ROTA officials should conduct a background check on the religious group that wants to establish a “peace palace” and a “peace university” on the island, House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider said yesterday.
He was reacting to reports that the Global Country for World Peace will make Rota a center for its activities.
Hofschneider, R-Saipan, said Rota and the CNMI should carefully “weigh its likely impact.”
He was reacting to reports that the Global Country for World Peace will make Rota a center for its activities.
Hofschneider, R-Saipan, said Rota and the CNMI should carefully “weigh its likely impact.”
“I think that before one hastily welcomes (the group) into the commonwealth, we have to take a look at them closely. I think that since the late 1980s up to the early 1990s, during the economy boom, we’ve learned a lot of lessons and that speculators will always be around. And not only that, there are certain things that we must be careful of. We advocate protecting and nurturing our culture and tradition. So we have to know what this group will do to the island of Rota and to the people of the commonwealth,” he said.
He said “prudence dictates” that if the group falls into the “big category of investors, we have to know who is responsible for bringing them” on the island.
“We need to know more about this group,” Hofschneider said.
Rota Mayor Benjamin T. Manglona was earlier quoted as saying that Rota “is a place with no borders” and that they were openly welcoming everyone from every country and from every group.
He was also quoted as saying that the group “doesn’t have to have a visa to come in and that he had asked a visa waiver” from Gov. Juan N. Babauta and “we’re all set to go.”
“I think that remark may send the wrong signal to…some people. Everyone should be subjected to the laws and regulations of the commonwealth. We should be extremely careful with our words about this issue,” said the speaker.
Global Country says it has ties with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who brought transcendental meditation to such celebrities such as the Beatles and Mia Farrow. One of his disciples is Dr. Deepak Chopra, a new age and alternative health guru.
“We need to know more about this group,” Hofschneider said.
Rota Mayor Benjamin T. Manglona was earlier quoted as saying that Rota “is a place with no borders” and that they were openly welcoming everyone from every country and from every group.
He was also quoted as saying that the group “doesn’t have to have a visa to come in and that he had asked a visa waiver” from Gov. Juan N. Babauta and “we’re all set to go.”
“I think that remark may send the wrong signal to…some people. Everyone should be subjected to the laws and regulations of the commonwealth. We should be extremely careful with our words about this issue,” said the speaker.
Global Country says it has ties with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who brought transcendental meditation to such celebrities such as the Beatles and Mia Farrow. One of his disciples is Dr. Deepak Chopra, a new age and alternative health guru.
