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Babauta extends Hawaii and Guam trips
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Posted on Jun 10 2004
Gov. Juan N. Babauta has extended his off-island trip up to this weekend to do some more meetings in Hawaii and Guam, his office said.
Babauta was originally set to arrive on Saipan today.
Public Information officer Pete Callaghan said yesterday that the governor would instead arrive on Saturday.
“There are some more engagements that he needs to attend to,” he said.
Acting Gov. Diego T. Benavente said yesterday that the governor would have to stay for a couple of days more in Hawaii and about a day on Guam.
Babauta left for Washington D.C. on May 30 to personally submit a verified list of “stateless children” to Indiana Rep. Dan Burton.
Burton has promised to introduce a bill granting the so-called stateless children in the CNMI U.S. citizenship.
During his week-long stay in D.C., Babauta also followed up on issues with certain federal agencies such as the Department of the Interior and the Department of Homeland Security.
In particular, he discussed with DOI Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs David Cohen the possibility of the CNMI using its share in the Compact impact money to pay off the government’s deficit, which now totals about $101 million.
He also met with DHS officials to discuss the proposed rules and regulations governing the treatment of asylum seekers in the CNMI.
In Hawaii, the governor said he would meet with local and federal authorities to discuss, among others, the CNMI’s bid for its own National Guard unit. The CNMI has long been lobbying Congress to allow it to have its own Guard unit.
The proposal was junked last year due to budget constraints and concerns over the CNMI’s capability to maintain such a unit given its small population.
The NMI is one of the last members of the U.S. political family that lacks a National Guard. Guam receives $32 million for its National Guard. The U.S. Virgin Islands, which is said to be smaller than Guam, has its own unit. Likewise, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia have their own National Guards.
