Other government officials, however, described the even as “very successful.”
Atalig said the parade was “not as exciting and as big as last year — the crowd was not motivated.”
He also criticized the preparation of the souvenir program which excluded the Saipan Municipal Council.
“It was poorly planned,” he added.
The presence at the parade of John DLR. Gonzales, a candidate for the U.S. Congress, “was a disaster,” Atalig said. “This day is not for political advertisement. This is a day for the celebration of our Liberation Day.”
Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela lauded participants of the recently concluded 2008 Liberation Day festival describing it as “very successful.”
Tudela said the people who viewed the parade on Friday totaled 2,000 and surpassed last year’s.
“It would have been much better if the parade started in the morning,” the mayor said.
As in last year, the parade started at 2 p.m.
In a last-minute decision, the Liberation Day Committee decided to have a 15-minute firework display in the docking area of the Garapan Fishing Base.
This year grand marshal, former Rep. Gregorio B. Sablan Sr., said he was happy to see people joining the celebration despite the “hardship they are experiencing now.”
“I’m delighted and thankful that they gave me this recognition,” he said, adding that he was supposed to be the grand marshal last year but he turned it down since he was about to leave for the U.S.
Sablan served the local government for 45 years and was a Republican member of the Fifth and Sixth CNMI House of Representatives.
He appealed to the CNMI’s leaders to “join hands and try to work together because this is not a one-man job — we have to put our efforts together.”
He encouraged the youth to obtain a good education, saying that it is one of the solutions to the CNMI’s problems.
Liberation Day parade committee co-chairman Isidoro Cabrera said there was a “minor gap” during the parade because KSPN interviewed some participants.
But Cabrera said there was no untoward incident during the parade which “finished on time.”
This year winners in the float competition were the Department of Corrections, first place, $500 prize; Island Warrior, second, $300; and the manamko’, third, $200.
The United Filipino Organization and the Korean Association were given special recognition.
