Marianas Trench and the uninhabited islands of Asuncion, Maug, and Uracas” has been in circulation on island over the last two months. The petition continues, “Such a monument could bring positive international media attention to our shores, create local jobs, lead to the construction of a world class visitors center, lead to increase in research and education, and most important, protect our islands for our people now and for generations to come.”
Since the appearance of the draft study showing the economic impact of the monument on the CNMI, a second group of monument supporters has begun a stronger petition which, instead of asking for more study, petitions the president of the United States to go ahead and “designate the waters surrounding the Mariana Islands of Maug, Uracas and Asuncion a national monument, to be regulated and administered jointly and cooperatively by the people of the CNMI and the relevant agencies of the federal government.”
This petition will be available for signature at Joeten, Susupe, on Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to noon.
A third petition is also circulating. It states that the “Citizens of the CNMI…strongly oppose the efforts of the Pew Charitable Trusts to convince President Bush to designate over 115,000 square miles of marine water surrounding the islands of Uracas, Maug and Asuncion as a National Marine Monument.”
RUTH L. TIGHE
Tanapag, Saipan
