HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’ Gov. Ralph Torres on Thursday told the Rotary Club of Guam that he’s considering granting pardons to those convicted of minor offenses related to marijuana when it was still an illegal substance.
The Rotary Club of Guam invited Torres to speak at their meeting. He appeared via an online platform.
Torres answered a variety of questions from Guam’s Rotarians, from the CNMI’s cannabis industry to the Saipan casino and his take on a movement to make Guam independent from the United States.
“You need safety, you need national security. That is something that cannot be overlooked when time is needed. That is something that the people of Guam and the government should consider,” he said. “I mean, we all have relationships with the U.S., we all have some challenges, but at the end of the day, what is more safer for the people of Guam? That would be a discussion and determination for the people of Guam.”
He shared the CNMI’s unique political relationship with the United States, including having its own CNMI Constitution, and exemption from the Jones Act because of its special covenant with the U.S.
At least during the media’s presence at the Rotary Club of Guam meeting, there was no mention of either Torres’ impending impeachment trial or the criminal charges filed against him by the CNMI Office of the Attorney General.
Torres said the CNMI cannabis industry “continues to grow,” with more commercial licenses and “cannabis lodges.”
The CNMI legalized recreational and medicinal cannabis in 2018, ahead of Guam, which legalized it in April 2019.
“I haven’t pardoned anyone on that specific case or issues, but, honestly, that’s something that we should look into,” Torres said, adding this “should be a discussion to be made.”
This was a day after Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero announced she’s considering pardoning those with past petty marijuana convictions now that cannabis is a legal substance on Guam.
“If a crime or convict is just on cannabis, we have to probably look into the history, and if there’s any other cases or other crimes committed in relation with cannabis. But if it’s only cannabis that they’re convicted for, then I think we should sit down with the judicial branch and really consider either expunging it, pardon or even commuting the sentences,” Torres said.
On the question of whether the CNMI has seen an increase in crime after the legalization of marijuana, Torres said “no, not that I can claim that is direct relation between cannabis.”
Torres said there are “a lot of unfortunate things” that the Saipan casino industry is going through, including its unfinished hotel construction and lack of tourists.
“You guys have seen what economic boom it brought to the CNMI, probably on every business aspect, but, with no tourism, it’s not going anywhere,” he said.
Torres said he hopes the infrastructure buildup in the CNMI continues “whether I get in for the next four years or any other administration.” Torres is seeking reelection this year.
He cited, as an example, the construction of a divert airfield on Tinian, with a cost of about $161 million on the first phase alone.
“To put it in perspective, the population of Tinian is about 2,000,” he said. “They’re looking at the divert airfield and other military projects, they probably need roughly about 3,000 construction workers.”
Ralph DLG Torres
