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Torres approves $50K for FestPac, $50K for SNILD operations
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres signed Friday a local bill to appropriate $220,000 from pachinko slot and poker machines license fees to, among others, provide $50,000 for CNMI participants performing in this month’s Festival of the Pacific Arts, among other community and cultural activities.
Saipan Local Law 19-13, formerly House Local Bill 19-58, appropriates “unobligated funds” from an earlier local bill that had been approved earlier this year minus a series of appropriations questioned and vetoed by the governor.
That earlier bill, House local bill 19-37, also tried to appropriate money for FestPac, but Torres said it was “unclear” “what public purpose” would be served to appropriate $50,000 for the Saipan and Northern Islands Delegation’s participation in the festival.
Besides the funding for FestPac participants, the new local law also appropriates $50,000 to the SNILD delegation “operations.” Expenditure authority belongs to the SNILD chairman.
The local law also provides $50,000 for the members of the CNMI Farmer’s Cooperative Association and Saipan Sabalu Farmer’s Market Inc. “who suffered crop loss due to Typhoon Soudelor.”
Some $20,000 is also appropriated for the 2016 Liberation Day Activities
Another $10,000, among others appropriations, was earmarked for athletics and agricultural events. It is also appropriated “for the Silver Discover Cruise Liner visit” and the “Konferencia Dinana Islas Marianas” on Pagan in June 2016. Funds are under the expenditure of the mayor of the Northern Islands.
