(Office of the CNMI Governor) — The initial round of consultations pursuant to Section 902 of the Covenant between the CNMI and the U.S. government concluded last week on Saipan, as delegations led by Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Special Representative of the U.S. President and Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor discussed a course toward expanded financial sustainability, and accordingly, higher standards of living for CNMI residents.
According to Governor Palacios, the aim of the 902 consultations, which he requested in his letter to President Joseph Biden on April 26, 2024, is to focus on three priority areas: 1) financial assistance initiatives that are discussed in Article 7 of the Covenant; 2) tourism and transportation issues; and, 3) access to skilled labor.
However, because of the time limitations, the delegations from the U.S. and the CNMI agreed to focus their discussions on the first topic for the initial consultation meetings.
Governor Palacios led the CNMI delegation, which included the following presenters:
• Michael Sablan, former CNMI public auditor and business representative
• Matthew Deleon Guerrero, economist, Northern Marianas College
• Wesley Bogdan, retired CNMI Superior Court Judge
• Edmund Villagomez, speaker of the CNMI House of Representatives
• Edith Deleon Guerrero, president of the CNMI Senate
• Donald Manglona, CNMI senator from Rota
• Phillip Mendiola-Long, Tinian Chamber of Commerce and Tinian representative
• Matthew Adams, legal counsel
Other technical advisors on the CNMI team include:
• Tracy Norita, secretary, CNMI Department of Finance
• Leila Staffler, secretary, CNMI Department of Labor
• Frankie Eliptico, vice president for administration and advancement, Northern Marianas College
• Tina Sablan, senior policy advisor, Office of the Governor
• Elizabeth Balajadia, Capital Improvement Project director
• Virginia Villagomez, Office of Management and Budget director
• Marie Coleman, Commonwealth Economic Development Authority
Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor, who was appointed by President Biden as his special representative for the 902 consultations, led the U.S. delegation, which includes:
• Timothy Murphy, senior counselor, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior;
• Basil Ottley, associate director, policy division, Office of Insular Affairs;
• Jonathan Dunn, associate director, budget division, Office of Insular Affairs;
• Abdiel Razo, policy associate and special assistant to the assistant secretary – insular and international affairs, Office of Insular Affairs; and
• Harry Blanco, field representative, Office of Insular Affairs
Rear Adm. Gregory Huffman, commander, Joint Task Force Micronesia, also participated as an observer in the consultation meeting.
“The discussions last week were open, candid, and productive,” said Governor Palacios. “I’m grateful to Assistant Secretary Cantor for her willingness to focus our discussions on the urgent items that are directly aligned with the provisions of the Covenant aimed at achieving ‘a progressively higher standard of living’ for the people of the CNMI.”
“We’re also thankful that the first consultation meeting was held in the CNMI so that the U.S. federal team will be able to see firsthand some of the challenges and opportunities here,” Governor Palacios added.
“It’s important to note that the 902 discussions did not end last week,” he added. “Our dialogue will continue over the next few days and weeks as we work toward objectives and agreements that will mutually benefit both the CNMI and the federal government.”
The Covenant outlines the rights, obligations, and relationship between the CNMI and the United States and established the CNMI as a self-governing Commonwealth of the United States. The agreement granted U.S. citizenship and applied certain federal laws with specific exemptions. Section 902 of the Covenant, which was approved by the United States Congress and subsequently by President Gerald Ford as U.S. Public Law 94-241, states that:
“The Government of the United States and the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands will consult regularly on all matters affecting the relationship between them…the President of the United States and the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands will designate special representatives to meet and to consider in good faith such issues affecting the relationship between the Northern Mariana Islands and the United States… Special representatives will be appointed in any event to consider and to make recommendations regarding future multi-year financial assistance to the Northern Mariana Islands pursuant to Section 701, to meet at least one year prior to the expiration of every period of such financial assistance.”
