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PSS hopes to avoid courts with payment
The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. has received a written proposal from the Public School System for a “payment plan” to cover and repay utilities costs for the next four or five years.
Herman Guerrero, CNMI State Board of Education chairman, and Education Commissioner Dr. Rita Sablan spoke to the CUC board during the public comments section on Tuesday, commending the utility for its typhoon recovery effort.
The officials gave assurances that with their payment plan they would pay monthly until their million dollar-worth of debt is settled.
Guerrero told Saipan Tribune after the session that they submitted proposal to the CUC board directors for discussion during executive session that was “not for public dissemination.”
He said they submitted a “payment plan” for the next four to five years—a route preferred over a lawsuit pending in the courts.
In July, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho set a bench trial for Jan. 4, 2016, in the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s lawsuit against PSS over unpaid utility bills. The judge also set an Oct. 20, 2015, hearing on the parties’ motions.
CUC appeared through its counsel, Michael White. PSS counsel Tiberius Mocanu did not show up.
In separate lawsuits filed in December 2013, CUC sued PSS and the CNMI government to collect on owed utility bills. CUC argued then that PSS and the CNMI government are indebted to CUC for utility services in the principal sum of $5.94 million and $1.24 million respectively, together with pre-judgment interest.
