SAIPAN and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation Chairman Vinnie Sablan, Vice Chairman John Paul Sablan, Floor Leader Sheila Babauta and the other members expressed appreciation to each other and the people of Saipan, saying “it’s an honor to serve you.”
The 22nd delegation members held their sine die session at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the House chamber to mark the end of their two-year term.
Also present in the session were Sen. Edith Deleon Guerrero, Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, Vice Speaker Blas Jonathan Attao, Reps. Celina Babuta, Joel Camacho, Vincente Camacho, Angel Demapan, Joseph Flores, Richard Lizama, Corina Magofna and Tina Sablan.
Excused were Senate Vice President Justo Quitugua, House Floor Leader Ralph Yumul, Reps. Denita Yangetmai, Joseph Leepan Guerrero, Edwin Propst and Leila Staffler.
Aside from Vinnie Sablan, who is also the outgoing Senate floor leader, the other members who will not return in the 23rd Saipan delegation are Rep. Sheila Babauta and Senate Vice President Quitugua who chose not to seek reelection; Reps. Tina Sablan and Staffler who ran unsuccessfully for governor and lt. governor respectively; Lizama and Leepan Guerrero, who both ran unsuccessfully for Saipan mayor; and Demapan who ran unsuccessfully for Saipan senator.
Those who will serve in the 23rd Saipan delegation are Sen. Edith Deleon Guerrero, Reps. Celina Babauta and Corina Magofna who were elected Saipan senators, Speaker Edmund Villagomez, Vice Speaker Blas Jonathan Attao, House Floor Leader Ralph Yumul, Reps. Joel Camacho, Vicente Camacho, Joseph Flores, Denita Yangetmai and Edwin Propst who were reelected this year.
They will be joined by newly elected House members Vincente “Kobre” Aldan, Vince Diego Camacho, Roman Benavente, Manny Castro, Marissa Flores, Malcolm Omar, Thomas J Manglona, and Angelo A. Camacho.
‘My conscience is clear’
Senate Floor Leader Vinnie Sablan, in his closing statement, thanked all his colleagues for allowing him to serve as their chairman. He also thanked Saipan delegation clerk Joan Kaipat, delegation legal counsel Joe Bradley, senior Sgt.-at-Arms Pete Towai and the rest of the Legislative Bureau staff.
“I want you to know that my conscience is clear, my heart is clear,” he said.
It’s been a great eight years, he added, and it’s a “real honor to serve and sit in the seat that belongs to the people….”
To his colleagues, he said that as elected officials, “there was a lot of expectation of us. We tried to satisfy those expectations through the storms, stresses, pressures, miscommunications and just a whole bunch of emotions.”
But in the end, “we get back to each other and treat each other with respect. And that is really important for our people to know that we can put things aside and continue to work for the betterment of the people. [For that] I want to thank all of you.”
He congratulated all the incoming members. “I wish you luck in your leadership, I wish you luck on the decisions that you will make for our people. I’m sure you will do great work for everybody,” he said.
And to those who are not returning to the Legislature like himself, “I want to thank all of you for your service to our people.”
He said he has been reflecting in the past several weeks. It is important to hold positions as elected leaders, he added, “but it is very important to really acknowledge a lot of important things, too,…like taking care of our family, our health and the things on the home front. Because if we don’t have a healthy home front, we can’t sit here as legislators and really make great decisions for the people.”
Learning experience
Rep. Celina Babauta, in her remarks, thanked everyone in the chamber “for an opportunity to work with you all to serve in this body. It has been a learning experience and I look forward to bringing this experience and growth to the next Saipan delegation.”
Sen. Edith Deleon Guerrero said “it has been a pleasure working with you all and I look forward to working with you again, those who are returning and the newly elected as well.”
For those who will not return, she wished “nothing but the best for you.”
She said she is very hopeful that the incoming 23rd Saipan delegation will make the most difference for the island which is the capital of the CNMI, and the center of its tourism and other economic activities.
She also hopes that the 23rd Saipan delegation will focus on economic initiatives for the Northern Islands.
Rep. John Paul Sablan extended his appreciation to his colleagues for giving him the confidence to be the delegation vice chairman.
He also extended his “utmost appreciation” to Chairman Vinnie Sablan and Floor Leader Sheila Babauta for their leadership.
To the other returning lawmakers, he said he looks forward to working with them in the 23rd Saipan delegation. To those who are not returning, “I wish you all the best of luck,” he added.
Outgoing Rep. Richard Lizama said he is thankful to all his colleagues and his constituents for the past two years of his service to the people as their representative.
He thanked Chairman Vinni Sablan “for the hard work and fairness that you have given us.” He also expressed his appreciation to Floor Leader Sheila Babauta for the assistance she has given him.
Lizama said he will still be “out there serving the people. If you need anything while you’re in the office and need help, you are welcome to call me.”
Vice Speaker Blas Jonathan Attao thanked Chairman Sablan, Floor Leader Babauta, Vice Chairman Sablan and the late vice chairman, Rep. Ivan Blanco “for leading us in this 22nd Saipan delegation.” To the returning members, he said “I look forward to working with each and every one of you guys.”
He also thanked Chairman Vinnie Sablan, Floor Leader Sheila Babauta, Reps. Angel Demapan, Tina Sablan and the other members who won’t be returning to the Legislature. He said his door is open: “I welcome you guys anytime.”
Rep. Sheila Babauta said it has been a pleasure serving as the Saipan delegation floor leader. She said she thinks “we did a lot of good work, we supported a lot of great local projects and we really did that with a unified voice.” For that, she said, “I’m really grateful.”
She congratulated the incoming Saipan delegation members, saying “I hope that you have the clarity and courage to take on the much needed work that we have ahead and I will definitely be back making public comments.”
The Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation consists of Saipan’s three senators and 18 House members.
The 22nd Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation holds its final session Wednesday in the House chamber.
