Legislature honors Sablan

The 23rd Legislature honored Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (D-MP) through a joint resolution last week during his final townhall meeting as the CNMI’s delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Last week, Sablan held his final townhall at the NMI Museum where he was able to give his final address to constituents after eight terms in office.

During the townhall, members of the CNMI’s 23rd Legislature took the opportunity to present a plaque in honor of Sablan’s legacy in the Marianas.

Sen. Celina Babauta (D-Saipan) expressed that Sablan never failed to show his dedication to the people of the CNMI and it was evident in the work he has done in U.S. Congress.

“Kilili comes from a pedigree of Kililis deeply rooted in integrity, accomplishments, and public service. Beginning with his grandfather, the great Gregorio Sablan, whose namesake (our U.S. delegate) proudly bears today. Kilili, your work undeniably has been a beacon of integrity and dedication to our community in the House of U.S. Congress. May the road you paved in Washington inspire those who follow to lead with our people in their minds and in their heart. It is in this spirit that we, of the 23rd Legislature, present this simple token and testament to your invaluable service to our people and our Marianas,” she said.

Sablan, for his part, accepted the honor with much gratitude and in his address to members of the community, he gave thanks for the faith they put in him for the past 16 years.

In his address to the community, Sablan shared some of his accomplishments for the CNMI through his consecutive eight terms.

“I was first elected with 27% of the votes in 2008. In addition to having established the very first Marianas office in the U.S. House of Representatives, I did so knowing that most voters wanted someone else to represent them. Because we never had representation in Congress, we never knew what that position could accomplish. There was one obvious and immediate problem, making the transition to federal control of immigration as least difficult as possible. Voters seemed relatively satisfied with re-electing me. Immigration aside, I set two goals for myself in my time in office; make sure the Commonwealth was included in many programs where we were told ‘no’ and bring respect to the Marianas through my conduct in office. The Commonwealth is said to be included in more programs now than when I was first elected from $60 million earmarked for projects in the Marianas, to making sure the Marianas was cared for with billions of dollars after typhoons struck and the pandemic killed our economy,” he said.

However, Sablan said the work isn’t over.

“But I know there is still much to do legislatively to put our Commonwealth on par with the rest of the United States and I truly wish our new delegate-elect success in reaching those goals during her time in office. I also believe that in my time in office, the image of our islands improved. Most members of Congress now know the Marianas exists. We all hope our new delegate will earn the respect of her colleagues in Congress and by doing so she will also bring respect to our islands and our people,” he said.

Sablan said he hopes to show his gratitude by continuing to contribute to the welfare of the community even out of Congress.

“I will miss the work, so it is with sadness that I leave this job that has been the honor of my lifetime. But the Bible tells us that every man has their season and now is the time to give way to a new generation of leadership. The sadness is washed away by the gratitude to the people of the Marianas trusted me to work for them for the last 16 years. In the days to come, I hope the people of the Marianas would have the chance to see this exhibit among their first delegate to Congress and they can take inspiration from what can be accomplished with trust, handwork, and dedication,” he said.

Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (D-MP) makes his address during his final townhall meeting last week as the CNMI’s delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives.

-MARK RABAGO