Senator wants to realign projects in CIP bill

A crucial legislation setting in motion millions of dollars in capital improvement projects in the Northern Marianas may get derailed in the Senate as members have expressed dismay on the appropriation measure that sets aside funds for certain infrastructure plan of the government.

Senate Vice President Thomas P. Villagomez said he would amend the bill passed by the House of Representatives early this month to transfer funding from various village youth center project into a road improvement project in San Vicente.

“We will need to look into the measure before we pass it in the Senate” he told in an interview.

His statement was in contrast with earlier pledge of Senate Floor leader Pete P. Reyes to rush its passage appropriating close to $23 million for several CIP-funded projects which is seen as potential catalyst to steer the local economy from its deepening crisis.

The bill was passed last February 11 by the House in a move to set in motion the recently drafted CIP master plan that has identified 50 priority projects on Saipan, Rota and Tinian at a cost of $154 million in both federal and commonwealth funds up to year 2002.

Among the first batch of projects to receive funding boost include the new dumpsite in Marpi, a new prison and other improvement plans on existing facilities on the three islands.

But Villagomez said he still needs to inquire into the significance of the road improvement project at Saipan International Airport complex as well as the completion of several village youth centers on the island.

A project in San Vicente, including expansion and paving of Nan Rocha road, has been delayed for the past several years due to lack of funds, according to the senator.

While the amount has yet been established to undertake the plan, Villagomez said it had lapse funds from earlier appropriation totaling to $49,000.

Local legislators are hoping to act quickly on the pending legislation in view of a proposed cut in CIP funding by Washington to the CNMI by next year.

The island government has come under fire in the last three years for failure to set aside funding for CIP as provided in the matching requirement agreement — a move that has prompted White House to slash 51 percent from its grants for the next fiscal year.

CNMI leaders have pinned hopes on the $154 million funds guaranteed in the Covenant to revitalize the economy which is badly hit by the recession in Asia, its main source of tourists and investments.