Mayor Flores to run as independent

Gov. Eloy S. Inos, second from right, and Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), right, jointly announce increased food stamps for program recipients on Rota, Tinian, and the Northern Islands, during a news briefing on Capital Hill yesterday. In photo are, from left, press secretary Angel Demapan, Nutrition Assistance Program administrator Walter Macaranas, Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Laura Ogumoro, Inos, and Sablan. (Haidee V. Eugenio)

Saipan Mayor Donald Flores declared his re-election bid late afternoon yesterday at the U.S Armed Forces Memorial in San Jose. He will run as an independent.

“The title ‘mayor of Saipan’ comes with many challenges and expectations from the general public. When I first came into office, I inherited a financial debt from my predecessors that my office continues to pay,” Flores said.

Despite these obstacles and challenges, Flores said that they continue to persevere and serve the community.

“Recently, the Office of Insular Affairs awarded the Mayor’s Office a grant of $413,000 to purchase heavy equipment,” Flores said. “With this grant money, I intend to immediately procure the much needed equipment that will enable my office to address various village concerns and serve our community effectively and efficiently. I am humbly asking for the public’s patience while awaiting for our equipment to arrive.”

Right now, Flores’ office is hobbled by having just two heavy equipment that work, a payloader and grader, both of which are over three decades old and are in constant need of repair. “I have the difficult task of maintaining many of our secondary roads in Kagman, Mt. Tapochao, Oleai, Kannat Tabla, San Antonio, Garapan, and the list goes on. My staff and I have been active in the various villages; pruning trees, removing junk cars and debris,” Flores said.

He noted that he has supported and promoted programs that have directly benefited the community with emphasis on children, safety, environment, preservation, and tourism.

According to Flores, in 2011 he launched a large-scale tree-trimming project along the Saipan Beach Road Pathway, “which continues to significantly develop the landscape of the island’s western beaches.”

Other projects that the Saipan Mayor’s Office has undertaken are planting flowers in the road medians as well as enhancements to the U.S Armed Forces Memorial.

“In addition, my office secured a federal grant that advanced the Saipan Dog Control Program, and initiated construction of the island’s first Animal Control Shelter,” he said.

Flores said that there are so many things that he has planned for Saipan, which is why he is seeking a second term.

Programs that have already been administered by the Saipan Mayor’s Office are; water delivery, debris cleaning, animal control, marriage ceremonies, coordination of foreign exchange programs, disaster recovery, secondary road repair, maintenance, improvements, tree trimming/landscaping, issuance of IDs, coordination of annual Liberation Day festivities, assistance to indigent families with funeral preparation, and maintenance of various parks.

“I am humbly asking the people of Saipan for your vote of confidence and to afford me the opportunity to proudly serve you once again as mayor of Saipan…I want to extend my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to my wife, my hard working staff, my family and friends but most especially to the people of Saipan who stood by me and placed their vote of confidence four years ago,” Flores said.