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Nekai backs out from special MPLA meeting
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Posted on Oct 20 2004
Marianas Public Land Authority board member Nicolas Nekai, in a step that could bring the feud among MPLA board members to an end, withdrew yesterday his support for the special meeting called by himself and two of his colleagues.
“In the interest and spirit of cooperation and in order to restore calm and normalcy to MPLA, I hereby rescind my signature and support for the special meeting on Friday, which was called by the three of us,” Nekai said in a memorandum.
In an interview, Nekai vowed to attend the next meeting that will be called by MPLA chair Ana Demapan-Castro.
Nekai, along with MPLA vice chair Manuel Villagomez and board member Felix Sasamoto, failed to show up at the meeting called by Demapan-Castro last week, apparently due to their concerns about former commissioner Henry Hofschneider’s employment status.
At that meeting, Demapan-Castro was set to introduce Edward Deleon Guerrero to the board as the newly appointed MPLA commissioner and Hofschneider’s replacement.
On Monday, a public notice was published in a local newspaper signed by the three board members, instead of the MPLA chair. The notice, which announced a Friday special meeting called by the three officials, included only two major items on the agenda: the employment status of the former commissioner and MPLA regulations concerning the MPLA chair’s authority to hire and fire employees.
Deleon Guerrero was furnished a copy of Nekai’s memo yesterday in his capacity as “commissioner.”
Despite this, Nekai maintained that the memo aimed not to address the MPLA commissioner issue but to take a step toward promoting harmony within the MPLA board.
“There is no intention to acknowledge whatsoever who the commissioner is,” he said.
For her part, Demapan-Castro said Nekai’s move was “a good sign.” She expressed hope that the two other board members will meet with the rest of the group to voice their concerns.
“I’m asking the cooperation of the full board. Let’s meet and work together to accomplish the mission of MPLA,” she said.
