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Plan for family care office quashed
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Posted on Feb 23 1999
Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has tasked Department of Community and Cultural Affairs and the Office of Women’s Affairs to implement family care activities after he disapproved a proposal seeking to create an office that will develop the first family child care plan in the commonwealth due to lack of funds.
According to the governor, CNMI’s shrinking cash resources is preventing him from establishing the Family Child Care Council, which under the proposed measure will design a program for adequate care and protection of children.
Tenorio told the Legislature “creating and funding a new Council to develop and oversee a Family Child Care Plan is not a realistic solution at this time when the Government is under a financial crisis.”
He said either DCCA and the women’s affairs office can handle the task of promulgating a child care plan, drawing up family care activities and accepting federal grants for such programs.
Creating a new office would only duplicate existing services or functions of the Public School System and the cultural and community affairs department which are involved with family care issues, Tenorio explained.
DCCA is in charge of inspecting and licensing day care centers, including in-home providers, while PSS accepts and disburses federal grants for the child care subsidy program.
The proposed measure, introduced by Senate President Paul A. Manglona, says there is a need to put together a family child care plan to unburden parents of the choice of either giving up jobs or taking care of their children.
Under the proposal, a five-man council, whose members will be appointed by the governor, will draft a plan for protection and care of children. Initial funding for the council is supposed to come from the Office of the Governor.
