Citing the CNMI Constitution, Demapan in an interview said aside from the power to exercise certain legislative functions, the municipal government can also step into some of the functions of such agencies as the Department of Public Works, the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Labor.
Demapan said that the mayors of Rota and Tinian exercise powers over local matters.
“Why not the Saipan mayor?” he asked.
The former Senate president said the Saipan legislative delegation should focus on CNMI-wide issues and allow the municipal government to take care of local matters.
This, he said, should also apply to some services that DPW, DPS and Labor are supposed to be providing but are having difficulties doing so.
Village revitalization is supposed to be DPW’s job, he added, but this can be accomplished by the mayor’s office.
Working closely with the community in ensuring safety in the villages is the job of DPS that the mayor’s office can also perform, Demapan said.
Helping residents find jobs, which Labor is supposed to be doing, is something the mayor’s office can perform, he said.
The mayor’s office can open an employment center that will help locals find jobs, he added.
