THE renewal of land lease for Grace Christian Academy is now before the Legislature. Before such action is taken, I ask the members of the Legislature to think outside the box. Today, the CNMI resident have over 4,000 outstanding homestead applicants waiting to get their homesteads but are left on the side line because there is no land available.
Now, public land leases are expiring and I believe its time that our indigenous people be given an opportunity for a place to call home. It’s enough that a public land has been conveyed to the Palau government without our consent and now an opportunity for our people to have homestead is without consideration by public land. Do we count as indigenous of the commonwealth or are we now coming in as second class citizens? Why not open the doors to the long awaited homestead applicants who would greatly benefit their families now that the leases have expired. I believe that 25 years of lease on public land is more than sufficient and an extension would be detrimental to the future homesteaders who have nothing to look forward to.
The Department of Public Lands should step into the plate and re-examine the needs of its people. It is about time that these private schools go out and lease private lands — the 25 years lease that they’ve enjoyed over the years should have more than recovered its structural costs. Now, it is time that the local people be given the opportunity to taste that greener pasture if you will. After all, its public land that belongs to the indigenous people and must revert back for the use of the indigenous people.

EDWIN C. SANTOS
Fina Sisu, Saipan