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IN FIRST MEETING WITH LEGISLATURE
Inos calls for ‘collaboration’
Gov. Eloy S. Inos presided over his first ever meeting with members of the 19th Legislature and discussed key issues in the Commonwealth.
Topics discussed at the meeting included the upcoming budget, health care, utilities, CW visa issues, the Air Force’s divert plan, and land compensation, according to Lt. Gov. Ralph DLG. Torres.
In an interview after the two-hour long, closed-door meeting, Torres stressed that first on the agenda was just “to welcome everybody on board.”
Torres said the administration asked for “collaboration” from leaders of the Senate and House in addressing these issues. “It was an opportunity for leaders to voice their concerns as we move forward,” he said.
He added that as far the governor is concerned, the priority right now is the budget, which the central government must submit to the Legislature by April 1.
Asked if the government will have a bigger budget for this year, Torres said “we are discussing it right now.”
Rep. Glenn Maratita (R-Saipan) said most of the concerns “relate to the availability of funding” and that the governor has “acknowledged” that these concerns do exist, particularly land compensation, “which is long overdue.”
House Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan) added that the governor wanted to meet with heads of the Senate and House committees initially, but also extended the meeting to all members of the Legislature.
“The governor is essentially asking what the Legislature can do to help address some of the concerns that we have,” he said.
On his part, Guerrero said he brought up the issue of CW visa for foreign workers during the discussion with the governor.
But the discussions are all exploratory, as far as the Legislature is concerned, he said.
