GOVERNOR Ralph DLG Torres will deliver a State of the Commonwealth Address or SOCA this Friday, and everyone is invited to attend, including lawmakers who oppose his administration.
He will deliver his address at 10 a.m. at Kensington Hotel Saipan.
Formal invitations have been sent to the presiding officers of the legislative and judicial branches, as well as the respective members of their chambers, the Office of the Governor said on Tuesday.
“This has been standard protocol in formal communications between the branches of government,” the Office of the Governor added.
“My administration is excited to share with the community the state of our Commonwealth and the journey we have taken over the unprecedented events of the last few years. I will be talking about our work together as a community and what we should do for our future if we continue this journey together,” the governor said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We got some big choices ahead as a Commonwealth, but I truly believe that if we make those right choices, our future will be bright. I really look forward to updating our community, both on island and online,” he added.
Reserved seats have been designated for all members of the Legislature and all justices and judges of the judiciary.
The event “is inclusive of all other elected officials, as is always the case for a State of the Commonwealth Address,” the Office of the Governor said.
Invitations have also been sent to the governor’s cabinet, autonomous agency boards and executives, private sector partners, and community stakeholders.
“This administration believes in inclusion, and that will be in true display this Friday as the Governor speaks about our community coming together under the principles of ‘inafa’maolek’, ‘tipiyeew,’ and ‘respetu,’ ” the Office of the Governor stated.
The SOCA is also open to the public in-person and will be livestreamed via the CNMI Office of the Governor Facebook page in partnership with Northern Marianas College.
Ralph DLG Torres
