By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

A VISITING staff member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources says the U.S. Department of Defense is not planning to build permanent military facilities in the CNMI even if federal immigration law is extended to the islands.
Allen Stayman said the U.S. military has no plans to build permanent facilities like bases in the Northern Marianas even after 8,000 Marines from Japan are transferred to Guam starting next year.
But he said the military is likely to train more in the Northern Marianas and homeport more prepositioned ships here.
“My understanding from my conversations with the Department of Defense is that they have more than enough land on Guam,” said Stayman. “They will expand their presence here in things like training and more prepositioned ships but it won’t be like bases or permanent facilities.”
Last week, the CNMI House of Representatives adopted a resolution urging Gov. Benigno R. Fitial to ask for an increased military presence in the commonwealth to help revive its ailing economy.
Rep. Cinta M. Kaipat, Covenant-Saipan and the principal author of House Resolution 15-94, said the U.S. and Japan will be spending as much as $1 billion every year for infrastructure development for the planned relocation of the 8,000 Marines.
She said the CNMI’s close proximity to Guam is an advantage for the military’s planned build-up in the Asia-Pacific Region.
She said the military’s presence in the commonwealth will mean better infrastructure and jobs.
The Northern Marianas has served as a training venue for numerous military operations including live-fire training on Farallon de Medenilla.
Two-thirds of the public land on Tinian is leased to the military.