RB Camacho
SAIPAN Mayor Ramon Jose Blas “RB” Camacho on Friday reflected on his first year in office, and said he will continue the various community projects he began in 2023, which include seeking feedback from religious, business, and ethnic leaders in the community.
“This island is very big for one mayor,” Camacho said in a press conference. “I need help to curb … unacceptable activity within our community.”
One upcoming project his office is working on is a precinct-by-precinct count of businesses, which will include identifying the types of businesses that operate in Saipan’s different villages.
The mayor said he wants his office to establish a “working relationship” with the island’s businesses so he can hear the issues they are facing.
In 2023, Camacho said he consulted with faith-based leaders regarding the Marpi public cemetery project and crime prevention.
He said he wants to hold a similar meeting with ethnic and cultural group leaders to develop community-driven approaches that will support the Adopt-a-Place program and other village improvement projects.
The mayor continues to invite any community group interested in supporting Adopt-a-Place to reach out to his office.
“Whoever is interested [to] adopt a place that they can beautify twice a month — that program is still open,” Camacho said.
He is also interested in community-based solutions to crime prevention, saying his office wants to support neighborhood watch programs in the villages.
A retired police major, he said the Department of Public Safety faces “simple mathematics” when it comes to fighting crimes.
“Even though you have 1,000 officers, and the population is 50,000, 1,000 is still way less than 50,000,” the mayor said. “If you look at the structure of this government … if you have 150 personnel, the question we need to ask is how many personnel [are on shift] at [a] particular hour. Don’t look at the overall picture because they’re not working at the same time.”
DPS currently employs 34 civilians and 178 sworn personnel.
As for his feud with Department of Public Lands Secretary Teresita Santos, Camacho said the issue is now in court.
“I’m just waiting for the court’s decision,” Camacho said, adding that he has not personally met with Santos.
Their disagreement stems from competing interpretations of DPL’s temporary occupancy agreement with Construction Management & Supply for a Kannat Tabla quarry site. Under the temporary occupancy agreement, CMS is obligated to provide 100 cubic yards of base course to government agencies for “public benefit.” The first 100 cubic yards are available without charge. There are six quarry sites the mayor’s office may extract material from, meaning that Mayor Camacho has access to 600 cubic yards of quarry material in total per year.
“For myself I read the statute and the statute doesn’t say 100 cubic yards,” Camacho said. “All the statute says is ‘public benefit.’ There’s no limitation, so it’s a matter of policy. To amend that policy, that’s all I’m asking, amend that policy.”
When asked to grade his performance for the year, Mayor Camacho said “I cannot really grade myself, but I’ve tried my best.”
“I’ll continue to do my best,” he added. “It’s not an easy job, but I’m not the type of person who at 4:30 p.m. trash-cans everything.”
He said his biggest challenge has been working with the central government.
“As a mayor I just want to be open, and I will humbly ask the administration and the departments … please let’s work together because we have only one mission not two missions — to serve the people.”
