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Gov’t officials ignore House hearing
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Posted on Sep 15 2000
For the second time, some government officials ignored yesterday an invitation to testify at a hearing called by the House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications on a bill that will regulate boat traffic within Saipan’s western lagoon.
The snub prompted House Floor Leader Oscar M. Babauta to issue a stern warning that lawmakers may invoke its power to subpoena officials to appear during legislative inquiries.
“We can’t move on if one branch of our government is uncooperative,” he told the hearing. “To ignore legislative process is tantamount to ignoring entire laws of the CNMI, even our Constitution.”
The hearing tackled HB 12-250 which is seeking to designate Outer Cove Marina and Smiling Cove as points for embarkation, docking and mooring for all commercial passenger vessels on Saipan.
PUTC conducted two days of hearing last week attended by boat owners and tour operators, but members were disappointed when government officials did not attend the second day when their presence was important to respond to their questions.
During yesterday’s hearing, Public Safety Commissioner Charles W. Ingram, Public Lands Director Bertha C. Leon Guerrero and Eugene Santos from lands and natural resources departments were present.
The committee had wanted officials from Commonwealth Ports Authority, DLNR, the Division of Public Lands and Coastal Resources Management to appear in the hearing.
PUTC chair Rep. Rosiky F. Camacho hit their absence last week, noting their inputs were necessary as part of its review of the bill.
The committee is expected to hammer out a proposal addressing concerns of both sides.
Expressing his disappointment, he said at yesterday’s hearing that the panel would meet with these agencies to come up with legislation that “is fair to everybody.”
