Threats issued to get MPLA moving on land payments

Had the Marianas Public Lands Authority board of directors failed yesterday to agree to fix issues preventing prompt land payments, the governor would not leave for China and he would move to abolish the MPLA board altogether.

“It [China trip] depends on whether we resolve it today. We could always re-schedule [the China trip] but this land payment has been long overdue. This must be done now,” said the governor prior to his open teleconference with MPLA board members who were meeting on Rota yesterday afternoon.

At the same time, Babauta said his office was ready to implement “Plan B” had MPLA remained with the status quo of delayed land payments. Plan B refers to the abolition of the board, which has lately been controversial over various issues, including a power struggle among its members.

The governor, however, successfully lobbied the MPLA yesterday “to cure the impasse” on land compensation.

Press secretary Pete Callaghan said that the CNMI delegation will be leaving today for Beijing for the signing of the Approved Destination Status with the Chinese government.

Based on the itinerary, the delegation led by Gov. Juan N. Babauta would stop by Seoul, Korea, today to get their Chinese visas and proceed to Beijing tomorrow.

The ADS signing is scheduled to take place on Dec. 30.

As of yesterday, the following individuals have also confirmed their attendance to the trip: attorney general Pam Brown, governor special consultant Adam Turner, Callaghan, Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Vicki Benavente, MVA board chair David Sablan, Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino chair Michael Kwan, TDHC general manager Tom Liu, Strategic Economic Development Council president Marian Aldan-Pierce, and Century Tours and Travel executive Sonny Tan.

Callaghan said that both Senate President Joaquin Adriano and House Speaker Benigno Fitial were invited but they did not confirm attendance.

House leadership spokesman Charles Reyes said Fitial chose not to join the delegation amid reports that it was not certain whether the ADS would actually be signed this week.

“The Speaker won’t go unless there’s certainty that it would be signed,” said Reyes.

The governor acknowledged that the China ADS signing had been rescheduled for the fourth time already this year.

The land compensation process has been stalled amid questions over the appointment of MPLA commissioner Ed Guerrero, who took over Henry Hofschneider’s post soon after Hofschneider was terminated by MPLA board chair Anna Demapan-Castro. Hofschneider had questioned his termination and the issue is now before the courts.

With the matter still awaiting resolution, Guerrero’s endorsements of the land compensation requisitions were not acceptable to the fund trustee, the Bank of Guam.

During yesterday’s teleconference, the chair assured the governor that MPLA deputy commissioner Frank Eliptico would be tasked as acting commissioner today to sign the requisition documents.

To do this, the board would allow Guerrero to go off-island.

To end the stalemate, the governor urged the board yesterday to issue a public notice to resolve the termination of Hofschneider and ratify the appointment of Guerrero.

As an alternative, the governor also asked the board to publicly appoint Guerrero as acting commissioner or designate the board chair to the position to effect the land compensation without jeopardizing the pending litigation.

The board decided yesterday to make Eliptico the acting commissioner and scheduled a meeting tomorrow morning to formalize the termination of Hofschneider and the appointment of Guerrero.