THE recently established group, Citizens for Good Governance held its first meeting at the Minachom Atdao in Susupe on Sunday.
Ambrosio Ogumoro
One of its founders, former Department of Public Safety Deputy Commissioner Ambrosio T. Ogumoro, who campaigned for NMI Democrats in the November elections, said the organization is a “non-political group.”
“We welcome anyone,” he added.
“Today, is a fine example of people coming together and addressing common issues in the CNMI,” he said during the meeting on Sunday. “We must be strong and united. We sacrificed a lot already. We have seen so much discouragement from our leaders. We must fight for what is right, and take action [on behalf of] the children and their future. Let us all unite and be strong together. We must send a strong message [that] people come first.”
Ogumuro said the mission of the group is to “address corruption in order to establish a better government in the CNMI.”
Among those present at the meeting were Democratic Sen.-elect Edith Deleon Guerrero, Democratic Rep.-elect Vicente Camacho, former Office of Personnel Management Executive Director Isidro Seman, and Marianas Public Land Trust member Pedro R. Deleon Guerrero, a former Democratic House speaker.
Hailed by the group as the “people’s champions,” reelected Democratic Rep. Tina Sablan and Democratic Rep.-elect Edwin Propst delivered brief remarks.
Sablan said, “Citizens are truly the heart of any advocacy.”
She said, “Solving the problem of our community, and there are many, really requires many of us. Participate, care, speak up, get organized — one person cannot do it all; government cannot do it all. Being a citizen means being a part of the community where there is a sense of shared responsibility for all of us, to our fellow citizens, our neighbors, for the people.”
She said, “Whether it’s fighting corruption; whether it’s fighting waste and abuse of public funds; or whether advocating better healthcare, better schools, better management of public lands, there is so much the citizens can do.”
Propst, for his part, said he will always put people first. “And that is always what it is about. Good governance requires putting people first,” he added.
