(Office of the Governor) — Gov. Ralph DLG Torres on Tuesday met with U.S. Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Donald M. Remy and other U.S. VA officials to discuss needs and potential resources for veterans in the CNMI. Also present at the meeting were CNMI Veterans Affairs Office Acting Executive Director Ramon Basa and members of the CNMI Veterans Affairs Office. Executive Director Stanley T. Iakopo is off-island on military leave.
Governor Torres thanked the deputy secretary for taking the time to visit the CNMI to discuss the important needs and priorities for CNMI veterans stating. “It is an honor to welcome the honorable Veterans Affairs deputy secretary,” the governor said. “My administration continues in pursuit of our commitment to finding ways to better serve the veterans in our community who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms and have responded to the call of service to our country.”
Deputy Secretary Remy commended and encouraged Governor Torres and the CNMI Veterans Affairs Office’s outreach efforts to hear from veterans at the veterans town hall meetings, which included meetings on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
“We are working to improve our data collection with regard to our CNMI veterans, and to finding solutions to our veterans’ direct needs, especially those pertaining to the increase of quality healthcare access,” the governor said.
“We just broke ground on the Rota Veterans Cemetery, and plans are in the works for the Tinian Veterans Cemetery. We look forward to developing more programs and ways to support our CNMI veterans and their families,” he added.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres with U.S. Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Donald M. Remy at the governor’s office on Tuesday.
