Fitial meets with Cabinet, directors on GOP membership

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial held a private gathering with his Cabinet secretaries and directors at his residence in Gualo Rai on Saturday night wherein sources said the governor reiterated his request for them to join or rejoin him in the Republican Party.

The governor, in a chance interview with Saipan Tribune a few hours before the gathering, said the event was a “private event” and not an official government function.

Many of the governor’s Cabinet secretaries and directors were at the event to which he had also invited his Blue Ribbon Committee chair Oscar Rasa and other guests.

The governor’s Blue Ribbon Committee seeks to merge the Covenant and Republican Parties, but the governor prefers to call it “transitioning” the Covenant Party to the Republican Party.

Fitial and Rasa spoke before the crowd about the Republican Party’s decision early this year to re-accept the governor. They also talked about the need to have a sitting Republican governor, so that the CNMI will get more assistance from the federal government and considering that the U.S. Congress is dominated by Republicans.

Fitial, according to sources, reiterated that he respects the decisions of those who have not joined him with the Republican Party and asked that they respect his decision too.

Rasa, when asked for comment, said the governor reiterated his support for Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos’s candidacy in the next gubernatorial election.

But Rasa said the governor at this time said he will support Inos whether the latter stays with the Covenant Party or move to the Republican Party.

Two Fridays ago, Fitial told reporters at a Blue Ribbon Committee meeting that he will support Inos only when he also moves to the Republican Party.

During Saturday night’s event at Fitial’s residence, former governor Juan N. Babauta said the Republican Party bylaws require that members support their party members during elections, sources said.

Press secretary Angel Demapan said yesterday that, “given that the gathering was a private function, my office has no comment on the matter.”

Among those who were at the governor’s residence, according to sources, were: Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez, Public Safety Commissioner Ray Mafnas, Labor Secretary Gil San Nicolas, Public Works Secretary Martin Sablan, Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Melvin Faisao, Commonwealth Utilities Corp. executive director Abe Malae, Personnel director Isidro Seman, Emergency Management Office director Joaquin Omar, senior policy adviser Dr. Jon Joyner, press secretary Demapan, special assistant for disability policy and programs Thomas J. Camacho, lieutenant governor’s legal counsel Teresa Kim, acting Lands and Natural Resources secretary Jack Songsong and his predecessor, Dr. Ignacio Dela Cruz.

There were others present at the event, sources said.

According to sources, email invitations to the private gathering were sent out last week.

Fitial rejoined the Republican Party in January this year, 10 years after forming the Covenant Party in 2001 for his gubernatorial bid. He won on his second try in 2005.

Meanwhile, his Blue Ribbon Committee said it has 1,077 signed petitions so far gathered to join the Republican Party; some 300 more are willing to join.