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DOC uses own budget to fix ACs
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Posted on Jul 24 2008
The Department of Corrections used its own budget to fix five of the nine air-conditioning compressors that broke due to frequent power outages at the new prison.
Department of Corrections Commissioner Lino S. Tenorio told the Saipan Tribune that the compressors had already been repaired by a local company paid with the department’s own funds because the main contractor was unavailable.
“We’ve been waiting and waiting so we went ahead and side contracted to a local company here to fix [the compressors] for us,” Tenorio said.
The commissioner said the funds used to fix the compressors came from the department’s own budget.
Tenorio said the original contractor will be dealt with later. He said he believes that the Attorney General’s Office is now working to address the issue.
Tenorio said the problem could not wait because inmates needed to be transferred to the new prison.
“Because we have some money set aside, we were able to pull that off,” said the commissioner, referring to the repair of the compressors.
Last April, Tenorio disclosed that power fluctuations broke three air-conditioning compressors within the past three months.
He said another compressor broke last March, while the fifth died in April.
The four remaining air-conditioners could only partially accommodate the department’s administration office and one or two of the housing structures.
Tenorio earlier said they are trying to get the Department of Public Works to act on the problem so the compressors can be fixed by the department’s main contractor, Telesource.
Tenorio also noted that because the warranties on the units have not expired, Telesource should fix the problems immediately.
All 131 inmates were finally moved to the new Susupe prison on July 10.
Construction on the 100,000 square-foot lot in Susupe commenced in 2002. The first target opening date was in 2006. Contractual issues reportedly caused the opening’s long delay. The prison finally opened in February.
The target transfer date was later set for the end of April but was delayed by the broken compressors.
