Saipan Mayor Donald Flores said the committee has only two weeks to prepare for the start of the month-long celebration.
Flores expressed confidence that the Saipan and Northern Islands legislative delegation will pass the appropriation measure for the Liberation Day festivities.
The mayor said lawmakers and the governor’s office have always supported the annual event.
In an interview, he said the Liberation Day celebration is not only an activity of the mayor’s office but of the entire Northern Marianas.
Yesterday, the Department of Public Works, in collaboration of the mayor’s office, started the construction of 40 booths at the Garapan Fishing Base, which will be the site once again of the Liberation activity center.
Flores said Guangdong Hardware allowed the Liberation Committee to get construction materials despite the unsettled obligations that the previous committee had incurred.
The mayor said they initially used the funds generated from the concessionaires’ fees and donations from the community.
He said he will ask the Saipan lawmakers to authorize his office to use funds already allotted to certain programs, like the $145,000 for the stray dog program.
Flores said they will replenish the fund as soon as the Liberation money is released.
