…yet insists that she favors prompt land compensation

Commonwealth Development Authority executive director Mary Lou Ada agrees with the Executive Branch that pending land compensation payments should be given out to claimants as soon as possible.

Ada, who joined Gov. Juan N. Babauta and other key Cabinet officials in a teleconference with Marianas Public Lands Authority Monday afternoon, noted that land payments have indeed been long overdue.

“It’s not really being rushed. It’s been overdue for a long time now,” she said when asked why the administration seemed to be rushing the release of land compensation payments.

Babauta on Monday compelled the MPLA board to do all it can to release the payment no later than late Monday or yesterday.

Ada also said that land compensation funds should be used up immediately to avoid paying bond interests. She said that of the $28 million land compensation funds, only $3 million had been paid out so far this year. After 2005, she said that bond money would no longer be treated as tax-free money.

During Monday’s teleconference, Ada pointed out the need for MPLA to resolve the questionable appointment of MPLA commissioner Ed Guerrero so that requisition authorizations can be signed properly and forwarded immediately to the Bank of Guam for release of the checks by Tuesday.

The MPLA obliged, putting Guerrero on leave and appointing MPLA deputy commissioner Frank Eliptico to sign the land compensation documents.

Ada noted that under the bond indenture agreement, only the MPLA commissioner and the Finance secretary can sign the disbursement form to release payments to landowners.

“The authorized signatory in the disbursement is the commissioner himself and it should be concurred by the secretary of Finance. The rules should be properly followed,” she said.

Ada on Monday favored having the MPLA board chair, Ana Demapan-Castro, assigned as acting commissioner to sign the documents. The MPLA rejected the suggestion and instead moved to appoint Eliptico as acting commissioner yesterday to do the task.

Ada on Monday also expressed determination in releasing the land payment by yesterday.

“The bank is open only up to 3pm. If this [commissioner designation] is resolved [by MPLA], it [checks] may not be out today but it can be done tomorrow [Tuesday],” she said.

There is a total of some $200,000 pending payment for certified land claimants.