Ramon “RB” Camacho
SAIPAN Mayor Ramon “RB” Camacho said parolees have contributed to the development of Koblerville children’s park and should be recognized.
On April 23, CNMI government officials gathered in San Antonio on Tuesday to break ground for the Pakpak Beach Park and Koblerville Children’s Park projects.
The projects, funded by the National Park Service’s land and water conservation program, are scheduled to be completed on Sept. 30, 2024.
In an interview on Friday, April 25, the mayor said he wants to set the record straight.
“Back then the Koblerville Children’s Park area was covered by overgrown vegetation,” Camacho said. “The grass then was almost six feet tall. One time, a grass fire broke out in the area clearing it, and then later it got covered again by vegetation. This was my route back then when I was the Parole Board chairman. From the Parole Office to my house in Koblerville, this was my route,” Camacho said.
“I talked to Joseph Lee Pan Guerrero, who was then the chief of parole, to check with the Department of Public Lands whether the area was private property or government land,” Camacho added.
“I told Lee Pan, if it’s government land we could apply with DPL and use and beautify the area so community members could use it rather than seeing it again blanketed by overgrown vegetation,” Camacho said.
“The parole office has a program giving parolees, convicted felons, an opportunity to contribute to the community, to facilitate their entry back to society. It was the parolees who initiated the development of the area under my direction as former Parole Board chair.
“It’s not about me, it’s about the parole program that allows parolees to contribute back to the community so that they can be accepted as contributing members of society,” he added.
A retired police major, Camacho also shared how Pakpak Beach in San Antonio got its name.
“The beach was named after Frank ‘Pakpak’ Camacho, who was a detective. Every time detectives got together they went to Pakpak. All law enforcement back then when asked where to meet after a big operation they said let’s go to Pakpak, and the name stuck,” the mayor added.
