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Govt mulls cutting work hours
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Posted on Feb 17 2006
The Fitial administration is leaving no corner uncut in its drive to reduce government spending.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial disclosed in his weekly press conference yesterday a plan to decrease the work hours of government employees, particularly administrative and non-essential workers.
As in other government cost-cutting measures, the proposal would not affect essential services such as the Department of Public Health, Department of Public Safety, Department of Corrections, Commonwealth Utilities Corp., and the Public School System.
Fitial said the plan would be discussed in the next Cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday. It could be implemented next week.
The administration has revised the CNMI government’s revenue projection for fiscal year 2005, from $213 million to $198.5 million.
In view of this, the Fitial government has implemented austerity measures, freezing all travel and hiring, controlling government purchases and vehicle and office space leases.
Government-paid mobile phones were banned and all agencies were instructed to use a centralized telephone system and to reduce or cancel extra phone features.
In related news, Fitial reiterated yesterday that he would have to miss the National Governors Association meeting and the U.S. Senate Energy Committee’ hearing on the economic state of the U.S. insular areas because of lack of funding for travel.
“My travel budget for the second quarter [of the fiscal year] is zero,” Fitial said.
The Governors Association will have its four-day winter meeting beginning Feb. 25, 2006 in Washington, D.C.
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will hold a hearing on the state of the U.S. territories’ economies on March 1 and 2.
Washington Rep. Pedro A. Tenorio had said the hearing would be “an excellent opportunity” to provide information on situation of the local garment and tourism industries, as well as other issues such as the tax cover over and the price of power generation fuel.
Fitial has asked Tenorio to represent the CNMI in the hearing.
