Pete A. highlights CNMI issues in IGIA meeting

Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio highlighted the CNMI’s tough economic problems and called for support to amend Head Note 3(a) and resolve the Tax Cover Over Issue during last Tuesday’s annual meeting of the Interagency Group on Insular Areas in Washington D.C.

“These are our most crucial issues. If we get help with them we can buy ourselves some time to bring in new investments and bring our economy back on track,” said Tenorio after the meeting.

Representing both himself and Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, who was unable to attend, Tenorio was joined by Gov. Togiola Tulafono and Delegate Eni Faleomavaega from American Samoa, Gove. Felix Camacho and Delegate Madeleine Bordallo from Guam, and Gov. Dr. Charles Wesley Turnbull and Delegate Donna Christian-Christensen from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The meeting was conducted by Department of Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary David Cohen and White House Special Assistant for Intergovernmental Affairs Toby Burke.

“Because time was limited, we were only able to highlight our most important issues during the meeting. However, I provided Interior with a longer list of issues that they will be sharing with federal officials,” Tenorio said.

Other requests he made were:

(1) to continue funding for water improvements on Saipan in particular until we have significant quantity and good quality so that we can drink from the faucets of all of our homes;

(2) to allow foreign carriers to use Saipan as a transit and refueling point, carrying passengers and cargo to the CNMI, en route to U.S. and other destinations;

(3) to establish economic, social and educational attachés in U.S. embassies in friendly Asian countries to address and respond to CNMI needs; and

(4) to have DHHS officials visit the CNMI and asses our health care delivery systems and conditions,” continued Tenorio.

President Bush created IGIA in 2003 through an executive order, to provide him with advice on policies concerning the territories.

“I am already seeing the system [IGIA] work; the federal officials who are part of IGIA have a greater awareness of the challenges we are facing. In fact, John McCarroll of the Environmental Protection Agency did such an excellent job of describing our water problems by stating that Saipan is the only place in the whole U.S. that does not have 24-hour water and that it is not drinkable, that I didn’t have to say very much about water this time,” said Tenorio.

The meeting was attended by officials from 15 federal agencies including Justice, Agriculture, Environmental Protection, Transportation, Education, Labor, State, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Defense, Treasury, and Homeland Security.

The group was provided a briefing on the progress of developing the territorial bond bank that will allow the territories to borrow from the bond back at a low interest rate, refinance existing bond issuances at a lower interest rate, and increase future bond ratings.

Treasury officials updated the group on the development of regulations promulgated under the Jobs Creation Act of 2004, which changed residency and sourcing requirements for the territories. The group was also briefed on progress made by Health and Human Services staff who have been working on better methods of collecting health statistics in the territories.

“This is an unusual gathering. No other time during the year do federal and territorial officials meet just to discuss the issues important to the territories. We have a lot in common. We can work together on shared problems, and we can support each other on issues that we don’t share,” said Tenorio. (PR)