His predecessor, Juan B. Tudela, attended the ceremony and offered his congratulations.
Flores, in his speech, talked about the community services and programs he promised during his campaign.
The problem of stray dogs, he added, will be the “top priority” of his administration.
“Desired funding may not be readily available, but this is no excuse to just sit and do nothing. There should be no more finger-pointing. The problem is real and it affects all of us,” he said.
He added that he will also seek the help of animal welfare advocates, private citizens and groups that care about the welfare of innocent animals.
Flores said he will pursue the following programs:
• The Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance program. He said he will task the board to ensure that all applications for scholarships are processed. He will also work with lawmakers to identify new sources of revenue to increase SHEFA’s funding level.
• Village representatives. Flores wants each of the villages to name a representative to coordinate their concerns with his office.
• Beautification project. He said communities need to be landscaped, cleaned of litter, junk cars, scrap metals and other unsightly debris that are also health hazards.
• Tourism. Flores said he will seek partnership with private landowners to be involved in promoting the island as a premiere tourist destination.
The new mayor also promised to implement a sports program for children, promote the Chamolinian Village, ensure regular trash disposal in the villages, and maintain bus shelters so that they are always safe and clean.
