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Camacho under review as CPA chief
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Posted on Sep 05 2008
The Commonwealth Ports Authority board agreed Friday the financial disclosures of the agency’s new executive director, Efrain Camacho, will undergo a brief review to determine whether engineering and construction work he did under government contracts represents a conflict of interest with the duties of his position.
Camacho, named CPA’s acting director late last month by Gov. Benigno Fitial, will remain in the role at least until Monday, when the agency’s legal counsel is expected to complete the review, board member Benigno Sablan said in the meeting, which was mostly held in a closed-door executive session.
In an interview, Camacho said the work his construction and engineering firm has done for CPA – which includes an ongoing effort to improve the taxiway on Tinian’s airport – is mostly old business.
“What is important for people to know is that I would not have accepted the governor’s appointment if that project was to have seen anything added in terms of money,” Camacho said, noting the Tinian airport project.
Among the key issues Camacho aims to address at CPA, he added, is the agency’s shortage of staff members. A draft report, for example, recently noted CPA lacks a staff attorney, a staff engineer and an airport manager.
CPA, he said, is “undermanned and we don’t know what to do,” adding that “obviously, there are financial constraints” to filling vacancies.
Meanwhile, CPA board chair Joe Lifoifoi said the board’s executive session focused largely on the need to improve the electricity generators at the local airport.
