This, according to Commerce Secretary Michael Ada during a recent presentation before the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, is one of the activities being undertaken by the CNMI Military Integrated Management Committee.
“Video conferencing will provide easy communication with Guam and Washington, D.C. and eliminate the need to travel,” Ada said.
Among the committee’s other activities are impact and feasibility studies regarding the Tinian ports, land use studies and species inventories, and feasibility studies that will provide more data at no cost to the CNMI.
Healthcare reform is another area being covered by the committee.
Ada said they are working with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the organization of state insurance regulators of the nation, the other territories and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding the national healthcare reform law’s impact on the CNMI.
“We are also developing grant applications to help us meet the requirements of the law, and communicating with insurance carriers to participate in the development of the grant applications,” Ada said.
In addition, they are also looking into the issue of unemployment insurance to explore the costs associated with an unemployment insurance program.
“This will help keep money floating in the economy during unemployment, and to accurately track unemployment figures,” Ada added.
The CNMI Military Integrated Management Committee is comprised of the executive and legislative leadership as well as the mayors of Saipan, Tinian and Rota. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Economic Adjustment.
For more details and updates about the committee, visit http://www.commerce.gov.mp/MIMC/mimc.html.
