Each of the House member will serve a term of three years while the senators will serve for a term of five years.
This is mandated by a constitutional amendment ratified by voters so that CNMI elections, starting in 2012, will coincide with U.S. polls.
The lawmakers will be sworn in at 10 a.m. today in their respective chambers.
Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert Naraja will administer the oath-taking ceremony for the House, while Supreme Court Chief Justice Miguel S. Demapan will swear in the senators.
The governor and the lt. governor will be sworn in at 3 p.m. at the Saipan World Resort Hotel.
Fitial, 64, the first CNMI governor to be re-elected since 1985, and the first to receive a majority mandate since 1993, attended the Inaugural Mass yesterday at the Mount Carmel Cathedral.
Among the special guests today are U.S. Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Tony M. Babauta, Office of Insular Affairs Director Nik Pula, Northern Marianas Congressman Gregorio C. Sablan, Palau President Johnson Toribiong, Guam Gov. Felix P. Camacho, Guam first lady Joann Camacho and Federated States of Micronesia Vice President Alik Alik.
It will be Babauta’s first official courtesy visit to the CNMI since the U.S. Senate confirmed his appointment.
Babauta will tour the Commonwealth Health Center and visit Tinian and Rota.
In an interview, Palau’s president said he wished Fitial “the best.”
He said he and Fitial studied French at the University of Guam before Toribiong headed to a law school in the United States.
He said Fitial has a very good sense of humor and is “very determined.”
“I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations with the hope that he will lead this commonwealth into a more successful and prosperous future,” the president told reporters at a gathering of the Palauan community yesterday afternoon.
“I like him very much. He was my classmate at the University of Guam in 1965,” he added.
Northern Marianas College will broadcast the inauguration ceremony beginning at 3 p.m. to Rota and Tinian.
The live broadcast will be shown at the NMC instructional sites on Rota and Tinian, and the community is invited to attend. Seats will be available on a first come, first served basis.
NMC said the live broadcast is made possible by a grant from the Administration for Native Americans and strong support from IT&E.
At Saipan World Resort, over 2,000 seats have been prepared for the inauguration ceremony.
“It is a historical event for Saipan World Resort,” its public relations manager Carmen Cabrera said.
It will be the first time that the CNMI governor’s inauguration will be held at a hotel, she added.
In 2006, Fitial was sworn in at the gymnasium of Marianas High School.
Cabrera said the hotel is used to handling big events. Other hotel functions, such as the buffet world, will continue during the inauguration ceremony.
