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Inos back on Saipan, to resume office today
Gov. Eloy S. Inos returned to Saipan yesterday afternoon and will resume his duties today.
Inos left the Commonwealth on July 6 to take a three-week vacation in Seattle. He was supposed to return earlier, but some flights, particularly night flights, were canceled due to the recent onslaught of Tphoon Soudelor.
Kevin Bautista, special projects coordinator for the Office of Lieutenant Governor, confirmed that Inos has returned and will resume office today.
Bautista said acting governor Ralph DLG. Torres was still in charge as of yesterday.
The governor has been in constant communication with Torres in his absence.
According to press secretary Ivan Blanco, the governor has instructed Torres to “take charge” in light of Typhoon Soudelor, which has devastated Saipan, leaving the island a virtual wasteland with no water and electricity until today.
“He knows the situation from Day 1,” Blanco said.
In an earlier update, the acting governor assured the public that help is on its way.
On Saturday, Torres was at the Saipan Port to personally check on USS Ashland which was carrying much-need relief goods from Guam.
“More help will come. We will work on the distribution and we will continue to work with all the federal agencies on the distribution of the goods,” Torres said.
On Aug. 7, the White House declared the CNMI under a “state of disaster and significant emergency,” a day after Torres sent a formal request to the Obama administration for an expedited major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth.
The declaration triggers the release of federal funds to help the islands recover from Typhoon Soudelor, which hit Saipan and Tinian last weekend.
