Previous Story
Yumul backs 2nd Rose Bowl participation if…
|
Posted on Aug 09 2004
Rep. Ray N. Yumul yesterday clarified his position on the CNMI’s participation in the Rose Bowl Parade, saying he would only support the project if the administration could identify its own funding for the project.
Yumul, who chairs the House Committee on Commerce and Tourism, maintains that he would not be willing to take away funds from tax rebates or government scholarships to fund the CNMI’s participation in the next California Rose Bowl Parade.
“I support the general concept of tourism promotion,” said Yumul. “But I might differ on the specific application of that concept.”
Yumul stressed the need to be mindful of the government’s limited financial resources and urges the Babauta administration to “strategically allocate our scarce resources so as to produce the greatest financial returns.”
Yumul adds that he would not mind aggressively promoting the CNMI to Europe and North America if the Commonwealth had more economic resources at its disposal. “But under current economic conditions we have to be more realistic and exercise more prudence by necessity,” he said.
Although Yumul believes that more tourism promotion funds should be given to the Marianas Visitor’s Authority, he is still willing to support the administration’s second Rose Bowl Parade, but only if the governor can identify funds without compromising the funding of essential government services and operations.
Yumul, a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, is scheduled for overseas deployment and will not be able to accept Babauta’s appointment as chairman of the CNMI Rose Bowl Committee. He indicated, however, that he was honored by the nomination and might have accepted were it not for his military service obligations.
