The CNMI Constitution’s Article 12 states that only persons of Northern Marianas descent can buy or own land in the commonwealth.
Sablan believe that his contentious issue should be resolved in 2011 when voters will get to decide whether to retain or amend Article 12.
According to the law, alien children adopted by people of Northern Marianas descent can own land but non-indigenous people who were born and raised in the CNMI cannot.
Sablan said the people should decide whether they want this rule changed.
Regarding the power crisis, Sablan said the government should resort to alternative energy.
“[The Commonwealth Utilities Corp.] is broken and can never be fixed and we continue to depend on oil — alternative energy is the way to go,” he said.
But he said community members should also make a commitment to use alternative energy in the next 30 to 50 years.
If elected, he said he will asked U.S. Congress, the Departments of the Interior, and Energy to conduct an objective study on alternative energy sources for the CNMI.
“I don’t want to get information from salesmen — we need an objective study,” he said.
A study will allow CNMI residents to make an intelligent decision on what kind of alternative energy to adopt, he said.
Sablan said utilities should be more efficient like phone services on Saipan that operate even during typhoons.
