Post 300: Ohhh-Taking!

The Saipan Tribune summarized the event yesterday with regard to the oath taking of the newly elected and reelected lawmakers in the CNMI. Under the paper's Reporter's Notebook it summarizes the glitz, the glam and the bits and pieces of what had occurred that day. Below are my favorites...

-Both Speaker Arnold Palacios and Vice Speaker Joseph Deleon Guerrero came to the oath-taking ceremony with a cold. A visibly sick Deleon Guerrero, who spoke briefly during session, said he “decided to forego the traditional lengthy speech” because of his cold.

-Pledging openness to suggestions and criticisms, Rep. Tina Sablan announced her contact details in her speech. Her mobile phone number is 483-3935. Her email address is tinasablan@gmail.com.

-Rep. Heinz Hofschneider spoke the longest during session. He took the floor for 18 minutes, speaking first in Chamorro and then in English. His speech focused on immigration federalization.

-At the closing of the special session, new Floor Leader Joseph James Norita Camacho said he wants it on the record that all 20 members of the House recognized their respective spouse in their remarks.

-New Senate President Pete Reyes apologized to family and friends of the re-elected senators of the 16th Legislature as well as the 50-60 crowd in attendance for the absence of the inauguration lunch. The lunch usually follows the swearing of new members of the Senate. He said the budget constraints prevented them from holding the traditional event.

-Not one, not two, but three House members had to request another chance on the floor, as they forgot to thank their wives sitting behind them. They were Reps. Victor Hocog, Heinz Hofschneider, and David Apatang. Their defense: they were too eager to get down to business.

The writers said their wives were just behind them and due to their dose of ecstasy they forgot to thank them....

The Reveler