GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios said he will officially submit to the White House this week the names of the CNMI’s 902 panel members.
“Mike Sablan [Triple J vice president] will be my 902 talks lead person,” Palacios told reporters in an interview Friday morning. “Former Superior Court Associate Judge Wesley Bogdan … for my technical team, Christina Sablan [the governor’s special assistant for climate policy and planning], Glen Hunter [special assistant for the CNMI Broadband Policy and Development Office], Frankie Eliptico [NMC vice president], and from Tinian, businessman Philip Mendiola-Long.”
Palacios added, “I will also have representatives from Rota and the Legislature.”
Earlier, the governor said he named Senate President Edith Deleon Guerrero to the NMI 902 panel.
Last month, President Joe Biden designated Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor as his special representative for the Covenant Section 902 consultations with the CNMI government.
In April, Palacios officially informed the president that the CNMI was initiating 902 consultations focused on direct financial assistance under Section 702 of the Covenant, tourism and transportation infrastructure, and access to skilled labor.
“We are moving along regarding the 902 talks,” Palacios said on Friday. “We received communication [from Interior] the other day [so] we are identifying the dates [for the 902 talks]. I just got to officially submit the [NMI’s] 902 panel names and today she [Cantor] will be sending the names on her team,” the governor added.
“Basically, the 902 talks will be [on] specific subject areas — this is my focus. We don’t want to be all over the place. I will present the CNMI’s position, and I will ask them to give their perspectives and input,” Palacios said.
According to Section 902 of the Covenant, the CNMI and U.S. governments can designate special representatives to meet and consider in good faith issues affecting the relationship between the two governments, and to issue a report and recommendations.
