Members of healthcare corporation board named

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial nominated four individuals yesterday to serve on the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. board of trustees, and Senate President Paul Manglona (Ind-Rota) said the Senate will expedite the confirmation process because of the critical nature of the trustees’ job to help ensure the delivery of healthcare.

Joaquin S. Torres and Roy T. Rios were nominated to represent Saipan, Pedro Q. Dela Cruz will represent for Rota, and Anthony H. Aguon will represent Tinian. All appointments require the advice and consent of the Senate. If confirmed, each one will serve a four-year term.

Because the terms of the board members are staggered, Fitial said the actual expiration dates will be determined later.

Manglona, who received Fitial’s nomination letter yesterday, said he will urge the Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations to immediately conduct a public hearing on the nominations.

The newly established Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. is mandated to coordinate and provide the delivery of quality healthcare to the CNMI people in a financially responsible manner.

“With that being said, the lieutenant governor and I are confident that you are qualified and will be an asset on this important board,” the governor stated in his individual appointment letters to the nominees.

Fitial said the administration will be providing the Senate president with copies of the nominees’ resume, statement of financial interest, police clearance, drug test receipt, and drug test result as soon as they become available.

The corporation will have a seven-member board of trustees of which three members shall be ex-officio voting members. One member shall be the chief executive officer who will be selected by the board, the second member will be the nursing director, and the third is the medical director. Four of the members shall be appointed by the governor.

The healthcare corporation, composed of the Commonwealth Health Center and the Tinian and Rota health centers, officially came into being on Oct. 1. It also covers the Women’s Clinic, the Children’s Clinic, the Community Guidance Center, and inter-island medical referral services.

The takeover is expected to provide autonomy and management flexibility to the health department. (Haidee V. Eugenio, Moneth Deposa)