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Saipan gets $1.7M for veterans’ cemetery
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Posted on Aug 28 2005
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has received a grant of nearly $1.7 million from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to create a veterans cemetery on Saipan, in Marpi west of the Japanese Peace Memorial Park.
“Partnering with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on this project is one way in which VA honors our commitments to the sacrifices of the men and women who have served in uniform,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs R. James Nicholson. “This partnership provides a final resting place for the Commonwealth’s veterans that meets the high standards of a national shrine.”
“This project will address a great need in the CNMI, and provide a fitting memorial for those who have served our country,” said Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio, who has been addressing discrepancies in services for CNMI veterans. “The process of getting this project to this point has been very complicated and has, because of issues with endangered species, specifically the Nightingale Reed-Warbler, involved several federal agencies. I applaud Gov. [Juan N.] Babauta and his staff for their fine work on this project and look forward to its completion.”
The grant will pay all of the permissible costs for creating a cemetery of about 4.6 acres, including 1,200 gravesites, a committal shelter, roads, drainage and an irrigation system.
The Northern Mariana Islands grant is part of the VA State Cemetery Grants Program, which complements VA’s 120 national cemeteries by helping to establish, expand or improve 60 veteran’s cemeteries in U.S. states and territories. (PR)
