Bailout request a ‘pie in the sky’

The Commonwealth’s $140 million bailout request stands little chance of getting approved given the current national fiscal environment, according to a ranking federal official.

Deputy Assistant Interior Secretary David Cohen said Monday that the bad press that the CNMI recently received in the national media did not help either.

“It’s a difficult fiscal environment right now that we’re facing for all domestic programs. We [the U.S. Office of Insular Affairs] are finding ways to help the CNMI on an ongoing basis. But finding a large sum of money in this environment is very difficult,Åh Cohen said.

He also lamented the bad publicity that the Commonwealth, particularly the local garment industry, had suffered recently in the national media.

ÅgThe bad press I’ve seen has been very unfair. The CNMI is continuing to get bad press for things that happened in the last millennium. I think the CNMI should be given a great deal of credit for the progress that’s been made,Åh he said.

ÅgBut even without the bad press, putting together a [budget] package the size that’s been requested poses a very significant challenge. Even with the bad press, the CNMI has strong support in Washington, D.C. but that’s not enough in the current fiscal environment,Åh he added.

Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio reported earlier that the U.S. House Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies had rejected the CNMI’s request for some $66 million for government operations and dump closure.

The CNMI is still waiting for action on the remaining $74 million. This includes:

– $2.3 million for the Kagman Watershed that was submitted to the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies;

– $4 million for the Commonwealth Health Center’s repair and equipment replacement that is now with the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Resources, Education, and Related Agencies;

– $5.6 million for Public School System repair and maintenance, also with Labor, Health and Human Resources, Education, and Related Agencies;

– $17.5 million for the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. fuel assistance, which was submitted to the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies;

– $25.5 million for Tinian Harbor Reconstruction, also with Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies;

– $16.2 million for the Rota Harbor reconfiguration, also with Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies; and

– $2.3 million for the new prison facility operations, which is now with the Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia Prison operations.