Saipan Mayor Ramon “RB” Camacho gestures as he responds to a question from a reporter on Friday.
SAIPAN Mayor Ramon “RB” Camacho has requested Gov. Arnold I. Palacios to intervene in the mayor’s dispute with the Department of Public Lands regarding quarry materials.
In a two-page letter to Palacios dated Aug. 5, Camacho said he is seeking “immediate assistance in resolving a critical issue between” his office and DPL Secretary Teresita Santos.
“This issue has gone on for over a year now, and it has direct and serious implications for public safety and the well-being of our community on the island of Saipan,” Camacho said.
His office has been relying on the “Temporary Occupancy Agreement” or TOA to secure quarry materials from quarry operators on public land leases.
“These materials are essential for performing much needed road repairs throughout the island,” Camacho said. “Unfortunately, the Secretary of DPL has refused to honor and enforce this agreement, leaving us unable to procure the necessary materials for the benefit of the public,” he added.
According to Camacho, despite the clear language of the TOA, “the DPL secretary instead has once again inexplicably prioritized private business interest over those whom she owes a fiduciary duty to — our people, the owners of public lands! This misguided approach in the administration of our public lands is the direct cause of a lawsuit being filed against me and the Municipality of Saipan, for claiming what is rightfully due to the people under the TOA. Not surprisingly, the court agreed with my office’s interpretation of the TOA and vindicated my long-held position that public lands are to be managed for the benefit of our people first, second to none.”
In May, the Superior Court granted Camacho’s motion to dismiss the civil complaint of Construction & Material Supply Inc., saying that the Office of the Mayor and the Municipality of Saipan are the intended third-party beneficiaries of the public benefit provision.
According to the court ruling, “The TOA allows CNMI government agencies such as [the Mayor of Saipan or] MOS to receive quarry materials without incurring any charges when there is prior written consent from DPL…. Defendants [MOS] did receive DPL’s consent. Defendants as an intended beneficiary complied with the terms of the TOA, and because the TOA is a valid contract, Plaintiff’s Quantum Meruit/Unjust Enrichment claims fail.”
Camacho said the DPL secretary’s refusal “is nothing short of an outright abandonment and gross neglect of the fiduciary duty she owes our people, the real stakeholders of our public lands. This refusal is not just an administrative hurdle, it has real and immediate consequences for the safety of our residents. Our [secondary] roads are in dire need of repair, and without access to quarry materials, we are unable to address these critical infrastructure needs. The current state of our roads poses a significant risk to drivers, pedestrians, and all who use them. The Secretary’s actions, or inactions thereof, is not only reckless but it unnecessarily endangers the public,” the mayor added.
Camacho is proposing to meet with Palacios and Santos “to resolve this impasse once and for all.”
“Our people deserve no less. Your support and leadership are crucial in ensuring that we can continue to maintain and improve the infrastructure of Saipan for the safety, well-being, and benefit of all residents and visitors as well,” Camacho told the governor.
In an interview with reporters on Friday, Camacho said he learned that Santos had “relinquished her fiduciary responsibility for any matters relating to Saipan land transactions.”
She relinquished this responsibility to DPL’s special assistant for administration, David Sablan, Camacho said.
“Why?” he asked. “Ms. Santos is an appointee and relinquishing her fiduciary responsibility, that I could not understand. If she cannot handle the job, she [should] let the governor know. But this [issue] is important, especially with the financial, and economic situation. We have no time to play this game because the lives of the people are my concern,” Camacho said.
Variety was unable to get a comment from the governor or the DPL secretary.
