Rep. Stanley T. Torres, R-Saipan, said the CNMI should negotiate better this time.
Torres said the frequent visits of top military officials on Saipan indicate a strong interest on CNMI lands.
“Obviously, they are interested in our land from a military stand point. They have shown that keen interest via their frequent visits. They have intimated that the CNMI is increasingly important to the homeland defense of the United States,” said Torres.
“What is their real goal? I say let’s negotiate a reasonable deal to make that U.S.-CNMI mutual defense partnership really work. They want Pagan? Tinian? Sarigan? Fine, please state your intended goal and let’s talk about what is in it for the citizens of the CNMI. Hopefully we can do better than the $1 per acre they paid to have control of two-thirds of Tinian, all of FDM and the Port of Saipan 35 years ago,” he added.
About 1,300 U.S. Air Force personnel, at least 8,000 U.S. Marines and their estimated 9,000 dependents will be relocated from Okinawa, Japan to Guam in 2012.
Torres said the CNMI should be clear about what it wants in exchange for its lands.
