeover issues, Mr. Fitial said this will be a part of his discussions with federal officials. He is also set to raise concerns on the extension of more technical assistance to the islands.

The speaker added federal takeover proposals have thinner chances at being able to make a first base not only because CNMI has more allies in the US now but, more importantly, because measures have been properly taken to improve the labor conditions in the Northern Marianas.