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Senate confirms healthcare corp. board nominees
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Posted on Oct 18 2011
By a vote of 7-0, the Senate confirmed “with condition” yesterday Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s four nominees to the new Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. board of directors.
Senators confirmed Joaquin S. Torres and Roy T. Rios of Saipan, Anthony H. Aguon of Tinian, and Pedro Q. Dela Cruz of Rota.
Each of the nominees will serve a four-year term. Torres, who was at the session yesterday, said he’s thankful for the Senate’s action on their nominations.
Sen. Frank Cruz (R-Tinian), chairman of the Executive Appointments and Government Investigations, recommended the confirmation of the four nominees based on the requirements submitted, their qualifications and testimony from the public.
However, the Senate has yet to receive the results of the drug tests of the four nominees. The results will take 10 to 15 days.
Cruz said the EAGI Committee’s recommendation has a condition—that if any of the nominees’ drug test result comes back “positive,” then that nominee’s confirmation will be rescinded.
“Although we have not received the drug test results yet, it is imperative to confirm the nominees for them to be able to select a [chief executive officer] of the corporation,” said Cruz, adding that the delivery of healthcare services on Saipan, Tinian and Rota also depend on having a functioning board and CEO.
This is so far the only time when the Senate has confirmed board nominees without first obtaining the drug test results of the nominees.
During yesterday’s session, the seven senators adopted Standing Committee Report 17-61 recommending confirmation of the four nominees. By adopting the committee report, the senators confirmed the nominees.
The Fitial administration has yet to set a formal swearing-in for the nominees.
The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. should have been operating as a corporation with an advisory board since Oct. 1 but there was a delay in the governor’s submission of nominees to the Senate.
