Babauta wants ‘concon’ question in ’05 polls

A question asking CNMI voters if they want a new constitutional convention—that may pave the way for amendments and major socio-political changes—will be included in poll ballots in the Nov. 2005 general elections.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta said he would soon issue a proclamation directing the Election Commission to include in next year’s polls the question: “Shall there be a constitutional convention to propose amendments to the Constitution?”

Babauta said he already instructed the Attorney General to draft the proclamation for his signature.

“I shall soon sign the proclamation,” Babauta said, in a Sept. 8 letter to Herman T. Guerrero, a delegate to past constitutional conventions.

“I agree with you that since the Legislature failed to act within the 10-year timeline to direct by joint resolution the placement of the question in the 2001 general election, I will have to issue a proclamation directing the Election Commission to include the question in the November 5, 2005 general election ballot,” the governor said.

Guerrero earlier wrote a letter to Babauta, asking the governor to exercise his authority to act on the inclusion of the question in next year’s polls.

He stressed the constitutional mandate that the question should be submitted to the voters at a regular general election no later than 10 years after the question was last submitted. He added that the Constitution designates the governor to submit the question to the voters if the Legislature fails to do so.

Guerrero said the inclusion of the question would allow provisions of the CNMI Constitution to be “revisited and improved or removed to meet the need of changing times.”

Election Commission executive director Gregorio Sablan said the Babauta administration has been aware of the 10-year timeline even before Guerrero made his request. Babauta also said he, Sablan and the AG met last May 25 to discuss the matter.

“We can expect the question [in the ballots],” Sablan said in a telephone interview yesterday.

A constitutional convention may pave the way to revisit controversial constitutional provisions pertaining to land alienation from those persons who are not of Northern Marianas descent and permanent residency, among others.

Last week, House Rep. Claudio Norita introduced a legislative initiative that seeks to amend the CNMI Constitution to extend the permissible leasehold of private land from 55 years to 75 years.

Norita underscored the need to help investors who have concerns that the current 55-year lease term would not be sufficient to recover their investments. He also said private landowners have also been approaching him, expressing support for extending the maximum permissible lease.