3 gubernatorial hopefuls face off

With seven months to go until the November elections, three of the five gubernatorial candidates faced off for the first time yesterday, providing their views on topics ranging from the Northern Marianas College’s funding to the overall economic situation of the Commonwealth.

Covenant Party candidate Benigno Fitial, Democratic Party candidate Froilan Tenorio, and independent candidate Heinz Hofschneider answered questions from young voters in the “Rock The Vote” forum, held at the NMC Student Center from 12nn to 1pm yesterday.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta of the Republican Party could not make it to the forum due to another engagement. Sen. Luis Crisostimo, also of the Democratic Party, was off-island.

During the forum, each participant was given two to four minutes to answer questions from NMC students. Some of the questions were addressed to all the candidates, while others were directed to specific participants.

The candidates were asked of their plans for NMC’s budget and the current faculty shortage at the NMC School of Nursing. The students also solicited the candidates’ vision for the garment and tourism industries, as well as the CNMI’s economy in general.

Further, the candidates were quizzed about their campaign, including their supporters and competitors.

In an interview, House leadership spokesman Charles Reyes quoted Speaker Fitial as vowing to find more funding for the college, both from local and federal sources. If elected governor, Fitial said he would enforce Public Law 10-66, which requires that revenues from the nonresident workers fees be allocated for NMC vocational education programs. Fitial also promised to make sure that a portion of the Commonwealth’s 702 funding would be set aside for the improvement of NMC’s facilities.

Further, Fitial said he would propose legislation that would remove the two-year employment experience requirement for new nurses to enable them to work right after graduation.

For his part, former governor Tenorio maintained that NMC’s problems were not isolated from the economic problems of the entire Commonwealth. By generating more revenues for the government and improving the economy, the government would also succeed in addressing NMC’s fiscal issues, he said.

For the tourism industry, Fitial said he planned to further develop the Japanese and Chinese markets. Hotel expansion, increased airlines seating capacity, a clean environment, and security for the tourists were among priorities, he said.

He projected to bring in as much as one million visitors a year within the four years that he would serve if he got elected governor.

Tenorio said he would push for diversifying the Northern Marianas’ tourism market.

His priority for the visitor industry, he said, would be the establishment of retirement homes that would allow foreign senior citizens to stay on island on a long-term basis. Tenorio also cited the need to build sports facilities and convention centers suitable for company-sponsored gatherings.

At the same time, Fitial expressed plans to save the garment industry, which he said contributes $70 million to the government’s coffers, and to expand the local education industry.

On running against four other candidates, Fitial said he respects the democratic process that gives any qualified individual the right to run for office. He, however, expressed belief that a governor must be elected by a majority, not by plurality of votes, to ensure that the Commonwealth’s leader has the mandate of the people.

Tenorio agreed that running against multiple candidates was not a problem. He said that having more than two contenders would encourage more people to participate in the electoral process. “At least nobody can complain he does not like any of the candidates,” Tenorio said.

Both Fitial and Tenorio reported that most of the money spent so far for their campaign came from their own pockets.

Tenorio maintained that he is not affiliated with any business group and therefore, had to rely on his own resources for campaign funding.

Fitial, for his part, assured the students that they will have the opportunity to examine his financial statement after the election, when it will become available from the Office of the Public Auditor and the Commonwealth Election Commission.

The Saipan Tribune made numerous attempts, but failed to contact Hofschneider’s camp.