NMASH meets for 4th Governor’s Conference

Public and private sector board members of the Northern Marianas Alliance for Safety and Health, or NMASH, met Friday on Capitol Hill to begin planning for the Governor’s 4th Annual Health and Safety Conference this fall.

A teleconference exchange was conducted from the Governor’s conference room with Region 9 OSHA offices in San Francisco to submit requests for trainers to be provided from the OSHA Institute at the University of California- San Diego campus for the conference, likely to be held in September this year at the Saipan World Resort.

Keynote speakers will be arranged for the four-day conference, OSHA certification in general industry and construction safety will be awarded, 1st Aid and CPR classes will be offered, vendor and public sector booths will be housed and CNMI departments and federal trainers will present material to an audience that numbered 350 at last year’s conference.

Representatives from Guam, Hawaii, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and American Samoa are expected to join the CNMI and Region 9 OSHA, and the OSHA Institute, for classes and the event on Saipan.

Gov. Benigo R. Fitial’s special assistant for trade relations and NMASH chair Richard A. Pierce conducted the meeting that was attended by Public Health Secretary Joseph K. Villagomez, Public Safety Commissioner Ernest Williams, Public Works Secretary Jose Demapan, Division of Environmental Quality director Frank Rabauliman, CNMI Labor and OSHA Consultation’s Valerie Ada, Northern Marianas College administrator Dawn Crystal Revilla, SGMA chair James Lin, Hotel Association of the Northern Marians Islands vice chair B.K. Park, Saipan Contractor chair Peter Errett, Saipan Chamber of Commerce president Charles Cepeda and Dr. Richard Brostrum from Public Health.

DPH Secretary Villagomez informed NMASH members that part of his focus would be to illustrate how DPH and larger CNMI employers have already instituted preparation for potential impact from the Asian bird flu pandemic. OSHA Region 9 agreed with Villagomez that this is a priority for the conference.

Further details about the conference and information on how to register will be made available through the Northern Marianas College, the Office of the Governor and through the four business organizations for private sector participation. (PR)