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Senate confirms three appointees
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Posted on May 15 2008
The Senate confirmed three gubernatorial appointments yesterday.
Members of the Upper House voted to approve the nominations of Diego Songsong as secretary of the Department of Public Works, Bernie Palacios as a member of the NMI Retirement Fund board of trustees, and Jesse Manglona as a member of the Commonwealth Development Authority board of directors.
Songsong was named to replace former DPW Secretary Jose Demapan, who resigned in December 2007. Songsong has pledged to pay attention to the backlog of federally funded capital improvement projects overlooked by his predecessors.
“Because of the current state of the CNMI economy, my main task now is to spend CIP money administered by DPW to help stimulate the local economies of the three major islands of the CNMI,” said Songsong.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has said that since he took office, the commonwealth drew down a total of $51 million of CIP money. That amount represents 46 percent of the cumulative balance available for the CNMI’s use. He has bared a plan to use within the next six months about $39 million of the CIP funds towards unspecified projects that will “stimulate the economy.”
Palacios, a re-appointee, represents Tinian to the Retirement Fund board. Manglona will represent Rota to CDA.
