2 BOE posts up for grabs; Guerrero mulls re-election

Two positions at the CNMI State Board of Education will be up for grabs in this November’s general election.

Both terms of incumbent chair Lucy Blanco-Maratita, of Tinian, and vice chair Herman T. Guerrero, of Saipan, are about to expire this year.

Guerrero confirmed yesterday that he is seriously considering seeking re-election and is in the process of gathering signatures as required by law.

“I am seriously considering it,” he said.

Guerrero has been with the board for two four-year terms. He was elected the board’s chairman in 2000 prior to becoming its vice chair.

Blanco-Maratita, in an e-mail to Saipan Tribune, said she will decide whether to seek re-election after the summer.

Guerrero said he will continue to seek progress for PSS and its students.

Guerrero said that with the coming of stimulus funds for public schools, priority concerns such as building and facility renovations may be addressed.

Because of local budget constraints, PSS operations have been affected for the several years now. Renovations and repairs of dilapidated facilities were suspended and the meager budget has also affected PSS’ ability to hire teachers.

In Fiscal Year 2008, PSS was appropriated only $35 million for all 20 public schools and over 11,000 students. The amount was $2 million less than what it received in FY2007, which amounted to $37.2 million.

In FY2006, about $2 million was also cut from its budget, which resulted in an accumulated shortfall in succeeding years.

The BOE chairwoman earlier disclosed that a portion of the stimulus money may be used to restore classroom teachers’ positions. Currently, PSS has over 500 teachers.

Guerrero said he will support the board’s efforts to revisit and review its policies and regulations—both in procurement and personnel—to determine the feasibility of current policies to the system’s operation.

“We need to look at our regulations and make a review from time to time. We’re not talking about revamping…but fine-tuning [the policies] to make those more effective to our system,” Guerrero said.

The board is a five-member body comprising three from Saipan and one each from Rota and Tinian. Other elected members included Marylou S. Ada and Galvin Deleon Guerrero for Saipan and Rota board member Tanya King.

Deleon Guerrero, who will run for lieutenant governor in November, may take a leave from his board position.