Flashback — May 1999-May 2003

House to dig old records for unused funds[/B]

The House Ways and Means Committee will sift through records dating as far back as 1993 to try to find available funds still remaining from the previous appropriation of more than $100 million worth of projects, according to chair Rep. Karl T. Reyes. Although they have no range yet on the amount of possible left-over money, the legislator expressed optimism the level of funds would be enough to finance various community projects being pitched by House members. “The more, the better,” Reyes said in an interview. “It’s not easy because we have to go back to old records one by one.”

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday rejected plans for a possible joint venture with Telesource CNMI Inc. for the acquisition of two vessels from the financially-troubled Tinian Shipping Company Inc., saying that ferry operation is best left to the private sector. The governor also explained that the tight financial condition of his administration makes it impossible for the Commonwealth to undertake such major buy out. “We are not in the position to invest money,” Tenorio told an interview. “I would rather see the government not involved in this private undertaking.”
[B] May 14, 2002

CPA to collect $300K from new seaport fees[/B]

The Commonwealth Ports Authority is projecting $300,000 in additional revenue from the implementation of the new seaport terminal tariffs beginning last month. CPA officials said the additional revenue would help the agency weather the consistent decline in seaport activities, allowing the ports authority to defray rising operational costs. The new seaport fees would also help the CPA’s seaport division meet its bond obligations, according to Board Chair Roman S. Palacios, who also mentioned that the agency has been on the lookout for ways to increase its earnings without straining the revenue-generating capabilities of its tenants and customers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is set to pool all its unused Underserved 502 Funds this June and it has expressed willingness to provide Saipan with funding that could be loaned out for its housing needs.Rep. William S. Torres said this is a departure from the usual use of the USDA’s 502 Underserved funds, since prior USDA allocation for the CNMI were specifically allotted for Tinian and Rota only.This comes even as Torres lamented the fact that the two islands have not been fully maximizing the use of the USDA’s 502 Underserved funds for their housing needs. This, despite the availability of some $568,341 that could be tapped by the Tinian and Rota for homeownership use.

House OKs plan for deficit reduction fund[/B]

The House of Representatives endorsed the administration’s plan to dip into the deficit reduction fund to pay for the unanticipated costs resulting from the Supertyphoon Pongsona recovery efforts, including the CNMI’s 10 percent local matching share in the disaster relief provided by the federal government. House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider offered House Joint Resolution 13-30 in support of the administration’s emergency spending plan to use some $2.17 million in reserve under the deficit reduction account. Although the CNMI is pressed for cash, the Speaker agreed that it is appropriate that the CNMI fulfill its local matching obligation to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The Office of the Public Auditor has received an $88,040 technical grant to be used to pay for the expenses of OPA auditors who will receive training at the Office of the Inspector General in Sacramento, California. Department of the Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary David Cohen approved the grant, which would go toward the per diem and travel expenses of resident auditors going to the OIG training on June 2, 2003. Public Auditor Michael S. Sablan told Cohen that two OPA auditors would go to Sacramento on that date to begin training. “Upon their return in September, they will be followed by another two staff auditors,” said Sablan. The training program was initially set on March 1 but was delayed to June.