Minority bloc boycotts session

After waiting for almost two hours for minority bloc members to show up, House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial finally decided at about 11am yesterday to call off the scheduled legislative session.

“They boycotted the session,” said a visibly disappointed Fitial.

“There seems to be a epidemic of sickness of some sort in the minority bloc,” he added on a lighter vein, noting that at least three lawmakers relayed to his office they “are not feeling well.”

Of the 18 House members, with the exception of on-leave Army reservist Rep. Ray Yumul, only eight showed up in yesterday’s session, which was set at 9am.

Officially excused from the session were House minority leader Arnold I. Palacios, Benjamin Seman, Joseph Deleon Guerrero, Janet Maratita, and Martin Ada. Except for Palacios, who is in the U.S. mainland on personal business, the other four went to Palau to attend the presidential inauguration.

“They are excused but I don’t understand why [the] others couldn’t come,” said Fitial.

Four lawmakers did not show up at the session without prior notice: acting House minority leader Ray Tebuteb, Reps. Heinz Hofschneider, David Apatang, and Jesus Attao. Hofschneider, Apatang, and Attao reportedly said they could not come because they felt ill.

“I saw Heinz and Ray Tebuteb at a funeral yesterday, and they looked strong and perfectly well,” said Fitial. “I’ve not rested awhile due to deaths in the family but I’m not calling in sick.”

Fitial said the unexcused absence of members “is an irresponsible act, a conspiracy against the people they represent.”

He said their absence was “not so much a show of disrespect to the House leadership but to the people.”

“This is a call of duty,” he said, noting that the reason of being sick was only an “excuse” or members’ alibi.

Tebuteb, meantime, said that he had requested the leadership on Jan. 25 to reschedule the session because “a number of minority members are off-island.”

On the same date, though, Fitial declined the request citing pressing matters that require the House’s immediate attention. In his letter, Fitial said that the House has not convened a session since the Christmas holidays.

“Although a few members may be off-island on the 27th, the majority of our House members will still be present and we will still maintain the necessary quorum to conduct important legislative business,” said Fitial.

The House requires 10 present members to achieve a quorum.

The Speaker said he had sent out the original notice for the session Friday last week.

Up for yesterday’s discussion and passage were the urgent reprogramming of $3.3 million for the construction of the Agingan Ocean Outfall; passage of the proposed part-time legislature; and introduction and approval of Martin Luther King Day in the CNMI.

“It’s unfortunate that the minority members overlooked the importance of these issues,” said Fitial.

Vice Speaker Tim Villagomez, who authored the $3.3 million reprogramming bill, said the issue was extremely critical because any delay would result in the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. having to pay $35,000 a day in penalty. The funds would come from the Kagman wastewater system pursuant to Public Law 11-119.

The Agingan project is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Villagomez said the Environmental Protection Agency has given CUC up to February 2005 to comply with the administrative order or be subject to the huge daily fine per each violation.

Tebuteb said that when the minority bloc received the session agenda, “there was nothing on the bill calendar.”

He said the minority was apprehensive that the House leadership would just move ahead with the passage of two controversial bills, which the minority had strongly opposed.

He was referring to the Senate Legislative Initiative 14-3, which seeks to extend land leases of private land from 55 years to 75 years, as well as House Legislative Initiative 14-10, which extends public land leases from 25 years to 50 years.

“We knew it’s going to come up because in the last session it was on the calendar,” he said. “We asked them to allow us 48 hours to go over any legislation. Is there really a conspiracy? Who is irresponsible here?”

As for the Palau trip, he said that some minority members confirmed their attendance at Palau President Tommy Remengesau’s inauguration through the Speaker’s Office.