THE local Republican Party has accepted Gov. Benigno R. Fitials application to become a member.
œI feel excellent. Now, I can be a proud Republican governor, Fitial said, reiterating that he has always been a member of the national GOP and annually pays his dues.
The governor on Friday met behind closed doors with lawmakers at the Saipan World Resort to discuss the governments worsening financial situation and ways to address it. The meeting started at past 11 a.m. and finished before 5 p.m. No one among them clarified why they had to spend public funds on a meeting to discuss the governments lack of money.
Fitial, who was the only one willing to be interviewed by the media after the meeting, said the ruling Covenant Party, which he founded, will remain in existence.
Republican lawmakers are opposed to a merger of the parties, but Fitial said he will encourage other Covenant Party members to join the GOP anyway.
œNothing will change in the Covenant Party until we get everybody together, he added.
The party will elect its new officers next month and will choose its next course of action, he added.
Variety learned that Fitials cabinet members will submit their own letters of intent to join the GOP during a gathering at his residence scheduled at 6 p.m. Friday night. Fitial said his cabinet members organized the get-together.
In a separate interview before the governors summit with lawmakers, NMI Republican Party Chairman Juan I. Tenorio said they held a meeting on Wednesday to form an executive committee.
The GOP board then adopted a resolution that gives the executive committee full responsibility regarding party membership.
Fitial submitted his letter of intent to join the GOP on the same day.
œAfter years of public service to our people and community with most of these years as a loyal member and leader of the NMI Republican Party, I hereby submit this letter of intention to once again join the political party I helped organized. I am a Republican and I will faithfully and vigorously support the principles of the Republican Party and abide by its rules, Fitial said in his letter.
Tenorio said the GOP by-laws do not œdiscriminate, adding that it is the partys job to bring in new members.
According to Tenorio, the partys executive committee has to start discussing the membership issue in preparation for the 2012 delegate and midterm elections.
œSo as chairman of this party, it is my job to make this committee early so we can have two years to strengthen the party and ensure that the partys next candidate for delegate will win in 2012, he added.
Tenorio said Fitials rejoining the party does not make the governor the GOPs titular head.
œI remain the head of the party, elected at-large, Tenorio added.
The governor will be just another party member, he said.
John œLiling Reyes, who was elected chairman of the executive committee, said œthey voted to have the governor re-admitted to the party.
He said the GOP leadership, through the executive committee, can choose on this matter. The party by-laws, he added, do not require a general assembly meeting when accepting new members.
According to Reyes, the governor has œclout in the national GOP and it is vital that Fitial returns to the local party so he can bring up CNMI concerns to the new Republican leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Tenorio and Reyes, who are former Democrats, served in the cabinet of then-Gov. Juan N. Babauta, the GOPs losing delegate candidate who supported Fitial in the 2009 elections.
Covenant Party Rep. Raymond D. Palacios of Saipan said even without the governor as head of their party, the Covenant bloc in the House will remain intact " at least until the 2012 midterm elections.
He expects his partymates seeking reelection to join either the GOP or the Democratic Party or run as independent candidates.
But the huge question right now, Palacios said, is: œWho is willing to run the Covenant Party?
Speaker Froilan C. Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan, earlier said he would not follow the governor in joining the GOP. Tenorio, a former Democrat, did not attend the governors summit with lawmakers on Friday.
Vice Speaker Felicidad T. Ogumoro of Saipan said she will remain a Covenant Party member until the party gets together and choose what to do.
œRight now, my work is to turn things around for the CNMI. I chose to run under the Covenant Party and I will continue to work closely with the governor, said Ogumoro who is also a former Democrat.
Founded by Fitial, a former GOP chairman, in 2001, the Covenant Party eventually replaced the Democratic Party as one of the CNMIs two major political groups.
Article source: http://www.mvariety.com/2011010733262/local-news/breaking-news-fitial-republican-again.php
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Halo Sobat, Nama Saya Sofyan Syah, Memulai Dunia Blogging Sejak Nov 2011, Meskipun Masih Baru terjun di Dunia Blogging, Saya tidak patah semangat Untuk menjadi Yang terbaik dari yang Terbaik, karena saya yakin, Tidak ada hal yang tidak Mungkin.Buat saya Blogging Is My Life.Senang rasanya jika sobat sudah Berkunjung di blog ini.
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