THE 16th Saipan Municipal Council, the 18th Rota and the 18th Tinian Municipal have established a nonprofit organization, the Pacific Alliance of Municipal Councils, “to promote, preserve, strengthen, restore and enhance our obligation over local cultural traditions and heritage of our Mariana Islands. Furthermore, to affirm our strong commitment to work collectively and cohesively for the attainment of mutual equality, respect, cooperation, harmony and advancement for all, in health, education, economic and environment.”
In the past months the councils have been meeting to organize themselves and to identify priorities and they have agreed to pursue to clarify certain ambiguous areas in the CNMI constitutional provisions, most particularly Article VI, Section 7, Subsections (1) and (2) providing for their authority over the formulation and approval of local budget proposals.
“In order to achieve our objectives, it is important that the councils work together to acquire uniform authority over their respective municipalities and therefore will be seeking to clarify and strengthen our authority through encouraging collaboration with the mayors and legislative delegations to bring some questions to the CNMI Supreme Court or to amend certain ambiguous provisions in the CNMI Constitution through popular or legislative initiative,” says Jim Atalig of Rota, the alliance’s president.
In the past years, Rota and Tinian municipal budget proposals were put together by the mayors in consultation with the municipal councils through a budget hearing held by the councils and once approved, the mayors then submit their proposals to the governor for inclusion in the CNMI annual budget proposal to the Commonwealth Legislature for appropriation.
“Unfortunately, that is no longer the process being followed, and we are at a loss as to why the provisions of the CNMI Constitution is being ignored, even to the point of not being made aware of reprogramming appropriated funds as required by Article VI, Section 7, Subsection (2)” says, Juanita M. Mendiola of Tinian, the alliance vice president.
The officers of the newly established Pacific Alliance of Municipal Councils pose for a photo.
