“I am heavily saddled with several substantive issues requiring my full attention,” Del Rosario told the chairman of the panel, Sen. Jude U. Hofschneider, R-Tinian, in a letter.
According to Del Rosario, there are “major investors” seeking more information and clarification from the CNMI government regarding investment opportunities here.
Del Rosario said he also has to address issues regarding the Rota Resort and the “dire need” for DPL to fact-track prequalification criteria for residential applicants on Tinian and Saipan.
DPL also has to look into the proposed landfill on Tinian, Del Rosario said.
“These are very pressing issues and I need to take advantage of opportunities to resolve them forthwith,” he added.
A presentation will be conducted by DPL before lawmakers once it is ready, he said.
The Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs scheduled the public hearing to ask DPL to identify the public lands reserved for economic development and those for homesteads to address the growing complaints against the land agency.
Hofschneider asked Del Rosario to discuss village and agriculture homesteads, land compensation on the three main islands, and the commercial land lease of Rota Resort.
“We need to be informed as to the plans of the administration on our public lands,” the senator said. “Every year we have mounting homestead applications that are not been acted upon.”
On Tinian, Hosfchneider said there are at least 500 applications for homestead still pending.
“We really need to press the DPL secretary on these issues because our people are waiting and hoping that they someday be given these homestead lots,” he said.
DPL, he added, seems to be ignoring these applications yet there are a lot of public lands that are being leased for development.
“We need to have a balancing act that will determine the real priority in terms of land distribution,” the senator said. “Why not give out the land to the qualified homestead applicants and in three years if they do not comply…DPL can take it away and that’s the rule.”
Because of the DPL’s inability to appear before the committee, Hofschneider is looking into postponing the hearing for next week.
