Attao: We need to account for every federal dollar

Every federal dollar coming to the CNMI must be accounted for, according to House Speaker Blas Jonathan Attao (R-Saipan).

Attao

In response to the investigation being conducted on COVID-19 overtime payments and contracts by the House Special Committee on Federal Assistance and Disaster Related Funding, Attao noted the significance of looking into all federal funding going to the CNMI.

“We created this Special Committee to look into the federal funds that are coming in, not just for the COVID-19 but also to look at the history of all the federal funds that have been coming in or came in for the CNMI and in the future, should we get any future monies, so we don’t have to repeat anything that we’ve done in the past,” he said.

Attao is referring to “extraordinary payments” made to some government employees during Super Typhoon Yutu, now under investigation by the Office of the Public Auditor, based on a request for review made by the Office of the Attorney General.

“Some say mistakes, some say they’re not mistakes, but we need to account for every dollar that we spend, especially in these tough times that we’re faced economically. We need to make sure that every dollar is stretched to its maximum before we just deplete our accounts,” Attao said.

He added that it is frustrating for them, as members of the Legislature, that specific departments are requesting for overtime payments even as many employees are being furloughed. Further, given that the pandemic not only affects the CNMI but the world, especially the United States, Attao said that “the 50 states will always come first before the territories.”

He also questioned where the CNMI will find the funds, given that its main industry, tourism, is at a standstill. He noted that other states are hurting too, so the CNMI has to be smart with the dollars that it is getting from the federal government, and to be cognizant and protective of every dollar being spent.

“[We have to] have accountability and we have to answer to those monies. One way or another, we’re [going to] have to answer, whether the feds take it away from us, or we’re short, then a local level, we have to pay for it,” he added. “It’s challenging, it’s very unfortunate, but the House Special Committee is really taking all of this stuff seriously.”