CBF, CCC money to be used for COVID-19 response

An initial $1 million from the elusive community benefit fund was handed to the Department of Finance to help with the COVID-19 response in the CNMI.

At the House of Representatives Special Committee on Federal Assistance and Disaster Related Funding meeting Wednesday, Finance Secretary David DLG Atalig said that, in addition to the check for the community benefit fund, Finance also tapped $2 million from Commonwealth Casino Commission funds to help in the COVID-19 operations.

“I did pull resources from the Casino Commission. I pulled $2 million from their account, as well as we did get an initial $1 million check from the community benefit fund,” he said. Casino operator Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC endows the community benefit fund.

Atalig clarified, however, that a “stop payment” was put on the check. “I told them that we cannot receive it unless I use it all as a private donor into our funding, so they stopped payment on that check.”

Any community benefit fund requests related to COVID-19 will be funneled through the Office of the Governor, which Gov. Ralph DLG Torres has to approve for use, up to $1 million, to be shared between the three islands—Saipan, Tinian, and Rota—for COVID-19 related expenses.

Atalig also revealed that they put in a request to pay for the two charter flights that earlier brought in personal protective equipment.

“We did put the requests. We did pay for two charter flights payments to bring in these PPEs and equipment, test kits. …The first 20,000 test kits were available but were sitting there, we needed to get back here as soon as we can, so we asked them [IPI] if they can pay for the charter flight. They did. That will count toward the community benefit fund,” he added.

As for the money from CCC, Atalig said that Finance is currently holding the funds, as a reserve, to help ensure that the CNMI is fully covered in its COVID-19 response.

“The monies that I did pull, I did share with the commission that it is to respond to this COVID-19 situation we’re in, and then when the situation calms, and the funds are still available, if I get the reimbursements from [the Federal Emergency Management Agency], then yes, I will return that back. That’s the plan.”