In his letter to Fitial, Sablan noted that Sylvan Igisomar, the governor’s original nominee, is no longer the director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife.
A council member is required to be an official of the CNMI government.
Igisomar left his position in Oct. 2010 and has been replaced by former Speaker Arnold I. Palacios.
The other members of the advisory council are the senior adviser to the governor, John Joyner, and Commonwealth Ports Authority board member Benigno Sablan.
Congressman Sablan told Fitial that the advisory council cannot begin its work without a new nominee.
He informed the governor that during the oversight hearing of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs, on President Obama’s fiscal year 2012 budget proposal, he and Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo brought up the status of the monument.
They both wanted to know what progress has been made to bring the monument management system in place.
Congressman Sablan said U.S. Fish and Wildlife informed them that it was waiting for Fitial to submit the name of the person who will replace Igisomar on the council.
“As you know, the advisory council will serve an important role in the management of the monument. In this initial stage, the council is responsible for providing its advice and recommendation on the plans that will regulate access by the indigenous people for traditional uses of the monument, promote tourism and other recreational and economic activities there,” the congressman told Fitial.
In a recent interview, Benigno Sablan said he and the other council nominees have yet to hear from the federal government regarding the monument management system.
He heard about the proposal to make the old lighthouse on Navy Hill as the visitor center for the monument but he could not tell how it would be done without any funding.
He said he would prefer to have the visitor center on Rota or Tinian.
