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Coalition formed to discuss enabling legislation issues
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Posted on Mar 14 2001
ROTA – The Municipal Councils of Rota, Tinian and Saipan have formed the Association of Municipal Councils during a two-day session here on March 8 and 9.
The new organization is part of a concerted effort to bring a united front to tackle the enabling legislation issue which is currently under certification by Attorney General Herbert D. Soll.
The Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, last Jan. 19, wrote the Attorney General requesting a position on the certification issue which had been brought to the attention of the AGO in May last year.
The Council’s then legal counsel David Wiseman, who is now sitting as associate judge for the Superior Court, drafted the letter soon after Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio vetoed House Bill 12-141.
“Even after two letters from January to March, there hasn’t been any response from the Attorney General,” said Juanita M. Mendiola, chairwoman of the Tinian Municipal Council.
In his veto message, Mr. Tenorio stated that the municipal councils have no power to legislate and that such power is exclusively with the CNMI legislature and the respective legislative delegations.
The Municipal Councils of the three Senatorial districts totally disagree with that position, and are asserting their constitutional right to enact, repeal or amend local ordinances.
Should the position of the AGO be that there is indeed a need to have the matter clarified, then the council will ask the Supreme Court to rule on the legal question raised.
