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Funding for Saipan public market OK’d
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Posted on Apr 19 2002
A local bill appropriating $350,000 for the construction of a Public Market at the Fishing Base on Saipan hurdled first and final reading in yesterday’s session of the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation.
As passed by the delegation, House Local Bill 13-1 would get the money needed for the project from fees collected under Saipan Local Law 11-2.
According to the bill’s author, Rep. Arnold I. Palacios, the public market is necessary for local farmers, fishermen and other merchants so that they will have a fixed facility where they can sell their catch and produce on a daily basis.
The $350,000 will be used for the Architecture and Engineering design, construction and to buy collateral equipment for the Saipan Public Market. The Secretary of Public Works, John S. Reyes, will have expenditure authority over the funds.
Once the market is done, anyone who would like to set up stalls would have to pay minimal monthly rental fees, which would then be deposited into a special account called the “Saipan Public Market Account.”
As outlined in the measure, the money would only be used to pay the utilities—power, water and sewer—as well as for the maintenance of the building.
The bill now goes to Gov. Juan N. Babauta for passage into law.
This comes even as the Department of Lands and Natural Resources is urging the Marianas Public Land Authority to agree to a meeting so they could discuss the specifics of the project as to location and size.
The DLNR, through its Division of Agriculture, Fish and Wildlife, Land Registration and Surveys, have already come up with proposed designs of the public market and a 5,000 square meter property has already been identified as a possible site.
