The sign stating that the National Guard has adopted San Vicente Central Park has been replaced by a garbage container filled with trash.
THE U.S. Army National Guard on Guam has “adopted” San Vicente Central Park as part of a Saipan Mayor’s Office island beautification program, but the Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs, through Special Assistant Daniel Aquino, has asked the National Guard to remove its Adopt-a-Place sign from the park, Variety learned.
Saipan Mayor Ramon RB Camacho expressed his frustration with this “unreasonable and unlawful intervention” in his office’s Adopt-a-Place program.
Camacho believes that Aquino holds a grudge against the new mayor for not renewing the employment contract of Aquino’s wife, Joann, who was the director of field operations of former Mayor and now Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang.
“As the mayor, I see where he is coming from,” Camacho said, referring to Daniel Aquino. “I strongly believe that it is a retaliation because I did not renew the contract of his wife. This is not about the Adopt-a-Place program or about the National Guard, but it is about his personal motive,” Camacho said.
“It is discouraging for him to intervene in the Adopt-a-Place program. He does not know the importance of this program to encourage positive changes in the community through camaraderie between community members, government agencies and the private sector,” Camacho said.
He said he has reached out to the National Guard to help strengthen Saipan’s ties with the military and encourage them to be part of the CNMI community while providing opportunities to local residents interested in a military career.
He said he was informed that Aquino told military officers that everything they do on Saipan has to be coordinated and approved by his office and that includes their participation in the Adopt-a-Place program.
Camacho said Aquino is “pushing the military away” instead of contributing to a positive relationship between the military and the CNMI.
Variety tried to get a comment from Aquino but was told that he was not available.
The Adopt-a-Place program, which is under the Saipan Mayor’s Office, encourages businesses, local and federal government agencies and non-profit groups to be involved in cleaning up and beautifying the island.
