Timing of 902 report a concern

Rep. Angel A. Demapan (R-Saipan) is concerned if ever there’s still time to implement the results of the four rounds of the Section 902 talks between the CNMI and U.S. government panels. The report would be sent to President Barack Obama, whose term would end in January.

“We’ve been informed that it is also going to be circulated to members of the CNMI panel for a final round of review before it goes out. We’re now waiting for that transmission,” said Demapan, the House Federal and Foreign Relations Committee chair.

Section 902 of the Covenant gives the CNMI a chance to meet with the federal government on issues and other topics that have a direct impact on their relationship. This year’s talks were held twice in Washington, D.C., once in Hawaii, and once on Saipan.

“The concern for the Commonwealth is we are submitting the report at the end of a lameduck administration and just how much implementation can be done between December and the incoming administration on Jan. 20,” said Demapan, who is a member of the CNMI panel in the Section 902 talks.

“We really don’t know at this point just how much we going to get out of this. But we took the opportunity to go through the process in an effort to amplify the concerns and issues that’s besetting the Commonwealth,” he said.

Demapan and other CNMI leaders are hopeful President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration would address the concerns discussed in the 902 talks. “We hope after the transition at the White House, President-elect Trump’s administration would continue to view the concerns of the CNMI very seriously.”

He said they are optimistic that the CNMI’s issues would be addressed, with Gov. Ralph DLG Torres being one of those who supported Trump’s presidential campaign. “We are hopeful because Gov. [Ralph DLG] Torres took an active role in the Trump campaign.”

“At this point, [Torres] is meeting with other Republican governors as they submit their concerns to the transition team. So we’re hopeful the Republican relationship and the GOP majority in the U.S. Congress would benefit the Commonwealth.”
 
First step

Demapan said the Record of Decision signed by the U.S. military is the first step in the process for the Tinian divert airfield. “It is a very positive sign and this is the first step as we go along this process. The militarization in the CNMI was a big issue and I think it has been only in recent time that it has drawn mass participation from the community to speak up on their concerns.”

He said it was rewarding to learn that the military has taken into account all the comments made and submitted by the CNMI leadership and its residents. “We’re hoping that they [military] would address the other proposals on the table in the same manner and take into account the concerns that we continuously raised.”

“We haven’t had the chance to be given the [ROD] but based on what was announced, I think it was a very good decision. It was really the position the CNMI took and consistently took to ensure the divert airfield would be on Tinian and not on its preferred alternative on Saipan.”

The military’s planned divert activities is accepted by the Tinian leadership as it promises to bring development to the island’s sluggish economy, which worsened after Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino closed down early this year.

“We’re hopeful that although the ROD is there, there’s still a lot of things to look at. There are still some concerns from the people of Tinian that their leadership is going to bring to the table as this process moves along,” said Demapan.

“But at the outset, I think it is a very good decision, a welcome news for the Commonwealth and certainly a welcome development for Tinian. And that will alleviate all the concerns that we had here in terms of commercial flights at the Saipan International Airport. So we’re hoping that this decision would open more doors of opportunity for the people of Tinian.”