GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios told reporters Thursday that he and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang will create a CNMI team for Section 902 talks with the U.S. government.
“This is something that we must do right,” Palacios said. “We have to look at our most critical issues for subject matter discussion. We are now in the process of selecting the best individuals to represent the Commonwealth in the 902 talks,” he added.
He said the CNMI will make a request for 902 talks in January.
Palacios added that he will also meet with U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan to identify and discuss CNMI issues — such as tourism, CW-1 visas, federal assistance, the Department of Defense posture in the region, among other things — that can be brought up during the 902 consultations.
Recently, the House of Representatives and the Senate adopted Senate Joint Resolution 23-5, which urges Palacios and President Joe Biden to hold Covenant Section 902 consultation talks that will address CNMI immigration, workforce, economic and transportation challenges as well as the U.S. military expansion in the region.
Section 902 of the Covenant, which made the islands part of the U.S., allows the federal and CNMI governments to “consult regularly on all matters affecting the relationship between them.”
In 2016, the U.S. and CNMI held a 902-consultation on two critical issues raised by the Commonwealth: (1) the expiration in 2019 of the CNMI-Only Transitional Worker program; and (2) the proposed military activities in the CNMI.
