Saipan Tribune

Friday, May 24, 2013

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

New municipal council officials sworn into office

Newly elected officials of the municipal councils on Saipan & Northern Islands, Tinian & Aguiguan, and Rota vowed to serve their respective districts as they took their oaths yesterday morning at the Office of the Governor's conference room on Capital Hill.

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial swore in Ramon B. Camacho and Antonia M. Tudela of the 12th Saipan & Northern Islands Municipal Council; Antonio S. Borja, Estevan P. Cabrera, and Reynaldo M. Cing of the 14th Tinian & Aguiguan Municipal Council; and Gardner D. Barcinas, Glenn L. Maratita, and George O. Hocog of the 14th Rota Municipal Council.

The venue was packed with family members, administration officials, and other guests who witnessed Monday's event.

Members of the Saipan & Northern Islands Municipal Council proceeded to their Chalan Kanoa office where they called to order their first official meeting where Camacho was re-elected chair and Tudela vice chair and secretary.

Camacho, who is now on his third term with the council, said they will continue working with the community through programs such as Adopt-a-Place and crime prevention initiatives like the Neighborhood Watch Task Force. They will also continue to push for the creation of a public farmer's market in collaboration with the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

For Tinian & Aguiguan's Cabrera, he extended his gratitude to his constituents for electing him on his second consecutive term. He revealed that all three members had a caucus and agreed to have council member Borja as chair, Cabrera as vice chair, and Cing as secretary.

Cabrera said the council will continue to protect the island's casino industry, adding that its development would have positive impact on the entire CNMI. Other council priorities, he said, would include scholarship and supplemental medical assistance for Tinian residents.

Rota's Barcinas, for his part, said the 14th council aims to make changes that would bring prosperity to the southernmost island of the Northern Marianas.

A first-time council member, Barcinas said his pet projects would focus on the youth and Rota's agriculture industry, with emphasis on sustainable farming .

The council's first organizational meeting is scheduled within the week.