MPLA accounts frozen

All accounts of the Marianas Public Lands Authority in all banks are now inaccessible pending a financial audit, while an inventory is being done on all other assets following this week’s abolition of the agency and the creation of the Department of Public Lands in its stead.

Newly appointed acting Public Lands Secretary John Del Rosario said yesterday that the agency’s bank accounts have been frozen, which means that no financial transaction, including payments for services, can take place until an audit is made.

In particular, he said that, as ordered by the Attorney General’s Office, no further legal fees for any matter shall be incurred effective 6pm of Feb. 22, 2006—immediately following the enactment of Public Law 15-2 or the Public Lands Act of 2006.

Three MPLA checks were supposed to be issued separately to independent legal counsels Ray Quichocho and Antonio Atalig as well as former MPLA board chair herself, Ana Demapan-Castro.

MPLA had wanted to issue a $19,000 check to Quichocho, $19,600 to Antonio Atalig, and $1,200 for Demapan-Castro’s compensation. These checks are now on hold.

Demapan’s billing supposedly covers her attendance for board meetings on Dec. 19 and 20, 2005; Jan. 30 and 31, 2006; and on Feb. 3 and 6.

Del Rosario said “several thousands of dollars” were to flow out of the agency Wednesday had the measure dissolving MPLA not been enacted.

The MPLA abolition bill easily passed the Legislature Wednesday afternoon. Shortly thereafter, Gov. Benigno R. Fitial signed it into P.L. 15-2.

Meantime, Del Rosario said he also asked the Division of Procurement and Supply to do an inventory of all capital equipment of MPLA.

Likewise, he asked the Office of Personnel Management to do a desk audit within the new department.

“We want to know whether we have too many employees or if we need additional employees,” he said. Offhand, he said that the agency seems to have excess personnel.

The acting secretary will also review the employees’ records to see who are getting over-the-cap salary of $54,000.

“It means we’d have to reduce salary. For some, they will be getting far less than what they are making. We need to comply with the merit system,” he said.

He said that during a meeting yesterday morning with employees, he told them straight that, “If you’re here for the check, you’re in the wrong boat,” he said.

Del Rosario said he would also initiate a cost-check per division “to determine each division’s performance and productivity.”

Del Rosario discussed the changes in the organization with employees at about 8:30am yesterday.

Government sources said that police officers found top MPLA officials—Demapan-Castro, board member Nick Nekai and commissioner Ed Deleon Guerrero—still inside the MPLA office as of Tuesday evening.

“The police had to request them to get out of the premises,” said a source.

The police had padlocked the offices, located on the first and second floors of Joeten Dandan building, that evening.

The employees had to wait until about past 8am to enter the secured offices.