Debate looms over Compact issue

Putting his money where his mouth is, Senate Vice President David M. Cing has asked Senate President Paul A. Manglona to schedule a special session where he could debate with Senate Minority Leader Pete P. Reyes on the issue of Compact Impact funds, and why Tinian has as much right to the funds as Saipan.

“I am this serious on that debate…because I want the people of the entire Commonwealth to understand my situation coming from Tinian, the history of our present status as a Commonwealth, and the important role that Tinian played when we became a Commonwealth,” said Cing.

In a letter to Manglona dated yesterday, the Senate Vice President asked for the special session so he could engage Reyes in a debate concerning the Compact Impact funds.

Through this, Cing said the issue of who should get the Compact Impact funds could be laid to rest. At the same time, he said this would be a good venue to educate people on the history of the Covenant and the sacrifices that Tinian had to make to bring the Covenant to life.

“I have written to our distinguished colleague, Senator Pete P. Reyes, and have informed him that I would be asking you [Senate President] to not only sanction such a debate, but to use the powers vested in your office as Senate President, to control the debate in such a manner as to allow the debate to proceed without interruption,” he said in his letter to Manglona.

Cing later said he wants it this way so that only he and Reyes could argue over the matter, without any interruption from their other colleagues in the upper chamber who may express an interest in the subject of their disagreement.

Cing also asked both Reyes and Manglona to agree to the presence of the media “so that the entire context of the debate may be presented to the public. This will ensure that the infighting that has prevailed recently will be stopped once and for all.”

This letter formalizes a prior verbal challenge issued by the senator to the Minority Leader to debate on the same matter.

The issue arose after Reyes questioned the decision of Gov. Juan N. Babauta to allocate $2 million in Compact Impact funds that the government recently received to finish up the construction of the Tinian High School. Reyes said it is Saipan that sustains the most impact from the Compact of Free Association.

The Compact is an agreement that allows residents of the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau to reside and work in the Commonwealth. This has resulted in the mass migration of FSM and Palau residents to the Commonwealth, straining its capacity to handle the educational and health care needs of the emigrants. The federal government seeks to alleviate this strain through the Compact Impact funds.

In a separate letter to Reyes dated on the same day, Cing apologized for the lack in time that prevented the other members of the Senate from granting their request to engage in a debate on the Compact Impact issue during the Senate session held on Rota on April 26.

Cing told Reyes of his letter to Manglona requesting the special session and also asked him to agree to the presence of the media.