BOE probes commissioner, 5 other PSS execs

The Board of Education is conducting a probe on Education Commissioner Dr. Rita A. Sablan and five other Public School System officials regarding their alleged cashing out of annual leaves, according to BOE vice chair Denise Tanya King.

She said BOE met on Wednesday for its regular monthly meeting and the issue on the alleged cashing out of annual leaves was among the agenda tackled during the executive session.

King declined to comment on what transpired during the board’s closed-door meeting, but assured that the issue is now being addressed.

“I cannot disclose what transpired in the executive session of the board, but I can assure you that the matter is now being addressed and the investigation is ongoing,” she told Saipan Tribune in a phone interview.

When asked if the board was the one that initiated the probe vs. Sablan and the five other officials, the vice chairperson said that with respect to separate entities, “they (board members) have the prerogative to do that if they want to.”

King refused to provide more comments when pressed yesterday.

BOE members were recently alerted by the alleged cashing out of annual leaves by Sablan and five officials of PSS.

Saipan Tribune learned that the five other PSS officials are PSS Finance director Richard Waldo, associate commissioner for instruction and curriculum Jackie Quitugua, former school principals Maria Quitugua and Frances Ulloa, and Bernice Diaz from PSS’ fiscal and budget office.

A letter of complaint was received by the board from former Marianas High School principal Craig Garrison, who said that he was asked by some PSS employees to raise the issue to the board because they fear “retaliation.”

Because of the matter, the House committee on education was later instructed by Speaker Eli Cabrera (R-Saipan) to review the matter and wants to seek the assistance of the Office of Public Auditor.

Cabrera earlier disclosed that he himself also received calls from some PSS employees sharing the same concerns.

Meantime, Public Auditor Michael Pai confirmed yesterday with Saipan Tribune that his office has not received any complaints or request for investigation on PSS executives who allegedly cashed out their annual leaves and thus no investigation is being conducted by his office.

In his letter to the board, Garrison alleged that Sablan, along with some members of her leadership team, cashed out their annual leaves which PSS employees believe is clearly against PSS’ standing policy.

These employees believe that cashing out of annual leaves is only permitted if they resign or retire from PSS.

Saipan Tribune learned that the cashing out of unused annual leaves took place some two months ago which disappointed many employees because of the current financial state of the public schools.

For Garrison, having the commissioner cash out her annual leave and the appearance of playing favorites and hiding it sets a very bad precedent during these difficult times.

Garrison asked BOE not only to look at the proper documentations on this but to curtail what he labeled as “poor decision making” and ensure that PSS money is better spent on the children of the CNMI.