THE CNMI is observing its 36th Citizenship Day today, Friday, Nov. 4.
It was on Nov. 3, 1986 in Washington, D.C. that President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation to “welcome the [CNMI] into the American family and congratulate our new fellow citizens.”
In a statement on Thursday, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said “We shall recognize the freedoms, rights, and privileges that come with citizenship, as well as stand with our brothers and sisters who are working hard to obtain citizenship.”
He added, “Acknowledging what citizenship brings us also means exercising our responsibilities as citizens, such as voting, participating in our local community, and working together to create the better nation that we all dream of. Si Yu’us Ma’ase, Ghilisow, and have a safe Citizenship Day weekend, Marianas!”
Former Lt. Gov. Pete A. Tenorio, in a separate statement, said: “If the Covenant was not entered into and if it did not become public law, the generation of today will not be able to enjoy the benefits of being an American.”
Tenorio was among the members of the Marianas Political Status Commission whose negotiations with the federal government from December 1972 to February 1975 resulted in the enactment of the Covenant that made the islands part of the U.S.
One benefit of U.S. citizenship is having a U.S. passport, Tenorio said.
“Long ago, when we still did not have a U.S. passport…immigration [authorities]…asked us ‘Where is this? Where is Saipan?’ Nobody seemed to know where we were located and who we were. But now, as U.S. citizens, we hold one of the strongest passports in the world,” Tenorio added.
“Being a U.S. citizen and not just a U.S. national…we are also given job opportunities at the federal level,” he said.
“Land is [also] very important to us and it is passed on from generation to generation, and that is why we provided that provision in the Covenant to protect the land ownership of the future generation, of our children and grandchildren. That is the difference between us and other island jurisdictions such as Guam and Hawaii.”
An important day
Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios greets everyone in the CNMI a “Happy Citizenship Day!”
He said the holiday is a very important day for the people of the CNMI. His father, Dr. Francisco T. Palacios, was a member of the Marianas Political Status Commission, which negotiated the Covenant with the U.S.
Another MPSC member and CNMI founding father, Manuel A. Sablan said he remains proud of the Covenant and Citizenship Day, and joins the people of the Commonwealth in celebrating “this historic day.”
Truly blessed
In a statement, the Democratic candidate for governor Rep. Tina Sablan said:
“On Citizenship Day, we celebrate what it means to be citizens of the United States and a self-governing Commonwealth. We are truly blessed to live in these peaceful Mariana Islands, and to be part of a free and democratic nation.
“But the work of self-government and democracy is never done. The rights and freedoms we enjoy as citizens only mean something if we continually exercise and defend them. This task becomes especially urgent when our leaders abuse the power and trust we have given them. As citizens we have a responsibility to actively participate in our system of democracy, and to ensure that our government is worthy of our trust.
“This means being informed about the issues and decision-making that impact us all, and the people who seek to represent us in government. It means voting, and being true to our values when we mark our ballots. It means holding those in power accountable, and demanding honesty and fairness from our government which belongs to all of us. It means looking after one another, and embracing opportunities to serve and lift up our fellow citizens.
“[My running mate] Leila Fleming Staffler and I have a vision for good governance that includes empowered citizens, a responsive, transparent, and ethical government, and leaders who are faithful to the law and the people they serve. Good governance begins with voting for it, but it doesn’t end there. As citizens, we have a shared responsibility to make our government work for everyone, and to do our part to make the Marianas a better place for present and future generations.
“Happy Citizenship Day to all our fellow citizens.”
