Previous Story
MPLA director justifies delay in Pagan task force creation
|
Posted on Aug 14 2005
Creating a multi-sector task force is not as simple as some people may think; it takes time and much studying, a Marianas Public Lands Authority board member maintained.
MPLA director Nicolas Nekai, who was designated to form a task force that would study Pagan pozzolan, said the agency still intends and is taking steps to create the task force.
Nekai made this statement in reaction to a concern expressed by the nonprofit group PaganWatch that MPLA is taking too long in forming the task force, if not carrying out the group’s functions all by itself already.
In an interview, Nekai reiterated that MPLA had created an in-house Pagan group made up of the agency’s employees. He added that MPLA’s legal counsel is now preparing guidelines for inviting other government agencies and private organizations into the multi-sector task force.
“This is a very intricate matter and we have to move carefully. First, we have to identify the functions of the task force to make sure it does not interrupt the duties and responsibilities of MPLA. We also have to clarify funding issues—for instance, for trips to Pagan and similar expenses. MPLA is not going to give any freebies to the members of this task force,” Nekai said.
He expressed hope, however, that the task force members could finally get together by next month. He said he would call a special MPLA board meeting to address this issue.
The MPLA board of directors approved the creation of the task force on Dec. 5, 2004, shortly after it junked the application of Azmar International to mine and extract pozzolan from Pagan.
The group is tasked to seek assistance from the U.S. Geological Survey to determine the actual quantity and quality of pozzolanic ash available in Pagan. It is also expected to find a suitable investor who can extract and market the material, which is a cement additive.
Nekai said that at least three companies had since expressed interest in Pagan pozzolan. But MPLA would not officially entertain them until the Pagan task force completes a formal request for proposals.
