By Emmanuel T. Erediano
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
THE Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation, during an emergency session Saturday, passed House Local Bill 24-55, appropriating $500,000 in poker fees collections to help Saipan and the Northern Islands recover from the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
Authored by Rep. Blas Jonathan Attao and introduced by the rest of the SNILD members acting as a committee of the whole, H.L.B. 24-55 now goes to the desk of Gov. David M. Apatang.
All 15 House members, along with Sens. Celina R. Babauta and Manny Gregory T. Castro, voted in favor of its passage.
Prior to Attao’s introduction of the emergency appropriation measure, Delegation Floor Leader Joel Camacho moved to formally determine that an emergency exists, citing the urgent need for legislative action to address the immediate and critical needs of the CNMI resulting from Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
The bill appropriates the poker funds as follows:
• $100,000 for the Saipan Mayor’s Office for disaster recovery due to extraordinary circumstances caused by Super Typhoon Sinlaku;
• $50,000 for the Northern Islands Mayor’s Office for disaster recovery;
• $350,000 for the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation for disaster recovery, to be used for, but not limited to, food distribution across the CNMI, with priority given to the Third Senatorial District.
SNILD Chairman Rep. John Paul Sablan thanked Attao for authoring the bill, saying he was prepared to call for an emergency delegation session and urging members to “stand together, as togetherness is what is needed in these very trying times.”
Attao thanked Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez for responding to his request despite poor phone connection due to inclement weather when he called for an emergency session to address the local appropriation.
He also expressed appreciation to the administration for “stepping up very quickly in issuing storm advisories so people could begin preparing for their safety.”
Attao further acknowledged Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds for advocating for the CNMI in support of Gov. David M. Apatang’s request.
He also thanked President Donald Trump for lifting the Stafford Act restrictions so the federal government could mobilize emergency assistance to the CNMI.
He extended gratitude to first responders from the CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management Office, the Emergency Operations Center, the mayors of all senatorial districts, and the community.
“We’d like to give them all credit for coming out and helping each other even while the storm was still over us,” he said.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
