Fitial, Manglona take up each other’s offer of ‘working together’

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial wrote a one-page letter to Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) yesterday afternoon, inviting him for a meeting to discuss “pressing matters.” Manglona, for his part, said he’s taking up the governor’s offer of “working together.”

“Clearly our difference of opinions in various issues has attracted a great deal of attention from the media and, more importantly, the public…However, such difference of opinions in government is also a bedrock of democracy,” Fitial told Manglona.

The governor said the difference of opinions allows leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue in pursuit of common grounds for the benefit of the people.

“To achieve this, it is imperative that we work together, despite political differences, to formulate and implement a concerted approach and plan of action. In this regard, I humbly invite you to meet with me to discuss pressing matters that warrant not just our undivided attention, but also our commitment to work collaboratively for the common good of our people,” Fitial told Manglona.

Manglona, when asked for comment, said if the governor wants to be part of the solution to the NMI Retirement Fund crisis, then he welcomes such offer of working together to avoid receivership, among other things.

The court ordered the submission of a “plan” to save the pension agency by June 15.

Manglona has asked all members of the Senate Special Committee on Retirement Fund chaired by Sen. Jovita Taimanao (Ind-Rota) to focus on and assist in the development of a plan to save the Fund.

Manglona said Taimanao’s committee will set up a meeting among the Senate and House of Representatives members and will invite Fund officials and retirees.

“I hope the governor will join us in this meeting as we work to come up with a plan to save the Fund. I’m going to take up the governor’s offer of working together, because it will only benefit our Commonwealth people,” he told Saipan Tribune.

Manglona said the governor’s letter is a “good sign” that the governor is willing to “work together.”

Fitial wrote the letter a day after Manglona’s brother, Thomas, was terminated by the Commonwealth Ports Authority from his job as Rota airport manager.

The governor told reporters on Tuesday that he didn’t have anything to do with CPA’s termination of Thomas Manglona as Rota airport manager.

“CPA is under the board. And Ed Guerrero is the executive director,” Fitial told reporters.

CPA board chair Joe Lifoifoi, who was at the same event wherein the governor was interviewed, said he didn’t know about the termination either because he and his wife just came back from the Philippines Tuesday morning.

CPA executive director Edward Deleon Guerrero, Fitial’s appointee, sent the termination letter to Thomas Manglona. The termination takes effect 30 days later or by May 9.

Fitial and Paul Manglona have been engaged in a word war since the governor described Rota and Tinian senators as “stupid people” for rejecting a House bill legalizing casino gambling on Saipan.