Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, second right, gestures as he speaks while Rota Mayor Aubry Hocog, second left, Senate Vice President Donald Manglona, left, and Rep. Julie Marie Ogo listen during a meeting at the Rota Mayor’s Office on Wednesday last week.
GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios took a day trip to Rota last week Wednesday to meet with Rota Mayor Aubry Hocog, the resident department heads and the members of the island’s legislative delegation to discuss community infrastructure projects, among other topics.
Also traveling with Palacios to Rota were Department of Public Lands Secretary Teresita A. Santos, Commonwealth Ports Authority board members and CPA Executive Director Leo B. Tudela.
The CPA officials had separate meetings with Rota leaders regarding seaport issues.
In an interview on Tuesday, the governor said there were many issues confronting Rota now, and “we need to get things done.”
He said they discussed, among other things, the need for public spaces for community projects. He said there are infrastructure projects that are “taking a little bit longer than expected” so he asked DPL Secretary Santos and other DPL officials to meet with the Rota officials.
Hopefully, he said, “we square away what we need to square away and move forward.”
Palacios said he also encouraged the mayor’s cabinet members to “keep up the good work” despite the many challenges confronting the CNMI.
