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NAP: Delay caused by computer glitch
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Posted on Jan 06 2006
Nutrition Assistance Program administrator Walter I. Macaranas apologized yesterday for the delay in the issuance of food stamps, blaming the problem on a computer system glitch that held up the regular release schedule beginning Tuesday.
Macaranas said food stamp recipients whose last names start with S to Z could claim their coupons today, instead of the original Jan. 11 schedule. Recipients whose last names start from M to R have already picked up their Authorized to Participate checks yesterday.
Calls poured in from food stamp recipients at the NAP office yesterday inquiring about the release of the ATP checks, Macaranas said.
The NAP administrator said errors in printing were detected Tuesday, eventually affecting the schedule of the ATP checks release this week.
He said the problem was solved when Saipan Computer Services fixed the technical problem yesterday.
The NAP office uses a DOS-based computerized system, which is a second-generation language compared to the Graphic User Interfaced systems used today by other agencies.
Macaranas said his office is actually planning to have its systems upgraded soon. He told Saipan Tribune yesterday that a similar bug interrupted the agency’s operation once last year but this was also immediately addressed.
He said his office is planning on developing a Request for Proposal for the system upgrade so it could service the needy in the CNMI faster and more efficiently.
Macaranas also admitted that his office is still doing some manual work using the current system whereas if a better system is in place, those manual operations could also be eliminated. (Marconi Calindas)
