AS Rota warmly welcomed the Governorâs Council of Economic Advisers with its famous âAlufâ or hand wave, its residents and leaders also welcomed our initiatives and projects, embracing the unified movement to improve the quality of life in the Marianas.
Over the weekend, Rota saw the transformation of its youth center and basketball court, the heart of sports and community activities for residents. Through GCEAâs Public Private Partnership initiative, the two sites located in Sinapalo were cleaned and repainted. The basketball courtâs concrete bleachers and youth centerâs parking lot that were stained were also cleaned and received a fresh coat of paint. To spruce up the facilities, Rep. Joel Camacho and Rep. Angel Demapan, their staff, and family members created a mural on one of the walls of the youth center. The mural features a man playing his ukulele and a woman performing a traditional dance, with Rotaâs famed Wedding Cake Mountain an
DURING the onset of the pandemic, we were fortunate to live on islands with uncrowded and open public spaces. On Saipan, we turned to the Beach Road Pathway, walking and jogging when indoor exercise facilities were closed. Many hopped on their bikes and navigated the road in Marpi for sightseeing and exercise. Some also biked to work to avoid carpooling. These public spaces gave us a sense of normalcy in the midst of the pandemic â something that crowded cities could only wish for in these challenging times.
The Governorâs Council of Economic Advisers or GCEA believes managing these public places, specifically our road infrastructure, will play a critical role in our efforts to keep our islands safe and revive the pandemic-battered economy. The roads will be better lit, and people can safely walk on the sidewalks at any time of the day, boosting Saipanâs walkability score and moving us toward a more sustainable future. Similarly, from a health and wellness perspective
WE canât emphasize enough how the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. and the Governorâs Covid-19 Task Force have done a great job in establishing protocols that allowed the CNMI to manage the pandemic, save lives, and motivate us to work together in getting our economy back up and running.
Our economy relies heavily on tourism. With ongoing uncertainty with this crisis, we must work on a road map for the safe resumption of the critical and only industry in the CNMI.
The Governorâs Council of Economic Advisers or GCEA, through its Tourism Resumption Blueprint, offers a pathway that recognizes the threats associated with increased arrivals into the CNMI and places the safety of its residents and visitors as its foremost priority. The blueprint recommends implementing enhanced safety protocols â Â testing upon arrival, quarantine, and reporting and monitoring of visitors â educating stakeholders about the rapid response for containment, and creating travel bu