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Santos wants Saipan to be CNMI ‘capital’
A lawmaker wants to make Saipan the official capital of the CNMI.
Sen. Teresita A. Santos (R-Rota) introduced Senate Bill 19-19, which was passed on third and final reading by the Senate in a session last week.
The proposed bill now heads to the House of Representatives.
Santos, in an interview, said one of the main reasons she is pushing for Saipan to be the Commonwealth’s capital is because it is where the government offices and key agencies are located.
Among the three major islands of the CNMI, Saipan also has the largest population, Santos said.
“It is where the Legislature and Governor’s Office are located, and I think it is but proper to make it the CNMI’s capital,” Santos said.
S.B. 19-19 further said the CNMI “does not have an official capital despite having an island chain that consists of the islands of Saipan, Rota, and Tinian.”
Santos said making Saipan the CNMI capital may also have “benefits for business.”
According to the 2010 Census, the CNMI has a population of more than 50,000.
Saipan contains the largest population and also a larger landmass compared to Rota and Tinian.
The administrative center is located on Capital Hill on Saipan, which to most, makes Saipan the “traditional” capital of the Commonwealth.
