Fitial to other Republicans: Drink milk

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial said yesterday he respects the opinion of some members of the CNMI Republican Party who are unhappy with his selection as party president, and advised them to “drink milk.”

“Anybody has his own mind so let them speak their mind. I have my own mind but I will never address them,” he said, adding that he has been meeting with Republicans every week.

He said he “will never force people to do what they don’t want to do.”

“So if they don’t want to be with me, I respect that. So my prayers go to them,” he told reporters yesterday.

The governor, at the same time, said his being the president of the party again and his connection with the Republican National Committee will bring “tangible benefits and advantages” to the CNMI.

“This is the wonderful thing about being a Republican now because it’s a Republican year. The Republicans in the United States are becoming stronger so, you know, you develop relationship and now that relationship translates into tangible benefits, advantage for the Commonwealth,” he said.

Fitial was unanimously chosen by those present at the meeting on Saturday when Juan N. Babauta stepped down to devote his time as chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Health Corp.

But sitting Republican lawmakers said they were not invited to the Saturday meeting nor were they informed about amendments to the party bylaws that paved the way for an elected official to become party president.

Fitial, however, has this to say: “My word to them? Drink milk…That helps remove ulcer…I think they have problem with ulcer so my advice is for them to drink milk.”

Rep. Ray Tebuteb (R-Saipan), one of those with misgivings about Saturday’s meeting and Fitial’s selection, said when Fitial talks about his connections to the Republican National Committee, he also needs to mention his connections to disgraced Washington, D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Tom Delay, and the others.

Tebuteb said as for the “milk” advice, he said he’s already drinking coconut milk anyway.

House minority leader Joseph Deleon Guerrero (R-Saipan) said the governor’s statements are not worth responding to.

Fitial said he received congratulatory letters from the Republican National Committee, which he said is standard when someone becomes state chairman of the Republican Party.

When asked whether he’s going to run as delegate candidate, he said this is a separate matter.

Some Republican lawmakers said Fitial betrayed the Republican Party when he abandoned it in 2001 to form a new party for his gubernatorial bid, and he therefore “should not be made to lead the same party he had betrayed.”

They questioned how Fitial and his core group could promote unity among Republicans when they failed to give courtesy to Republican incumbents about a meeting and amendments to bylaws.

Fitial founded and headed the CNMI Republican Party until he formed his own Covenant Party for his gubernatorial bids in 2001 and 2005. Babauta ran against Fitial in these two elections. Fitial was re-accepted to the Republican Party early this year, and called on other Covenant Party members to follow him.

Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos and other Covenant members remain with the Covenant Party.