British Consul General Paul J.G. Rennie poses on the beach at Crown Plaza Resort on Monday.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
BRITISH Consul General Paul J.G. Rennie arrived on Saipan Monday morning for a three-day visit to experience the island, engage with the local community, explore opportunities to share knowledge and expertise, and build connections.
Based in Los Angeles, California, Rennie is the U.K.’s most senior diplomatic representative for the U.S. Southwest.
His area of responsibility covers Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Southern California, Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific territories of the CNMI, Guam and American Samoa.
As the British government’s diplomatic representative, his role is to support collaborations that promote jobs and economic growth between the U.K. and his area of responsibility.
Within 12 to 14 hours of arriving on the island, Rennie visited some of its stunning landscapes and beautiful beaches, met local residents, and experienced their rich culture. He believes people from around the world will come to experience these things — if they hear about them.
So far, he has visited Banzai Cliff, the Grotto, and Kalabera Cave. He also saw some latte stones and became acquainted with the island’s traditional canoe, the proa.
Rennie said he loves the island culture of helping visitors meet other people to connect with.
He also enjoys the island’s tranquility. “The air is so clean, and there’s this peacefulness all around. Also, there’s no traffic. For anyone from L.A., the absence of traffic feels like paradise.”
When he started his job about six months ago, Rennie said he was told about all the amazing parts of America he should visit. He asked his fellow British consuls if any of them had been to Saipan. When they said no, he made sure to include the island in his travels. He also plans to visit Guam and American Samoa.
A few months ago, he met with the CNMI’s delegate to Congress, Kimberlyn King-Hinds, in Washington, D.C. and they had a conversation, he said.
“I’m very excited to come out here,” he added.
The first place he visited on the island was Northern Marianas College. Its president, Dr. Galvin S. Deleon Guerrero, shared how the college has been recovering from the devastation of a typhoon by showing him the new student center, which is nearing completion.
“I have a passion for education — one of the single most important things that helps people develop their economic capability,” Rennie said.
He noted that the U.K. is an island nation. Like the CNMI, he said, the U.K. faces similar challenges related to energy and climate change. There are also questions about how to develop sustainable tourism and how to better connect island communities. These are the kinds of issues that make it important for him to visit Saipan, Rennie said.
