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New Year’s Day celebration went well
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Posted on Jan 04 2009
New Year’s Day celebration in the CNMI was generally peaceful as the Department of Public Safety did not receive report of any serious injuries related to firecrackers or fireworks.
“Except with the San Vicente robbery, everything went well during New Year’s Day celebration,” according to DPS Commissioner Santiago Tudela.
Tudela, however, disclosed that he shutdown the operations of roadside vendors selling firecrackers and fireworks at two locations on Saipan due to improper permit.
With respect to the number of persons arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol during Christmas and New Year’s Day celebrations, DPS spokesperson Lei Ogumoro said she will release the information by today, Monday.
Tudela said he closed the operation of a firecrackers vendor in front of X.O. Market in Gualo Rai and the other vendor near Payless Store in Chalan Kanoa.
The vendors, he said, were not arrested.
“It’s like a business, when you obtained a business license for an establishment, you cannot make a Xerox copy of the permit and open two more,” Tudela said.
He noted that, unlike in the previous years when a lot of people suffered injuries related to firecrackers, this time no injuries were reported during Christmas and New Year’s Day celebrations.
“We restricted the big and powerful firecrackers. We did not allow those to be on sale,” the commissioner said.
He said he signed the permit only for the small firecrackers.
“For me I support the total ban of the firecrackers. Fireworks should also be supervised by fire personnel,” Tudela said.
He said every November there is a one container of firecrackers and fireworks that would arrive on the island coming from China.
The commissioner said he will lobby for the passage of a law that will prohibit the shipment of firecrackers to the CNMI.
