CUC chair notarized GPSM docs

It now appears that Commonwealth Utilities Corp. board chair Adelina Roberto knew all along who CUC was getting in bed with.

Documents obtained by Saipan Tribune show that it was Roberto, acting as a notary public for Saipan, who signed the articles of incorporation of General Pacific Services Marianas Inc.

In a document dated March 23, 2016, Saipan Tribune learned that Roberto signed GPSM’s articles of incorporation, a document that outlined who the officers of the company are.

The incorporators, according to the document, are Amelia Toelkes as GPSM president, Philip Roberto as vice president, and Kimberly Smith as treasurer-secretary.

Adelina Roberto has yet to respond when asked how she is related to Philip Roberto, the GPSM vice president.

The procurement of an engine to replace generator 8 at the CUC power plant has raised eyebrows, with secretive discussions among board members resulting in allegations of a possible conflict of interest.

According to CUC board member Joe Torres, generator 8 has not been working for eight years already.

The board allegedly agreed to the “emergency” procurement after claiming that representatives of Imperial Pacific Resort had approached the CUC management to inform them of the resort’s increased power demand in the upcoming weeks. Sources familiar with the matter said the emergency purchase bypassed CUC’s Procurement and Supply Division altogether.

In an earlier interview, William Gilmore, deputy executive director for CUC, said the nominees were based on previously cancelled request for proposals, or RFP.

After further discussions behind closed doors, the CUC board voted to push through with the purchase of the engine, despite the unanswered questions of Rep. Ed Propst (Ind-Saipan), who attended the CUC board meeting last Wednesday.

A statement from the Torres administration said the procurement of a new engine is supported by the administration, so long as the procurement was done “in a manner that is transparent to the community.”

The additional funding provided by Public Law 19-75, a law that appropriates funds to pay for delinquent utility bills, signaled Gov. Ralph DLG Torres advocating for CUC’s direct purchase of a new engine.

According to the statement by the administration, the governor is closely monitoring the discussions of the board and hopes they take “action that will have the best interest of the ratepayers in mind and that offers transparency to the people.”