Palacios: Initial round of 902 talks focused on financial assistance initiatives

The initial round of 902 talks between the U.S. and CNMI governments focused on financial initiatives, according to a statement from Gov. Arnold I. Palacios.

Yesterday, the Office of the Governor issued an official statement regarding the initial round of consultations pursuant to Section 902 of the Covenant between the CNMI and the U.S. federal government that concluded last week on Saipan

According to Palacios, the delegation he and special representative of the U.S. President (for 902 consultations) and Department of Interior assistant secretary Carmen G. Cantor led discussed a course toward expanded financial sustainability, and accordingly, higher standards of living for CNMI residents.

Palacios said the aim of the 902 consultations, which he requested in a letter to U.S. President Joseph Biden last April 26, was to focus on three priority areas financial assistance initiatives that are discussed in Article 7 of the Covenant; tourism and transportation issues; and access to skilled labor in the CNMI.

However, Palacios said because of the time limitations, the delegations from the U.S. and the CNMI agreed to focus their discussions on the first topic for the initial consultation meetings.

“The discussions last week were open, candid, and productive. I’m grateful to assistant secretary Cantor for her willingness to focus our discussions on the urgent items that are directly aligned with the provisions of the Covenant aimed at achieving ‘a progressively higher standard of living’ for the people of the CNMI. We’re also thankful that the first consultation meeting was held in the CNMI so that the U.S. federal team will be able to see firsthand some of the challenges and opportunities here,” said Palacios.

Palacios also notes that 902 discussions did not end last week and will continue throughout the next few weeks.

“Our dialogue will continue over the next few days and weeks as we work toward objectives and agreements that will mutually benefit both the CNMI and the federal government,” he said.

Palacios’ delegation, who will join him in these series of talks with the federal government, include: Michael Sablan, former CNMI public auditor and business representative; Matthew Deleon Guerrero, economist, Northern Marianas College; Wesley Bogdan, retired CNMI Superior Court associate judge; Edmund Villagomez, CNMI House of Representatives Speaker; Edith DeLeon Guerrero, president of the CNMI Senate; Donald Manglona, CNMI senator and Rota representative, Phillip Mendiola-Long, Tinian Chamber of Commerce and Tinian representative; Matthew Adams, legal counsel; Tracy Norita, secretary, CNMI Department of Finance; Leila Staffler, secretary, CNMI Department of Labor, Frankie Eliptico, vice president-OAA, Northern Marianas College; Tina Sablan, senior policy advisor, Office of the Governor; Elizabeth Balajadia, CIP director; Virginia Villagomez, OMB director; and Marie Coleman.

Meanwhile, the federal delegation led by Cantor includes: Timothy Murphy, senior counselor, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior; Basil Ottley, associate director, Policy Division, Office of Insular Affairs; Jonathan Dunn, associate director, Budget Division, Office of Insular Affairs; Abdiel Razo, policy associate and special assistant to the assistant secretary-Insular and International Affairs, Office of Insular Affairs; and Harry Blanco, field representative, Office of Insular Affairs.

The Covenant outlines the rights, obligations, and relationship between the CNMI and the United States and established the CNMI as a self-governing Commonwealth of the United States.

The agreement granted U.S. citizenship and applied certain federal laws with specific exemptions. Section 902 of the Covenant, which was approved by the United States Congress (and subsequently U.S. President Gerald Ford) as U.S. Public Law 94-241, states that the government of the United States and the government of the Northern Mariana Islands will consult regularly on all matters affecting the relationship between them

“The president of the United States and the governor of the Northern Mariana Islands will designate special representatives to meet and to consider in good faith such issues affecting the relationship between the Northern Mariana Islands and the United States… Special representatives will be appointed in any event to consider and to make recommendations regarding future multi-year financial assistance to the Northern Mariana Islands pursuant to Section 701, to meet at least one year prior to the expiration of every period of such financial assistance,” the law states.