Pete Camacho, 62, said he is willing to facilitate a forum once the planned group of landowners has agreed to assemble to discuss their land issues with the government.
He hopes that landowners from Tanapag, Achugao, Chalan Kiya, San Jose and other areas will join the group.
Once the desired number of members has been gathered, Camacho said his group will choose leaders among themselves.
“We will elect who will be the chairman, co-chairman, and adviser,” he said, stating he is prepared to lead the initial discussions.
Once all land issues of the group members have been resolved with the government, their group will cease its existence.
Meeting with
indigenous group
Yesterday, Camacho met with former Speaker Oscar C. Rasa of the CNMI Descents for Self-Government and Indigenous Rights group.
“Our group has dedicated its services to all indigenous people,” Rasa said.
He told the Variety that his group is willing to assist Camacho with his land dispute with the government.
Camacho is also a member of Rasa’s group.
Camacho is disputing the government’s use of 1,314 square meters and 478 sq. m. parcels of land in Achugao without securing his formal permission and without providing him with any form of compensation.
He said the then-Marianas Public Land Authority, the Department of Public Works, and the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. have encroached on his property with the construction of a public road and power line distribution system.
“Land compensation is an indigenous concern,” Rasa said. “When the government uses private land for public purpose, just compensation should be in order.”
Rasa said Camacho’s group will be a separate entity from his group, but an alliance will be in place.
The need to draft legislation
According to Rasa, their indigenous group may draft legislation that his group will submit to the Legislature for review and consideration.
The measure, he added, will identify funding sources in order to compensate landowners whose private lands have been used by the government for public purposes.
“We also need to find out the financial position of the government,” he stated, noting the government’s fiscal crisis.
The Marianas Public Land Trust, he added, is a possible source of funds to compensate landowners who have not been paid any amount for years.
The draft legislation will be submitted to the Senate president, the speaker of the House, and the governor, Rasa said.
Camacho can be reached at 789-7929 or 322-1945.
