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House gives DPW extension on hemodialysis probe
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Posted on Dec 25 2004
In the spirit of Christmas, a ranking House official said he has given the Department of Public Works two more weeks to submit documents relating to a probe being done on the hemodialysis project in the wake of allegations of funding mismanagement.
“Since it’s Christmas…we’re allowing DPW to submit it after the holiday,” said Vice Speaker Timothy Villagomez, who chairs a special committee looking into the alleged funding mess in the construction project.
Villagomez said DPW Secretary John Reyes personally assured him that the requested documents would be submitted as soon as possible.
Villagomez earlier warned that the House may use its subpoena powers to compel DPW to submit the documents relating to the controversial hemodialysis project on Saipan.
He said that his panel sent a notice to DPW in November requesting that it submit all the necessary information within 15 days or about Dec. 3. That deadline was not met.
“I don’t understand why the documents should not be made available,” the lawmaker earlier said.
Villagomez’s panel is asking Reyes to submit all documents, contracts, correspondences, purchase orders, change orders, and any other information relating to the project.
Meantime, he said his panel would share information with the Senate, which also moved to conduct an investigation on the issue.
The probe arose after DPW and the Department of Public Health asked for more money to complete the project, despite being already allotted more than $11 million.
Through the Executive Branch, both departments pushed for over $5 million in additional funding by reprogramming funds from other infrastructure projects. The Legislature eventually reprogrammed $5.8 million from the pending $10-million Kagman wastewater project to ensure the completion of the hemodialysis center. The reprogramming bill was signed into law.
Both DPW and DPH said the hemodialysis project’s original funding of over $11 million had been depleted due to several change orders allegedly stemming from faulty design work. So far, the project is said to be about 40 percent complete.
