‘Has NMI gotten $23.5M Yutu reimbursements yet?’
Sen. Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan) wants an update from Finance Secretary David DLG. Atalig if the CNMI government has already received the $23.5 million reimbursements for Super Typhoon Yutu expenses.
DeLeon Guerrero asked Senate President Jude U. Hofschneider (R-Tinian) to ask Atalig for an update about the reimbursements. at the Senate’s session Thursday last week.
DeLeon Guerrero
Atalig had disclosed last December that the government is awaiting reimbursement of $23.5 million in expenses it incurred after Yutu and from the pandemic response.
DeLeon Guerrero said she also wants to go on record that after reading the Senate committee reports on the Marianas Public Land Trust board, she came across a finding that the central government had borrowed $50 million from MPLT as a result of the Yutu expenses.
“And that’s why this is very critical, Mr. President. We need to know from the Secretary of Finance if the $23.5 million has been reimbursed by the federal government or [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] for that matter,” she said.
The senator said right now as she speaks, out of the $50 million loan from MPLT to resolve the issue of Yutu payments, there’s a standing balance of $12 million owed MPLT.