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‘Questionable’ expenditure practices raise concerns
Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero
Senate President Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan) disclosed yesterday that her office has received concerns about questionable expenditure practices that prompted her to ask the Office of the Public Auditor to conduct an audit.
In response to Saipan Tribune’s inquiry about her latest audit request, DeLeon Guerrero said they simply cannot and should not turn away from these public concerns.
“In order to put matters of concern to rest, let’s audit and reveal the findings and/or recommendations to the people,” she said.
Last July 6, the Senate president requested acting public auditor Dora I. DeLeon Guerrero about the use of indirect cost received by the Office of Grants Management. She said a provision of the Commonwealth Code requires the OGM to “promulgate rules and regulations for awarding subgrants.” Yet if subgrants have already been granted without these required regulations, then such grants were issued without any criteria to follow, DeLeon Guerrero said.
She asked OPA to audit this matter as public funds may have been used improperly.
DeLeon Guerrero said yesterday that there is no other motivation in asking for such an audit other than to have transparency and promote accountability.
She said an earlier audit she requested last February was for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Community Disaster Loan funds.
She said both audit requests have been acknowledged by OPA, through her conversation with the acting public auditor.
DeLeon Guerrero noted that the latest U.S. Government Accountability Office report clearly speaks about the urgency for the CNMI to fix its financial issues, from its spending habits to its financial management and system issues.
