Power restored to public schools, healthcare corp.

Power was restored to the Public School System and Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. around Friday noon after the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. received a $400,000 payment, with assurances that their delinquent accounts will be made current.

CUC deputy executive director Alan W. Fletcher said the $400,000 payment resulted in the reconnection of the administrative offices of at least six schools, including Marianas High School, Hopwood Junior High, and the San Vicente, Tanapag, Koblerville, and San Antonio elementary schools.

A day before, PSS made a $3,000 payment that resulted in the restoration of power to the PSS central and Board of Education offices.

Based on CUC records, public schools owe $4.1 million in unpaid utility bills as of Feb. 29. Since Wednesday, total payment received from PSS was $403,000.

“CUC is pleased to announce that power will be restored to PSS and CHC starting immediately. CUC has received $400,000 from PSS today and is coordinating with PSS staff for reconnection. Reconnecting facilities will most likely be occurring on Saturday in preparation for school on Monday,” Fletcher said Friday.

He pointed out, though, that while CUC is pleased to reconnect the schools, continued service is conditioned upon future and regular utility payments and in catching up with payments on past due amounts. 

BOE chair Marylou S. Ada confirmed the transfer of $400,000 to CUC. “I am happy that as of today CUC will reconnect all administration buildings of all six Saipan public schools after the Secretary of Finance [Larissa Larson] notified us that $400,000 was paid to CUC,” Ada said Friday.

Education officials, teachers, and parents trooped Thursday to the Legislature and pleaded for help. Acting education commissioner Glenn Muna said yesterday that he’s grateful for everyone’s assistance and support. “We are truly grateful to all of our PSS staff, our students, and parents for standing alongside us. We also commend the administration, the Legislature, and CUC for working with us,” he said in a statement.

Meantime, Fletcher disclosed that despite not getting any payments from the healthcare corporation, CUC decided to restore power to at least 12 accounts—all of them non-critical areas—beginning Saturday. The corporation owes CUC $2.1 million since October 2011.

“CUC has been given assurances of payment for CHC and will be coordinating for an orderly reconnection. While no monies have been received from CHC, CNMI Department of Finance was able to generate an additional payment on the central government’s account this week that provided CUC the immediate cash it needed for fuel purchases. The extra payment from CNMI, along with the understanding that CHC’s line of credit was progressing, is encouraging news and CUC will be reconnecting power to CHC,” said Fletcher.

Again, he emphasized that continued services will be conditioned upon timely payments in the future and CHC entering into a payment agreement for past due amounts.

Power was restored in the following offices: Substance Abuse Treatment, Division of Public Health including the Diabetes Resource Center, Bureau of Environmental Health Services, Mental Health Services, and STD/HIV program. All these offices were relocated to CHC last Wednesday.

Fletcher also disclosed that the central government paid a total of $600,000 for owed billings: $500,000 was paid toward the government’s arrears while $100,000 was paid toward PSS’ arrears.