TODAY, Nov. 4, is Citizenship Day in the CNMI.
“On this day 35 years ago, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands became full-fledged members of the American family,” Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said.
“Citizenship Day is not only a reminder of our allegiance to the United States as citizens, but also of our strengthened relationship with our federal and military partners,” he added.
“As we enter the month of November, we are [also] reminded of the sacrifices of our veterans and the continued devotion of our soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, coast guardsmen, and reservists. We thank them for their service each and every day.
“We are stronger because of our relationships with key federal agencies who have helped us recover from disasters, rebuild our economy, and overcome this pandemic,” the governor said.
As the CNMI continues on the road to full recovery, Torres said its partnership with federal agencies has protected the local community.
These include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Department of the Interior, its Office of Insular Affairs, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Defense “and countless others.”
“On behalf of a grateful island community, I want to thank our federal and military partners for their relationship as members of the American family,” the governor said. “Citizenship gives us the opportunity to build a stronger Marianas, and I remain committed to this goal as Governor. Happy Citizenship Day, Marianas!” the governor said
On Nov. 3, 1986, over eight years after the NMI became a U.S. Commonwealth, President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation to “welcome the [islands] into the American family and congratulate our new fellow citizens.”
