First of its Kind: The Mid-Year Interagency Group on Insular Areas Convenes
Everyone has the right to raise concerns, and public officials have the responsibility to make their communities’ challenges known. But the real test is the next step — what are we going to do about them, and how are we going to work together to find solutions. That is what made this week’s Mid-Year Senior Plenary Session of the Interagency Group on Insular Areas (IGIA), the first of its kind, so important. Hosted by the Department of the Interior, this meeting brought together territorial governors and delegates to build on the February plenary and move the ball forward on the many issues we face. In my remarks, I celebrated the leaders who came together and shared my thoughts on ensuring the IGIA working groups succeed — by recognizing the urgency of our challenges and being clear about where the federal government wants its territories to go. Governor Apatang and the CNMI team made a strong showing, and with their involvement, I am confident the IGIA can become a meaningful tool for the Marianas.