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‘A thing of beauty’
Rep. Angel Demapan (R-Saipan) believes the late governor Eloy R. Inos would have reacted with a quizzical “Why? Why are you doing this?” if he learns that the newly unveiled park in Puerto Rico is now officially named after him.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signed into law yesterday House Bill 20-56 to officially name the park as the Gov. Eloy S. Inos Peace Park.
Demapan, who authored the bill, said the park is “a true example of how we can come back from being [something] in its worst state in history to a thing of beauty.”
The park overlooks the western lagoon of Saipan. It used to be an unsightly landfill.
Torres, when asked about his thoughts after signing Public Law 20-02 into law, said: “I would not be where I am at without him. I got to really respect him as a person and as a leader.”
“He was a genuinely good guy. This was our last groundbreaking with him and it meant a lot because he made sure I was there early that day,” he added.
Torres assured that the park would be “well-maintained.”
“Give it a few more years and we are really going to see it turn into a park with mature trees and flowers,” he said.
The family of the late governor was also present during the signing of the bill.
“I just want to thank [Torres], Lt. Gov. Victor B. Hocog, [Demapan], and all of the legislators for honoring the memory of my father. We are very grateful,” said Dora Inos Deleon Guerrero, the late governor’s eldest daughter.
Demapan said the park was named after the late governor for his involvement in transforming the landfill into a park.
“The full regulatory closure and the full implementation of the plan to change the landfill into a park really happened during the Inos administration,” he said.
Demapan was Inos’ press secretary.
