San Nicolas is the latest CNMI official who has expressed his opposition to the proposal. The governor, the Legislature, the Northern Islands mayor and the Saipan municipal council are also not supporting it.
According to San Nicolas, his office has surveyed Tinian residents and they have come up with the conclusion that the proposal of the Washington-based environmental group Pew Charitable Trusts will not serve the best interest of the CNMI.
“Based on many comments I have received from my constituents, I have reached the conclusion that the loss of extracted privileges of natural resources in over 115,000 square miles of water surrounding our northernmost islands of Uracas, Maug and Asuncion far outweigh any benefits touted by Pew,” the mayor said in his letter to President Bush.
“The Pacific islands’ traditions are based on a long history of cultural use of natural resources and I find the marine monument proposal to be contrary to our basic way of life,” he added.
He asked the president to maintain the existing resource management authorities in the region — the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Services.
“These agencies are much more sensitive to the Pacific islanders’ way of life and our traditional and sustainable approach in the use of our natural resources,” he said.
Proponents of the marine monument proposal continue to educate the public about the economic and environmental benefits of the project.
