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Governor to decide soon on personnel replacements
Several major personnel decisions await Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, not least of which is the administration’s choice on who would replace the seat vacated by Superior Court associate judge David Wiseman.
The administration has yet to release its final performance evaluation of the Cabinet, almost three months after Torres asked for all members to submit their courtesy resignations.
Torres said they are expected to end the review process and come up with a decision soon. “The [performance] review on Cabinet secretaries is still ongoing.”
When asked whether everyone is in an acting capacity, Torres said: “No, they are all Cabinet members and all are secretaries. The only acting now is [Department of Corrections Commissioner] Georgia [Cabrera].”
“You are a secretary even though you were asked for a courtesy resignation. You turned it in and you are still secretary, unless you are notified otherwise,” added Torres, who is also meeting with Washington, D.C. officials on labor and immigration issues.
Cabrera resigned and was immediately replaced by Lino Tenorio in an acting capacity. Lt. Gov. Victor B. Hocog, as acting governor, fired Tenorio.
“With respect to Lt. Gov. [Hocog], he was acting governor and I respect the decision he made. [Cabrera] is acting and all other information will be forthcoming,” said Torres.
Torres asked for the courtesy resignations of all Cabinet members, who are appointees of the late governor Eloy S. Inos, in February 2017.
Inos died more than a year after being elected to the highest post in the CNMI. He died in Washington state while recovering from open-heart surgery in a Seattle hospital.
Torres assumed the governorship following Inos’ death, with then Senate president Victor B. Hocog being elevated as the CNMI’s llieutenant governor.
Torres has also yet to name the replacement of Commonwealth Superior Court associate judge David A. Wiseman, who retired in May last year after 15 years of being on the bench.
