Villagomez is minority leader

Villagomez

The five-member minority bloc has agreed to make Rep. Edmund S. Villagomez (Ind-Saipan) the minority leader of the 20th Legislature. The independent lawmaker is the most senior of this bloc, this being his fourth term representing Precinct 3.

Rep. Vinson F. Sablan (Ind-Saipan) said they met and discussed the minority leader post with Villagomez as the top choice. “He has agreed to take the job and he is capable of the position. It is all a matter of us organizing things and [Villagomez] warming up to his new position.”

“And with us in the minority in the 20th Legislature, we have a list of issues and positions that we would take. It would depend on the plans of [Villagomez] if we’re going to push for it again.”

Villagomez told Saipan Tribune Monday that, like the NMI Republican Party, they would just make his post official on the first session on Jan. 9 next year. The Republican super majority had also agreed to stick with Rep. Rafael S. Demapan as the House speaker.

Reps. Blas Jonathan T. Attao, Lorenzo I. Deleon Guerrero, Edwin K. Propst, and Vinson E. Sablan are the other members of the minority.

Villagomez said their group would continue to work with the GOP leadership and support bills that would benefit the people of the Commonwealth. “Even though we’re the minority, it doesn’t mean that we’re just going to sit at the sidelines.”

“We may disagree on some issues but we never really looked at it as us against them. They are the leadership but we will continue to work with them to get things done. We know at the end of the day it is the leadership’s call.”

He said the minority would remain vigilant and do their part in deliberating or introducing bills and making amendments. “We are also a part of the process of working on bills in the committee and bringing up other issues with the leadership.”

Villagomez said that, although he is the most senior member of the minority, he also believes the other four have qualities for the post.

“That is not taking away from the other members because I believe that they are also capable of being the minority leader. I will still rely on their input and we’re going to work as a team.”

He said their group, under the leadership of minority leader Rep. Ramon A. Tebuteb (Ind-Saipan) in the 19th Legislature, had come up with a list of 12 key challenges that the CNMI is facing.

“We came up with these points and tried to introduce bills that would address these issues. It is like a platform or guidelines for us that we are aiming to try our best to hit these targets. We’re going to revisit the 12 points and see what still needs to be taken cared off or what needs to be added to the list.”

The challenges on the list are the lack of transparency and accountability in government; inadequate government capacity; existing statutes not being implemented; huge accumulated budget deficit; large outstanding financial obligations (approximately $510 million), narrow economic base; not enough local businesses; insufficient employment local skills; government employment not based on merit; inadequate quality and delivery of education, health care, environmental, and utility; loss of local culture and traditions at an accelerating pace; and threat on food and energy security.