DPL published a Notice of Proposed Land Exchange which states that the department wants to acquire “landlocked” private properties measuring 14,321 square meters located in As Falipe, Saipan.
DPL proposes to replace them with several public lands in Marpi and As Matuis which have a combined measurement of 14,286 square meters.
The private properties in As Falipe are owned by Robert and Frances DLG. Naraja, according to the notice.
“The secretary of the Department of Public Lands shall accept written comments, views, arguments or alternative proposals from interested parties, on or before April 1, 2011, at the Department of Public Lands offices located in Saipan, Rota or Tinian,” the notice further stated.
The resident, who asked not to be identified, said Public Law 5-33, which was cited as basis on the proposed land exchange, favors private interest.
She said if the deal is approved other landowners who were not properly compensated for their properties taken for different government projects will ask for the same deal.
“There are very few public lands. They cannot even open a village homestead. There is no land already,” she said.
DPL could not be immediately reached for comments.
The debt-ridden CNMI government estimates it owes private landowners $80 million for properties used by the government for different public projects.
DPL Secretary Oscar M. Babauta earlier said there was no telling when they could be compensated.
