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Public Health is focus of emergency workforce reduction
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Posted on Mar 30 2012
Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. board chair Joaquin Torres disclosed to Saipan Tribune that the ongoing emergency workforce reduction will spare critical personnel in the public hospital because the measure’s main focus is the Division of Public Health.
Corporation chief executive officer Juan N. Babauta had initially closed down some services such as dental offices to reduce staffing numbers on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. A few personnel from the Community Guidance Center were not also spared.
Torres could not immediately say the exact number of personnel that will be let go but claimed that most will come from the Public Health section, which handles preventive programs.
The corporation currently spends $800,000 for personnel per payroll. Torres wants to see this cut by $250,000 every two weeks.
“The emergency reduction will not take effect in the hospital so our doctors, nurses, and other critical employees are spared for now. This is a tough decision but we have to make sure that we can only keep personnel we are able to pay,” he told Saipan Tribune.
Torres said the board will possibly meet next month to further discuss other issues at the corporation.
Public Health director Roxanne Diaz said that only locally funded employees under her division will be affected. She is currently on Rota conducting workshops for division personnel.
Saipan Tribune learned that it is the division’s intention to transfer some locally funded employees to federally funded programs.
To date, more than 10 employees will be laid off starting April.
