CNMI, OIA look for ways to settle differences on reimbursement

Local officials are working closely with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Office of Insular Affairs to reach an agreement on the reimbursement of expenditures incurred by the CNMI for sheltering and repatriating more than 600 illegal Chinese immigrants.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio said payment by the federal government in connection with the Tinian operations is “forthcoming,” although he did not indicate when he expects to receive the check.

“There is an understanding now with the OIA because we are working closely with them,” he told reporters yesterday. “They want to help us expedite release of the money. We’d like to see the money sent to us so that we could have at least some of those funding to pay some of our debts.”

Due to some provisions considered unfair by the CNMI, the island government has protested an initial memorandum of agreement drafted by the Immigration and Naturalization Service that would facilitate payment of about $950,000 to settle the federal accounts.

Washington has agreed to look into the concerns of the Commonwealth to resolve the disagreement, which according to OIA officials would delay release of the money.

Tenorio said the other day he would favor deferment in the payment until both parties come up with another deal, noting conditions set forth in the current MOA are restrictive for the local government to utilize the money.

“They understand our concerns but they have other responsibility (to follow) for them to release the money,” explained the governor. “I just want to make sure the money that we will be receiving from this reimbursement could be used for the operations of our government because that was part of our local revenues.”

Expenditures covered by the reimbursement included overtime pay for local personnel stationed on Tinian to assist federal immigration agents and officials, meal provision for the Chinese as well as rental of buses used to transport them to the airport and other charges.

Meanwhile, Tenorio expressed relief that the wave of undocumented aliens attempting to enter Guam seems to have been abated, saying he hopes the CNMI would no longer host these boat people after the repatriation of the latest batch last month.

“We’re fortunate that there is no indication that there are some boats around here. I hope the last would be the last time,” he added.

The Commonwealth, which controls its own immigration, had agreed to assist the White House in accommodating the wave of boat people attempting to enter Guam in an effort to deal with the worsening immigration crisis on the neighboring island.