In his letter to Sen. Ralph DLG. Torres, R-Saipan, Babauta said by next month, OIA will analyze the data provided by the forum participants.
The forum, held at the Fiesta Resort & Spa on Nov. 9, discussed ideas from various members of the community, including government officials and private sector representatives, on how to help rebuild the local economy and create a local labor force.
Babauta said the forum provided information necessary to create a technical assistance program for the CNMI.
The process of developing such assistance for the commonwealth, he added, “is now underway.”
Babauta said OIA plans to work closely with its federal partners — the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S.
Department of Labor — as well as with the CNMI government and private sector in achieving the goals of the forum.
“I have a great amount of optimism for this process and hope to continue our working relationship. It will take a great amount of effort from the island’s community to move the CNMI into the right direction,” Babauta said.
Torres, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, wrote Babauta last week regarding the Commonwealth Health Center’s need for a magnetic resonance imaging device and computerized axial tomography scan.
Torres said Babauta wants to focus on the completion of Saipan’s hemodialysis center.
