By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

AFTER years of asking previous CNMI administrations to allow Palauans to have their own office on Saipan, their country’s president yesterday received from Gov. Benigno R. Fitial a copy of an official document designating land on Navy Hill for their office.
“For years, our Palauan brothers have been asking for a piece of land to construct an office here,” Fitial said. “But our Constitution restricts us from giving land to those of non-NMI descent, but now we have made things legally clear and possible in allowing them perpetual use of land specifically assigned to the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs,” the governor said during yesterday’s closing ceremony after the three-day 7th Western Micronesian Chief Executives Summit at the Fiesta Resort & Spa.
Fitial, with DCCA Secretary Daisy Bier and Public Lands Authority Secretary John Del Rosario Jr. handed the document to Palau President Tommy Remengasau as a “goodwill sign of brotherhood.”
Fitial said the Palau association in the CNMI can use the property “in perpetuity.”
“Ownership of the property has not been transferred, but the Palauans can use it as their home away from home on Saipan,” the governor said.
Remenggasau said the Fitial administration’s “generosity clearly demonstrates the island spirit” that the summit is promoting.
“This is the true island spirit. The friendship and generosity of the CNMI to our people is tremendous. This is a dream come true for us because we’ve been requesting this for years and finally it was accomplished by Governor Fitial,” Remengasau said, saying that the property will be properly used by Palauans in the CNMI.