Acting committee chairman Ike Demapan, who is also the Indigenous Affairs Office resident executive director, said he is trying to get legal guidance from the Attorney General’s Office.
He said the committee is also waiting for the CNMI Bar Association to review its draft guidelines.
“I want this committee to keep going,” former Rep. Ana S. Teregeyo, overall chairwoman of the leadership courtyard.
Since 2009, the committee has been collecting a “good number of names” that will be officially recognized by the courtyard project.
The committee continues to get information regarding former leaders in the post-war period and pre-commonwealth era.
The names of the selected former leaders will be displayed at the proposed courtyard project in Chalan Kanoa across from the U.S. Post Office.
Once the nomination procedures are reviewed by legal experts, the committee will go to villages to conduct public hearings and receive more nominations from the public, Teregeyo said.
Ramon B. Camacho, Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council chairman and a committee member said he is also soliciting assistance from the Legislature’s legal counsels.
In an earlier interview, Camacho said the credentials committee will “discreetly” review the names of nominees to avoid possible conflicts.
They will also work with different agencies that have historical documents and records.
Camacho said the names will have to be verified to ensure accuracy.
He encouraged community members to submit the full names of their nominees, including middle names, terms of service, villages of residency and other important personal information.
In a meeting last week, the committee pushed for an election of officers.
The committee has 11 members but Teregeyo said they continue to accept more members.
Those who are interested to join the committee may contact the municipal council’s office, she said.
Its number is 664-2700.
Teregeyo said they want to see more participation from the manamko’.
“We also encouraged the former mayors to be part of the committee,” she added.
Sue Deleon Guerrero, overall committee vice chairwoman, suggested including a representative from the Youth Congress because “this is their future.”
Teregeyo said they will suspend their regular meetings until such time the credentials committee has obtained legal guidance.
The committee’s most recent meeting was also attended by its consultant, former Rep. William Torres, Roy Rios, Carolinian Affairs Executive Assistant Angie Iginoef-Mangarero, committee secretary/treasurer Frances Muna and Rudolfo M. Sablan.
