Arnold I. Palacios
GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios on Monday issued a memorandum allowing non-essential government employees to go on administrative leave Friday, July 5, 2024.
He granted the leave in light of the Commonwealth’s preparation for the 78th Liberation Day parade set for Thursday, July 4, 2024.
Department of Public Safety officers and other law enforcers are expected to report for work on Thursday. Some police officers, along with Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel, are also expected to participate in the parade.
As of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, residents had started installing their canopies along the parade route on Beach Road from the Quartermaster intersection to Garapan Fishing Base.
On Liberation Day, the governor said he and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang “would like to honor and remember the contributions and sacrifices of those who fought to provide us the freedom we enjoy today.”
“May our strength and unity continue forward in the pursuit of freedom and peace. Let us take this time to reflect on the historical significance of Liberation Day and show our support,” the governor added.
Liberation Day is celebrated annually to mark the permanent closure on July 4, 1946 of civilian internment camps on Saipan, allowing Chamorros and Carolinians to fully return to their land and private lives following World War II.
