Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, Senate President Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, and Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan, jointly wrote President Bush’ senior advisor for environment James Connaughton to reiterate their opposition against the project.
They also expressed concern about the ongoing campaign of the nonprofit organization Pew Charitable Group which is pushing for the monument proposal.
“We certainly do not appreciate the rush to judgment that necessarily must take place, and possibly has already taken place, to secure the designation prior to Jan. 2009, and we take offense to the treatment of the people of the CNMI when compared to the courtesies to the state of Hawaii,” the commonwealth’s leaders said.
President Bush is expected to make a decision on the proposal before his term ends on Jan. 20, 2009.
Pew said it has gathered more than 5,000 signatures of individuals who support the project.
But according to the CNMI officials, “It may have many signatures; however, we wonder how many of the alleged signatories are actual residents of sufficient age to have fully wrestled with the facts concerning the monument, opposed to poorly informed schoolchildren, tourists or short-term residents of the CNMI with little stake in the CNMI’s affairs.”
They added, “We believe the list contains the names of foreign national workers who, pursuant to the recent federalization of our immigration, have short-term interest in the CNMI, and tourists who, frankly, should not have a say in the governance of either the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or the United States of America. We feel there are many duplicate names and we question the integrity of the petition.”
They said placing the waters surrounding Uracas, Maug and Asuncion under federal control will restrict the indigenous people’s access to their ancestral heritage.
“What is truly offensive is that, from the outset, Pew has been telling us that this designation is meant to secure President Bush’s legacy,” the CNMI officials said. “To be as blunt as possible, we do not feel it appropriate that stealing our birthright to curry favor with posterity is appropriate.”
