The government and the CNMI Farmers Cooperative Association has come to an agreement with regards to the latter\u2019s operation at the Garapan Public Market building.<\/p>\n
According to co-op pro tem president Crispin Deleon Guerrero, the agreement will be signed today.<\/p>\n
This comes after a discussion with acting governor Ralph DLG Torres, representatives of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources, and the co-op board and their legal counsels yesterday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe pretty much accomplished everything from agreeing on the contracts, agreeing on the differences and having both counsels come to an agreement, as well as support and the government and DLNR to address the issues that have prevented the contract from being signed,\u201d Torres said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m in support of all our farmers and fishermen and ranchers and this is one hope that for all of them to come together,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Among the changes in the previous draft agreement was decreasing the co-op\u2019s liability insurance from $1 million to $200,000. The $1-million value was seen as a major hurdle with regards to signing the agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m glad that their attorney basically reminded the co-op people that it is for their own good, the reason why the insurance is in there,\u201d DLNR Secretary Richard Seman said.<\/p>\n
Aside from farmers and fishermen, the agreement will also include ranchers to formally accommodate the sale of meat at the market.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole idea for the co-op is to bring all our resources together, so it will be produce, fish and meat market together,\u201d Torres said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have to handle the fish and the meat in the same way they handle the produce,\u201d Seman said.<\/p>\n
There was also an agreement to allow the sale of produce that are not available locally, to encourage more customers to come to the market instead disappointing them due to lack of produce. This was among the recommendations provided by former co-op president and manager Maria Frica Pangelinan, who no longer attended the discussion.<\/p>\n
Other food items such as processed food, pickles, and cookies that are made locally can also be sold.<\/p>\n
Other changes with regards to operations were also discussed and agreed upon.<\/p>\n
Seman noted that the discussion was \u201ca very peaceful, amenable, happy gathering of people who share the same common interest to have a co-op and t discuss some of the area that they have concerns with.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that the agreement was reasonable because they were able to discuss it and were able to give a rationale, which was something that didn\u2019t happen before because they didn\u2019t have the opportunity to sit down and talk.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn any arrangement, when it\u2019s the first time, you tend to put what you think is right but that\u2019s coming only on one side until you hear the other side and the opportunity to review and you can understand that there\u2019s room to be more reasonable,\u201d Seman said.<\/p>\n
With the agreement to be signed, the co-op will be operating once again as soon as they have the inventory to sell.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want that market moving,\u201d Guerrero said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the co-op is also inviting their fellow farmers to support them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to invite our farmers to support the market,\u201d co-op secretary Sid Cabrera said. \u201cMost of the farmers with the Sabalu Market are now supporting the co-op.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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