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Legislature opens temporary offices at Judiciary
The 19th Legislature yesterday joined other agencies holding temporary offices at the CNMI Judiciary building in Susupe due to power and water supply problems caused by Typhoon Soudelor.
Lawmakers are using the Judiciary’s conference room as their work offices, while the Legislative Bureau staff members are holding office at the Law Revision Commission.
If there are sessions, the House will use Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo’s courtroom, while the Senate will use the CNMI Supreme Court courtroom.
Rep. Antonio P. Sablan (Ind-Saipan) said it is a temporary arrangement, but that they are thankful for the assistance extended by Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro and the Judiciary staff.
Sablan said the legislative building is without power.
He said House Speaker Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan) has been trying to see whether a generator can be provided to the Legislature so they can resume their work but they’ve been unsuccessful so far.
Sablan said they are temporarily using the Judiciary’s conference room like a multi-purpose room, where members hold offices and also serves as a community conference room.
“This afternoon we are scheduled to have Ways and Means Committee meeting regarding the budget passed by the Senate. Tomorrow at 10am, we’ve been authorized to use Judge Govendo’s courtroom to conduct our session,” said Sablan, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee.
“This is a temporary arrangement. Hopefully, I don’t know when we will be able to address the power at the Legislature building, but for now this is where we’re at,” he said.
Sablan said members of the public have been coming into the conference room where they are holding office because there are some certification documents required by Federal Emergency Management Agency for members of the Legislature to sign.
“It’s not ideal, but it’s working for us. We’re glad,” he said.
A few days after Soudelor, the Judiciary opened its facilities to house temporary offices for the Office of the Attorney General’s Criminal Division, the Office of the Public Defender, and the Micronesian Legal Services Corp. because of water and power disruption.
