(Office of the Governor) — Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers on Tuesday thanked CNMI stakeholders for the widespread support of the council’s economic initiatives and revitalization projects.
For the past few weeks, Governor Torres, co-chair of the GCEA with businessman and community leader Jerry Tan, and council members met with lawmakers, members of the Marianas Visitors Authority and of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce to present the GCEA’s 2020 Annual Report and recommendations.
This report analyzes the current economic situation in the CNMI in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yutu and the devastating Covid-19 pandemic. The council also took steps to identify 13 key economic development initiatives, which are products of inputs from stakeholders in the community — aimed at fast-tracking the CNMI’s recovery. The plan aims to transform Saipan, Rota, and Tinian into world-class destinations while providing a better quality of life for all who call the Marianas home.
“The support that the GCEA has been receiving since its inception in August is overwhelming. I thank our islands’ stakeholders: our Senate and House of Representatives, MVA, and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce for getting behind this vision for the Commonwealth,” said Governor Torres. “It is encouraging to see the unity that this plan has ignited, and I am very pleased to see the CNMI moving forward with our council’s recommendations.”
The governor created the GCEA through Executive Order 2020-11 to help in the formulation of policy initiatives that would encourage economic growth in the CNMI.
The GCEA is made up of subject-matter experts from the public and private sectors who have answered the call to envision and build a better CNMI for its residents.
The organization’s mission is to improve the overall quality of life in the Commonwealth through various initiatives designed to improve the CNMI product, rebuild the economy and spur future development in the islands.
Improvements made through public-private partnerships
Out of the 13 initiatives, five were identified as priorities for 2021 through 2022. Governor Torres set the Private Public Partnership or PPP campaign as an example of how an initiative can successfully move forward with the community rallying behind it.
The PPP welcomes organizations and groups to adopt sites on Saipan, Rota, and Tinian and physically transform them through improvements in infrastructure, design, and maintenance.
The PPP started with just six partners and now how has 41 groups, representing diverse backgrounds and interests. 30 local sites, many of which are the CNMI’s top tourism sites, have already been adopted.
Facilities, such as basketball courts and social halls, have also been spruced up to better serve residents at the village level.
“It’s very inspiring to see our community coming together despite the pandemic and typhoons we have faced over the last two years. Our local government, businesses, community organizations, and residents have committed to transforming our islands, protecting our pristine environment, and providing our youth with safe sports and recreational facilities that will make life better for all of us,” Governor Torres said
Streamlining government permitting to promote development
One of GCEA’s recommendations includes the streamlining of the government’s permitting processes, which the council noted, currently takes at least three years to complete before large-scale projects can begin. In response, the CNMI Zoning Board, the first in the long line of agencies involved in the permitting process, has agreed to waive the permitting requirement for FEMA-funded, typhoon-related projects. This will shave off an estimated three months of processing time.
Another time-saving initiative is to digitize the permitting processes. The Commonwealth Development Authority has approved $100,000 to help fund a system to secure permits.
Sen. Vinnie Sablan is working on legislation to support this measure. Senator Sablan proposes to allow permitting agency officials to hold video conferences to avoid delays in decision-making due to the lack of a quorum.
In the House, Rep. Angel Demapan has pre-filed House Bill 22-21 that would restructure the Commonwealth Development Authority and rename it as the Commonwealth Economic Development Authority. This proposed agency would be tasked with leading the CNMI ’s economic diversification campaign.
Though the CNMI aims to develop other industries that would generate jobs and tax revenues for the Commonwealth, Governor Torres said that tourism remains the backbone of the islands’ economies. The CNMI has historical and significant economic and tourism relations with Japan, and GCEA believes this is the right time to re-engage the Japan market as the islands prepare to safely open their borders. MVA has recently reopened its representative office in Japan in preparation for the resumption of travel tentatively slated for this summer.
“There are a lot of moving parts as our islands work toward recovery and implementing these important initiatives. I thank our residents for working together to build a better future for our people,” Gov. Torres said.
About the GCEA
The Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers’ mission is to provide objective advice to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios to ensure that future economic decisions and programs are aligned to ultimately improve the CNMI’s quality of life.
The GCEA’s Public Private Partnership initiative has drawn widespread support throughout the community.
Various projects have been launched to support the CNMI’s transformation campaign. For more information, visit the GCEA on Facebook and Instagram (@cnmigov.economy) or engage with advisers by email at gceacnmi@gmail.com
Officials of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers led by co-chairs Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, back row center, and Jerry Tan, front left fourth right, and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, back row second left, join House members for a group photo after presenting the GCEA’s Annual Report and recommendations last month on Capital Hill.
Office of the Governor photo
Senate President Jude Hofschneider, center, presides over a meeting with the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers while his fellow lawmakers browse through the GCEA’s Annual Report presented last month on Capital Hill. GCEA co-chairs Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, left, and Jerry Tan, right, led the annual report presentation.
Office of the Governor photo