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Minority proposes policies beyond party lines
The five-member minority bloc in the House of Representatives seeks to cooperate with the Republican supermajority and even proposed key policies that they believe they could address in the 20th Legislature.
Minority leader Edmund S. Villagomez, Reps. Blas Jonathan T. Attao, Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero, Edwin K. Propst, and Vinson F. Sablan are the independent members in the House. The GOP occupies 15 seats.
The group has identified the following as their focal points: Promoting transparency and government accountability; reducing government debt and obligations; greater support for local entrepreneurship; improving the quality and delivery of education, healthcare, and infrastructure; promoting and supporting merit-based employment; and protecting, preserving, and promoting culture and traditions.
In a letter to House Speaker Rafael S. Demapan (R-Saipan), the minority believes discussing these proposals would stimulate healthy dialogue across party lines.
“[It will also] stimulate positive discussions across our community in an acceptable level that will guide our Commonwealth to engage and receive feedback from our community on policy issues,” they stated.
They said they are aware of the various challenges the CNMI is facing but they are willing to work with the GOP-led House. “More importantly [we] recognize and appreciate the seriousness of competing interests.”
“The need for policy makers to identify and prepare a course of action, in order to accommodate these competing interests,…is required.”
That’s why they want the House leadership to be guided by a vision of enduring development “[that is] fostered by sound research and analysis, with a genuine sense of urgency throughout all branches of government, especially this august body.”
“The minority bloc believes the development of policies, plans, and actions must equally incorporate all three dimensions of economic, social, and environmental progress,” they added.
