Among those who have accepted invitations to the historic occasion are the leaders of the executive and judiciary branches of the commonwealth government: Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and Chief Justice Miguel S. Demapan. Fitial will bring his wife, Josie.
Sablan invited both Senate President Pete P. Reyes and Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, but neither will be able to be present.
U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Ca., will preside over the ceremonial event in the Rayburn Room just off the main floor of the nation’s House of Representatives.
Sablan has also invited a number of men, who have been instrumental in developing the political relationship between the United States and the Northern Marianas.
Edward DLG. Pangelinan was the chairman of the Marianas Political Status Commission, which negotiated the Covenant of Political Union during the mid-1970s. Pangelinan also served as the first resident representative to the United States, a position that will cease to exist when Sablan becomes a member of the U.S. Congress.
Pedro A. Tenorio, who as the current resident representative, was directly involved in the passage last year of U.S. Public Law 110-229 — the law creating the new Northern Marianas Delegate position — is another of the important CNMI leaders who will be present.
Tenorio has a long and distinguished career in elected office, including service on the Marianas Political Status Commission and as a two-term lt. governor.
Howard P. Willens, who provided legal services to the commission during its negotiations with the U.S. and is co-author of several books chronicling the creation of the commonwealth, has also accepted an invitation to the event.
“It is an honor to be representing the people of the Northern Marianas on this historic day,” Sablan said. “And I am particularly thankful that so many of the CNMI’s leaders have chosen to recognize the importance of this day by traveling to Washington to be present.”
Family and friends will accompany Sablan for his swearing, as well. Wife Andrea, son Jesse and daughter Patricia are all traveling to be with Sablan when he takes his oath office.
Sablan has also invited his dear friend and niece Merced Aldan-Ada to be present and his uncle Joe Borja.
James D. Livingstone, a former assistant attorney general in the Northern Marianas, who served as counsel to the Commonwealth Election Commission while Sablan was its executive director and who is now a prosecuting attorney with the state of Massachusetts, is another of Sablan’s friends who will be on hand.
NMI Bible
Sablan will use a Bible brought from the Northern Marianas for his ceremonial swearing in.
The Bible was provided by Chalan Kanoa Bishop Tomas A. Camacho, who also blessed the Holy Book.
“By taking my oath on this Holy Book I feel that I am bringing to Congress the prayers and hopes of the people of the Northern Marianas for an improved relationship between the Northern Marianas and the rest of the United States,” Sablan said.
In addition to the prayers embodied in the Bible, Sablan asked for the “continued prayers of the people of the Northern Marianas.”
“We are embarking on a new level of participation in our national government, one that should open to us more of the benefits of our permanent relationship with the United States,” he said.
Sablan’s wife Andrea will carry the Bible back to the Northern Marianas.
“It will be returned to the Diocese Curia for safekeeping,” Sablan said, “and with the hope that this Bible will be used for the same purpose by future citizens elected to serve the people of the Northern Mariana Islands in the U.S. Congress.”
