THE Governor’s Economic Council of Advisers is teaming up with the private sector and government entities — including lawmakers — to give residential villages a much needed facelift.
Community members play basketball at the newly renovated Dandan Children’s Park on Friday evening.
Photo by Rep. Ivan Blanco
In an interview on Thursday, Alex Sablan, Tan Holdings Corp. vice president of corporate business development and a council member, said the 22nd Legislature has joined the Public-Private Partnership or PPP projects that aim to beautify parks and community centers.
Sablan said so far, the PPP has 36 partners overseeing the rehabilitation of 26 sites, a number that keeps growing, he added.
He said Dandan Children’s Park underwent a complete transformation within just a few days, with lawmakers and their staff working to waterblast the court and pavements as well as paint, mend fences, and replace basketball backboards.
The House minority bloc members welcomed community members back to the Dandan park on Friday.
The lawmakers likewise extended their gratitude to those who helped restore the Dandan park: the Tan Siu Lin Foundation, the Office of the Mayor of Saipan, the Department of Corrections, and the Office of the Governor.
The Northern Marianas Sports Association, for its part, donated four perfectly usable basketball backboards that were taken down from the Ada Gymnasium.
From left, the chairman of the governor’s economic council of advisers, Jerry Tan, Rep. Tina Sablan, Rep. John Paul Sablan, and Sen. Edith Deleon Guerrero pose for a photo at the Susupe basketball court and social hall on Saturday.
Photo courtesy of Rep. Tina Sablan
In Susupe, its basketball court and social hall are also undergoing a facelift through the efforts of Tan Holdings president and chief executive officer Jerry Tan, who is also the council of advisers chair, the Tan Siu Lin Foundation, Rep. Tina Sablan, Rep. John Paul Sablan, and Sen. Edith Deleon Guerrero as well as their legislative staffers and other volunteers.
“The more, the merrier,” Rep. Tina Sablan said.
For its part, the Governor’s Economic Council of Advisers is helping lawmakers obtain funding for the paint supplies, among other things needed to renovate the Susupe basketball court and social hall, Alex Sablan said.
“It’s a good collaboration,” he said, adding that the council hopes to launch more community projects on all of three main islands — Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
“We don’t have all of the money in the world, but we have a good pot of money that will help in small increments, and so we’re hopeful that that’s going to help get people involved,” he added.
