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Humanities Council to examine impact of developments
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Posted on Aug 03 2017
The rapid developments on Saipan may or may not have an impact on the island’s rich indigenous background. To that end, the Northern Marianas Humanities Council will dedicate time and resources into investigating what, if any, that impact may be.
During the Rotary Club of Saipan weekly meeting last Tuesday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan, council executive director Scott Russell said the council is looking into the possible impacts that the Imperial Pacific Resort casino and other island developments could possibly have on the island.
According to Russell, the question that has been continuously asked is “what are the social/cultural economic implications for the people?”
The answers are to be explored through various programs, Russell said, and the council aims to get its answers by the next year or so.
The format to examine the issue has not been established yet. Should it be a public forum with knowledgeable speakers? Possibly a conference? In the next six months, a solid program would be established to examine the issue, Russell said.
He assures the public that it is the council’s No. 1 priority to gather information on how the ongoing developments on the island will impact its culture and the heritage.
Other projects that the council is working on is the updating of its archives.
According to Russell, the community can easily access their archives through their website.
The archives, however, only offer documents because pictures and videos were too much to upload into the site at the time.
Russell said that they would be getting the archives up to date as well as getting photos and videos on their site.
Russell said that the purpose for this is so that the community may look back in case they are researching or trying to look into their family’s history. He said the council website will generate all the possible information that is needed.
