Senate OKs CIP bill •Bill revision increases Rota, Tinian share of CIP funds

As expected, the Senate yesterday overhauled a legislation appropriating close to $23 million in capital improvement project funds to increase allocation to Rota and Tinian as well as to fast-track a new prison on the heels of the hostage incident by inmates at the existing facility.

Senators voted unanimously on the revised measure following an agreement to alter the plan passed nearly a month ago by the House of Representatives. It heads back to the lower chamber to vote on the amendment.

They also agreed to waive local procurement regulations to allow a sole-source contract for the proposed new prison in a bid to hasten construction of the $10 million project.

Legislators have underscored its urgency in the wake of the series of jailbreaks in the past few months and the 14-hour siege at the main detention center last Tuesday which was blamed on the inhumane conditions in the existing facility.

Under the Senate draft of House Bill 11-380, Rota receives a 87 percent raise from its share of the CIP funds from $1.81 million to $3.4 million — an increase of about $1.59 million.

The funding boost will finance improvement of the Rota Airport runaway, expansion of the health center and road projects in Songsong and Sinapalo.

Tinian likewise gets a 65 percent increase from its initial share, amounting to $1.34 million which has been added on top of the $2.06 million set aside under the House measure.

This money will fund expansion plan for the Tinian West Airport, instead of the construction of new fire and police stations on the island.

To meet the funding requirement, allocations to the new dumpsite in Marpi equivalent to $3.8 million, $740,000 from the road improvement at Saipan airport and the $1.01 million village youth centers on Saipan were taken out.

However, proposed improvement of the Nan Ocha and Kanat Tabla roads as well as new classrooms for Oleai and Garapan Elementary Schools were added for Saipan which receives a total of $16.12 million in CIP funding.

Among those retained are the sewage project in Chinatown at $1.72 million, completion of the Marianas High School gym at $1.8 million and the improvement of the existing correctional facilities at $1.14 million as well as phase I of the new prison at $8.84 million.

While the bill identifies the source of local funds to match the federal grants, such as taxes, poker fees, land lease payments and bond interests and loan repayment, it provides that any shortfall in the CIP will be shouldered by the three senatorial districts.

The passage of the urgent bill comes amid efforts of the CNMI government to spur the local economy which has been reeling from the prolonged economic recession in Asia, its main tourism market.

It represents the first batch of projects to be funded under the recently drafted CIP master plan which will use federal funds amounting to $77 million and an equivalent local matching to reach a total of $154 million in massive infrastructure development for the next three years.

Island leaders have pinned hopes on CIP funds guaranteed in the Covenant to revitalize the economy, but the White House has proposed a 51 percent cut in its $11 million yearly assistance due to CNMI failure to meet the matching requirement.