ONCE again, our public land leases are up for extension after 25 years of leasehold.
Now is the time for the pending homestead applicants to be given an opportunity to avail to this available public land or for that matter be re-invested into a greater return leasehold.
These private enterprises should start looking into the lease of private lands. When are we the indigenous going to be getting a greater return on our public land leases if we keep renewing public land leases at below market value? Twenty-five years of public land leases is more than enough time for these private entities to have gotten their finances in order. After all, they have made over $23 million while our government only realized $100,000 for the past 23 years of the lease.
And what about the unpaid rights-of-way that many of us are still waiting for compensation? How do you justify paying us when you can barely make enough money on these leaseholds and renewals of our indigenous lands? Many of us continue to wait for compensation while our land are continually used since the TT time until now; not even a penny in compensation and our family continues to suffer and a great many of our ancestors have passed and have not realized and benefits of their property rights.
As our leaders of our government, I ask you to think of your people first and foremost. We have elected you into office to look into our best interest and we ask you to do just that. Investment by outsiders is welcome anytime, but this is an investment that has little or no gain at all considering the overburden of our infrastructure. Just the cost of the lease alone is a drop in the bucket. You don’t need to be a genius to know this. And by the way, why wasn’t there a public hearing on this when it affects the interest of the indigenous people? Are our views no longer your priority? Are we no longer important to you guys who have elected you into office?
Again, on behalf of the landless indigenous, I appeal to you from to do the right thing and not renew this lease. There are two more years remaining in this lease and it should be more than enough time for this private school to transition to a private land lease.

NICK F. NORITA
Chalan Kanoa, Saipan