{"id":285264,"date":"2018-09-25T06:06:44","date_gmt":"2018-09-24T20:06:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=285264"},"modified":"2018-09-25T06:06:44","modified_gmt":"2018-09-24T20:06:44","slug":"chamber-debates-inform-voters-about-candidates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/chamber-debates-inform-voters-about-candidates\/","title":{"rendered":"Chamber: Debates inform voters about candidates"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), the incumbent, and his challenger, Rep. Angel A. Demapan (R-Saipan) faced off during the candidate debates the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Marianas College hosted last Thursday night at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center. (Donna Rivera)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Informing voters while raising funds for the Saipan Chamber of Commerce\u2019s scholarship program were cited as the twin reasons for the candidate debates the chamber and the Northern Marianas College is hosting in the run-up to the election this November.<\/p>\n

The hour-long debates kicked off last Thursday night at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center with a showdown between the candidates for CNMI delegate to Washington, D.C.: Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), the incumbent, and his challenger, Rep. Angel A. Demapan (R-Saipan).<\/p>\n

Chamber president Velma Palacios thanked both candidates and their respective committees for agreeing to participate in the debate. \u201cIt allowed the community to see who their candidates are and it\u2019s been a while since the Chamber organized a debate. The candidates and their committees agreed to this and we\u2019re happy for the turnout.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe event is also for a good cause since the money raised goes to our scholarship program. But more, it is to educate the public and to see where their candidates stand before they vote in November.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both candidates were given questions on topics about environment and sustainable development, immigration, veterans\u2019 benefits, healthcare, education, cannabis or marijuana, casino gaming, welfare, and workforce.<\/p>\n

Palacios said the questions came from members of the community after they did a survey on issues that need to be addressed. \u201cThose questions were taken from the topics by one person and that person is the only one who saw those questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why it is in a sealed envelope. Nobody knew what the questions are. It is the same general topics that were given to their committees-to-elect in order for them to prepare their candidates.\u201d<\/p>\n

Close to 200 people watched the event\u2014held in cooperation with the Northern Marianas College and IT&E\u2014at the Multi-Purpose Center while over 2,000 viewed it online, and Palacios is expecting more focus would be given in today\u2019s gubernatorial debate between incumbent Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and former governor Juan N. Babauta.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe anticipate more people would be online watching that\u2019s because everybody is curious. That\u2019s the race to see,\u201d said Palacios.<\/p>\n

Comments<\/strong><\/p>\n

Supporters of each candidate pointed out some of the strong points that Sablan and Demapan laid out in the debate.<\/p>\n

Twenty-six-year-old Francine, an active duty military member who declined to give her last name, said the new casino industry must be addressed. \u201cThat includes the workers because it is a serious issue. We have to hit things on target. \u2026That is right in front of our faces right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd [Demapan] mentioned that we need more federal funding, and we do. But how can we receive federal funding when people are dying trying to build [the hotel], laying of workers, and they keep extending [the casino construction deadline],\u201d said Francine, who supports Sablan.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey say they are going to be done but they don\u2019t keep to their promises. If that [casino] is bringing the most [number of] tourists and most income right now, then that\u2019s the important issue in the CNMI right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former NMC interim president Dave Attao, a Demapan supporter, said the local GOP bet was on point in saying that he would bring the issues of concerns of the CNMI to be heard by the people in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m impressed with [Demapan] and he is on point in fighting for the people. [Sablan] did well too, but [Demapan] brought a new perspective and voice, and the energy that\u2019s needed by our community now. I think [Demapan] did well compared to the current delegate,\u201d said Attao. \u2026\u201cIt is good to know that there are two people who stepped up to accept the challenge to help the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Attao praised the Chamber, NMC, and IT&E for organizing the debate. \u201cThis was well organized and I\u2019m thankful for the opportunity to watch this historic event. It is really rewarding and refreshing to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Closing statements<\/strong><\/p>\n

In his closing statements, Sablan detailed his accomplishments.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can keep me, your representative in U.S. Congress, who has a track record of doing what\u2019s best for the Marianas by blocking the $700 CW fee, enacting the [Northern Mariana Islands] U.S. Workforce Act that literally saved the economy, keeping the hospital open with new Medicaid money, getting the money for 24-hour water for Saipan, doubling food stamps benefits,\u201d said Sablan.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr you can gamble [on someone] who has no experience in Congress\u2014a young man with a track record of ignoring the wishes of our people. Ignoring the 25 percent of our people that voted for [the] Public School System. Ignoring the people\u2019s \u2018no\u2019 vote to casino twice. Who failed to keep his promise to raise the minimum wage for everyone. \u2026So who do you trust?\u201d<\/p>\n

Demapan said he will be working for the people of the CNMI and not for the people of Washington, D.C. \u201cI will not be a federal government employee. I will remain the people\u2019s employee, your employee. That is why we unite as a community. We must be one-hearted. We must join hands to reclaim our seat at the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be listened, to not just heard, to be consulted, not just informed. That\u2019s why I stand ready to be your loyal voice to Washington. Not Washington\u2019s voice to the CNMI. For what good is seniority without passion for our people? What good is seniority when complacency replaces purpose?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Informing voters while raising funds for the Saipan Chamber of Commerce\u2019s scholarship program were cited…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":285265,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[22786,26,262,67],"class_list":["post-285264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","tag-chamber-debates","tag-cnmi","tag-northern-marianas-college","tag-people"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=285264"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285264\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/285265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=285264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=285264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=285264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}