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Leaders of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) are expressing deep concerns about the costs of hosting citizens from the three Freely Associated States.
CNMI Governor Eloy Inos expressed that while the nation welcomes the 2013 Fiscal Year funding of $1.9 million to offset costs associated with supporting citizens of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, the costs is actually much higher.
He says based on the CNMI’s calculations, the costs of hosting FAS citizens through medical care and other services is about $200 million dollars.
Under the Compact agreements between each of the FAS nations and the United States, FAS citizens are allowed to live and work in the U.S. and its territories without visas.
Guam and the State of Hawaii in the past have argued about the high cost associated with hosting and supporting citizens from these three nations including lack of federal funds to assist these territories and states.
During the recently concluded 19th Micronesian Chief Executive’s Summit in Saipan, Micronesian leaders also discussed the issue of Compact Impact.