THE head of the CNMI panel for the Covenant Section 902 talks says President Bush has not yet named his U.S. counterpart.
Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente sees the urgency of the issues that need to be tackled in the 902 negotiations and said that he would limit the size of the CNMI panel.
Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio, Senate President Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota, and House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider, R-Saipan, will be named as members of the CNMI panel, Benavente said. The CNMI 902 panel, however, will also seek assistance from the different agencies of the government.
According to Benavente, the negotiations would include discussions on the various CNMI capital improvement projects. “There is a need for us as a team to encourage the U.S. president to appoint his representative for this negotiation. We are going to start now,” he said.
