MAYOR Jerome Aldan is urging the Department of Public Lands to implement the agricultural-homestead and free-trade-zone programs for the Northern islands.
Today, Aldan said he is scheduled to meet DPL Secretary Pete A. Tenorio to discuss Public Law 18-16 which includes the Northern Islands in the free trade zone economic diversification policy of the CNMI.
“The law is significant as it is designed to boost economic diversification in the CNMI. P.L. 18-16 articulates the CNMI’s preferred set of economic activities for diversification that are environment-friendly and compatible with tourism and related business, industry, and commercial activities,†he told Variety.
Aldan said he will discuss with Tenorio his mandate as a mayor under the free-trade-zone law.
Asked where the free trade zone will be established on the volcanic island of Pagan, Aldan said it should be be strategically located near a seaport, air strip or another suitable location.
Aldan said the idea of free-trade-zone development was discussed three years ago during the 1st Northern Frontier Summit in 2012 hosted by the Northern Islands mayor’s office.
Two years later, then-Senate Vice President and now Senate President Victor B. Hocog introduced an amendment to the free-trade-zone law that was enacted in 2014.
Since then and during Aldan’s stint as program manager for the mayor’s office, they started the preparatory efforts for the project.
He said they are expecting to be in full gear this year for the program.
“As mayor, I intend to pursue with due diligence and good faith effort the expectations required under the law to get it to work for the benefit of the people of the Northern Islands and the CNMI,†he said.
He said they started pushing the program last year following the enactment of P.L. 18-16.
“And now that I am mayor, I want to get the Northern Islands Frontier Resettlement & Re-Development Investment 2020 moving forward in full force through the free trade zone and related activities during my first year in office and my entire term,†Aldan said.
The economic activities that are envisioned in Public Law 18-16 are those involving high capital investment with negligible impact on the environment, eco-friendly tourism that provides valued and meaningful training and employment opportunities for the Northern Islanders, Aldan said.
The socio-economic development investment priorities of the mayor’s office include specialty crop agriculture, community gardens, flori-culture, cultured fishing, cultured black pearl, shell crafting, environment-friendly and low footprint tourism such as eco-tourism, agri-tourism, hot spring, black sand, sun and wellness, aqua-culture, films and filming, a scientific research laboratory for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fish & Wildlife, the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, flight training, skydiving, a cultural learning institute, study tours and research and summer exploratory camps catering to university students.
Aldan said these plans are being considered by his administration to focus on value-added destinations around eco-tourism and heritage tourism.
At the free trade zone, Aldan said he would like to facilitate any business opportunity while taking into account labor and capitalization requirements.
“Past experience in a proposed business or commercial venture will also be part of the overall evaluation consideration in qualifying interested vendors within the free trade zone,†he said, adding that a letter of intent fron any interested party should include the investor’s forecast of job and wealth creation stemming from the proposed business or commercial activity, and the type of assistance needed from the mayor’s office to facilitate the identified business or commercial venture in the Northern Islands.
In Sept. 2014, Aldan said the visit of Silver Explorer cruise liner to Pagan with around 100 tourists was beneficial for the economic growth of the island.
“We want to continue and expand cruise liner tourism from once a year to four times a year,†he added.
His office, Aldan said, will continue to work with Pacific Development Inc., the Marianas Visitors Authority, and the mayors of Guam.
“I hope to one day see a cruise liner launched out of Guam with stopovers on Rota, Tinian, Saipan and the islands to the north as part of my Frontier Development Investment 2020 plan that is consistent with the intent of Public Law 18-16,†he said.