Previous Story
MVA may get more funds for promotions
|
Posted on Aug 14 1999
Despite worsening financial woes confronting his administration, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio appears sympathetic to requests by the Marianas Visitors Authority for additional money to fund its promotional activities and other advertising efforts in key tourism markets.
The governor met with MVA officials the other day to discuss the possibility of finding other sources of funds for their immediate needs. But as with other agencies begging for more money, there is no assurance the government will grant its request.
“They just want us to find additional funding for their advertisement. They want to know if there’s available money for them… so that they could promote more,” Tenorio told reporters.
While he did not indicate how much MVA is asking, the local chief executive noted that more than $2 million was set aside by the administration for its advertising and promotional needs under the current fiscal budget.
“Any additional money will be for advertisement and promotions because there is still a need for it,” Tenorio explained.
MVA is expected to lobby for more financial support from the government when it meets with the powerful House Ways and Means Committee next week.
The Office of Management and Budget has imposed a $5.8 million budget ceiling to the agency for FY 2000 — a spending level MVA officials say is not enough to meet its basic responsibility of attracting visitors to the island.
The proposal is $1.1 million lower than the current appropriation, raising concerns from Board Chairman Dave M. Sablan that a further reduction in budget would affect efforts to revive the ailing tourism industry, the backbone of NMI’s economy.
To prevent deficit, MVA has agreed to cut $500,000 from its advertising budget amounting to $2.94 million, defer any pay increases for its employees and implementation of capital improvement projects, and freeze purchase of equipment.
