Of the 29 lawmakers Sablan invited, only Republican Saipan Reps. Joseph M. Palacios and Ray N. Yumul showed up at the multi-purpose center.
This disappointed community members who wanted to ask their CNMI lawmakers questions.
Former Northern Marianas College President Agnes M. McPhetres said: “Where are the others?”
She commended Palacios and Yumul for showing up.
“Why can’t local officials work together to help the NMI people?” she asked.
She said it seems to her that the other elected officials are not interested to hear the concerns of their constituents.
She asked Palacios and Yumul to tell their colleagues to “please stop ignoring the problems of the CNMI.”
“We need local officials to work together,” she said, adding that it bothers her that local officials continue to disregard their own people.
In an interview after the meeting, Palacios said he could not tell why the other House members did not attend the meeting.
“I have no idea,” he added.
Palacios said it was his first time to attend Sablan’s townhall meetings.
He said he wanted to listen to what the congressman had to say and to the concerns of the people themselves.
“My intent really is to see what we can do to work with each other. Perhaps we can share ideas on how to make our lives better here,” Palacios said.
He noted that there were many concerns brought up by members of the public that CNMI lawmakers could have discussed.
“I thank him for inviting me,” he said, referring to Sablan.
Yumul said he came to listen to the concerns of the local people.
Community volunteer Chailang Palacios said the townhall meeting last Wednesday was the best because it was very open and most of the people “really spoke from their heart.”
“I also see that Kilili is very open in educating some of us who are not well-versed especially on some of the issues and laws,” she said.
