Turnout at the White House Public Workshop was unbelievable. We had someone stationed out front to count people as they came in and he counted 360. The feds' number is higher. They are saying that 400+ people showed up. In my best estimation, 2/3 to 3/4 of the people were wearing orange t-shirts. Cinta said she thinks about 90% of the people there were supporters. I'd call that an overwhelming showing of local support.
Once the meeting started, James Connaughton, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chairman (he is one of twelve advisors to the President of the United States), gave a short talk on the Presidential Memo that directed Interior, Commerce, Defense and CEQ to do an assessment of potential increased protections for marine areas in the Pacific. He told everyone that he was on Saipan to gather opinions and comments on any increased protections for the Marianas. He wasn't here to deliver a proposal, he was looking to gather data to be used in drawing together a proposal.
Just a side note: That match up pitted Friends of the Monument Cinta Kaipat, Chuck Sayon and Agnes McPhetres against DFW Director Sylvan Igisomar. Sylvan never had a chance.
And we're back.
I joined a group that had five of the protestors. They were carrying signs not in support of the monument. After I sat down I was joined by Chailang Palacios, Herman Villagomez, Ed Propst, Daisy Propst, Ayako Matsumoto, Alexie Zotomayor, Emelaine Fejeran, Ike Cabrera and a few of my cousin Cindy's boys. We were joined by Jim Davies and PacificaDave, the longliner "consultant" who has been leaving nasty comments on the blogs (he is in the brown shirt, second from the right, in the first photo above).
I'm not convinced that Jim is really against the monument. He seems to want what the monument supporters want, increased education and such, but doesn't seem to like the monument process. Dave, on the other hand, is dead set against a monument. He wants a National Marine Sanctuary.
Even so, our supporters just plugged away with our comments. We want educational opportunities. We want comanagement. We want a visitors center. I'd go on with all of our comments, but it is just easier for you to read the Friends of the Monument vision statement.
The whole process was very democratic and reminded me of the island way of resolving disagreement. The only thing missing was food. The detractors can say what they want to say, but everyone, meaning all 400 people in that room, had the opportunity to say what they wanted to say and to have it read into the record. Not only were there notetakers at each of the 11 groups, but there were also roving comment takers. There were also separate Carolinian and Chamorro translators, so no one was left out.
John Gourley was visibly frustrated with the outcome. When he saw the number of people in orange shirts, his final act of desperation was to hang his little banners on every wall. You can see them in a lot of the pictures.
I have to say thank you to the literally hundreds of people that came out in support of the monument. The showing at the meeting, along with the now 5600 signatures on the Friends of the Monument petition, 500 letters from public school students and 50 letters from businesses, organizations and associations, shows that there is overwhelming support for the monument in the CNMI.
Thank you.
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| From The Saipan Blog - Saipan's most popular blog since ever since |
Once the meeting started, James Connaughton, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chairman (he is one of twelve advisors to the President of the United States), gave a short talk on the Presidential Memo that directed Interior, Commerce, Defense and CEQ to do an assessment of potential increased protections for marine areas in the Pacific. He told everyone that he was on Saipan to gather opinions and comments on any increased protections for the Marianas. He wasn't here to deliver a proposal, he was looking to gather data to be used in drawing together a proposal.
 |
| From The Saipan Blog - Saipan's most popular blog since ever since |
Just a side note: That match up pitted Friends of the Monument Cinta Kaipat, Chuck Sayon and Agnes McPhetres against DFW Director Sylvan Igisomar. Sylvan never had a chance.
And we're back.
I joined a group that had five of the protestors. They were carrying signs not in support of the monument. After I sat down I was joined by Chailang Palacios, Herman Villagomez, Ed Propst, Daisy Propst, Ayako Matsumoto, Alexie Zotomayor, Emelaine Fejeran, Ike Cabrera and a few of my cousin Cindy's boys. We were joined by Jim Davies and PacificaDave, the longliner "consultant" who has been leaving nasty comments on the blogs (he is in the brown shirt, second from the right, in the first photo above).
I'm not convinced that Jim is really against the monument. He seems to want what the monument supporters want, increased education and such, but doesn't seem to like the monument process. Dave, on the other hand, is dead set against a monument. He wants a National Marine Sanctuary.
Even so, our supporters just plugged away with our comments. We want educational opportunities. We want comanagement. We want a visitors center. I'd go on with all of our comments, but it is just easier for you to read the Friends of the Monument vision statement.
The whole process was very democratic and reminded me of the island way of resolving disagreement. The only thing missing was food. The detractors can say what they want to say, but everyone, meaning all 400 people in that room, had the opportunity to say what they wanted to say and to have it read into the record. Not only were there notetakers at each of the 11 groups, but there were also roving comment takers. There were also separate Carolinian and Chamorro translators, so no one was left out.
John Gourley was visibly frustrated with the outcome. When he saw the number of people in orange shirts, his final act of desperation was to hang his little banners on every wall. You can see them in a lot of the pictures.
I have to say thank you to the literally hundreds of people that came out in support of the monument. The showing at the meeting, along with the now 5600 signatures on the Friends of the Monument petition, 500 letters from public school students and 50 letters from businesses, organizations and associations, shows that there is overwhelming support for the monument in the CNMI.
Thank you.