By Emmanuel T. Erediano
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Variety News Staff
GOVERNOR David M. Apatang, Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds, and other CNMI officials met with federal leaders in Washington, D.C., to convey the Commonwealth’s pressing issues and priorities during a two-day visit.
Apatang and King-Hinds reported on the “fruitful” meetings during a joint press conference Wednesday on Capital Hill.
Joining the governor were members of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers, led by co-chair Joe Guerrero; Saipan Chamber of Commerce President Dr. Joshua Wise, representing the CNMI private sector; Finance Secretary Tracy B. Norita; Special Assistant for Management and Budget Vicky Villagomez; and the Office of the Governor’s Chief of Staff Henry Hofschneider.
Also part of the delegation were retired CNMI Superior Court Associate Judge Wes Bogdan, serving as counsel, and special adviser Jason Osborne.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Governor Apatang thanked King-Hinds for her support, particularly during the Covenant Section 902 consultation. He noted that despite her busy schedule in Washington, she participated in the Interagency Group on Insular Areas meeting to help advance Commonwealth priorities.
The governor described the 902 consultation meetings as successful. He called King-Hinds’ one-on-one meeting with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kriti Noem “very fruitful,” and said he plans to write her a letter of thanks for the opportunity to meet in person.
“I think she [Noem] was very receptive to our issues in the Commonwealth, and hopefully we can see some changes in federal policy,” Apatang told reporters.
He also said that in his meeting with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, he stressed the urgency of revisiting federal policies that affect the livelihood of people in the Commonwealth, especially in the tourism industry.
King-Hinds also expressed gratitude for being part of the discussions.
“I know traditionally that wasn’t how we engaged in 902 talks, but I thought it was incredibly helpful to be part of the conversation and to listen to the CNMI’s priorities,” she said. “At the end of the day, my job as delegate is to take your asks to the federal side and work toward policy changes.”
She thanked “Team CNMI” for coming together to deliver a strong presentation to federal agencies. King-Hinds emphasized that during the 902 consultation and IGIA meeting, it was clear that “we are all asking for the same things, raising the same issues, and prioritizing them with urgency.”
King-Hinds congratulated the governor for assembling a team that successfully communicated the Commonwealth’s needs to the federal government.
She noted that the visit also gave Team CNMI a first-hand understanding of the challenges faced in Washington. “It’s why I’ve always pushed for a united voice, one team, one fight, and one CNMI approach — and that is exactly what Team CNMI did,” she said.
She added that follow-up calls from high-level stakeholders are already underway to explore administrative fixes to the Commonwealth’s requests. “We’ll continue to work on getting the right information,” King-Hinds told the governor.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
