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Transition committee pushes transfer of NMI Descent Registry from MPLA
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Posted on Jan 19 2006
The transition committee for the Marianas Public Lands Authority has recommended that the Northern Mariana Islands Descent Registry Program be transferred from the agency.
The transition team said the program could be transferred to the Indigenous Affairs Office, saying that the agency would handle the program appropriately.
“Current staff members could be transferred to this agency temporarily or allow affected employees to transfer to other vacant positions at MPLA,” the committee said.
Based on figures released by the MPLA last December, the number of registrants to the program has reached 1,010.
Patterned after the Native Hawaiian Registry, the Northern Marianas Descent Registry aims to be the sole comprehensive list of all indigenous people from the Northern Marianas.
The registry can be used to determine eligibility to receive a homestead, to own land in the Commonwealth, and to vote on any proposed amendment to Article XII of the Constitution, which are currently restricted to persons of NMI descent.
It can also be used to determine a person’s eligibility to receive certain educational, medical, housing, or other indigenous assistance or programs created by the Legislature.
