Non-critical govt employees sent home

Gov. Eloy S. Inos sent home non-critical government employees at 11:30am yesterday after upgrading Tropical Storm Phanfone from Condition III to Condition I.

“Because of the anticipated threat of Tropical Storm Phanfone and at 10:40 this morning, I upgraded said storm from Condition III to Condition I for the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and the Northern Islands,” a memo signed by Inos read. “I am releasing all non-critical employees at 11:30am to prepare and secure their homes and property.”

He also advised the community to remain safe from the approaching storm.

“Residents of Saipan and Tinian are hereby advised to take extra precautionary measures when driving on highways due to heavy rain showers and possible flooding in low-lying areas. All seaports are advised to notify small crafts to remain docked and property secured until an ‘All Clear’ is issued. We will continue to track and monitor the storm and provide updates.”

Inos upgraded Phanfone from Condition III to Condition I following an update from Homeland Security & Emergency Management on the storm’s progress shortly before 11am yesterday while at the tail-end of three proclamation signings at the Governor’s Office conference room.

“I just got a note that we’re on tropical storm Condition I as of 10:40am today. So we will be dismissing non-essential—I don’t want to say non-essential here because we’re all essential—but non-critical folks will be released at 11:30pm and we’re expecting the storm to hit tonight or early tomorrow morning. So, secure the offices, secure your home, and make sure everyone is safe. I guess I’ll see you after the storm,” said Inos.

Inos’ acting public information office, Ivan A. Blanco, reiterated the governor’s call for all island residents to brace themselves for the storm.

“The governor would like to advise all residents to prepare and stay safe. HSEM will continue to track and monitor the storm, and my office will provide periodic updates as they become available,” he wrote in an email to the Saipan Tribune.

The closing of the Executive Branch was mirrored by the sending home of employees at the Legislature, as House Speaker Joseph Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan) said the governor’s announcement of releasing non-critical employees is “pretty much government-wide.”

At the Judiciary, only essential services like the Office of the Clerk of Court, the Office of Adult Probation, the Family Court Division, the Marshal Service Division, and Judicial Chambers were allowed to continue operations. An announcement from the Judiciary noted that minimal staff were designated to address docket requirements, emergency, and related prescheduled matters.

The Judiciary’s Administrative Services Unit (cashier), Information Systems Unit, Building & Maintenance Unit, Office of the Commonwealth Recorder, Law Revision Commission, and Judiciary Administrative Office were all shuttered. The Judiciary said “administrative leave will be granted to all non-reporting employees.”

John Hirsh, American Red Cross-NMI Chapter’s executive director, said their Disaster Action Team is on standby.

“We have been attending local EMO briefings today as well as coordinating with our offices in Guam and Honolulu. We are working closely with the Public School System as they activate their storm shelters and will be providing support as needed. Tomorrow morning our team will do a preliminary disaster assessment and provide assistance to those who have storm related damage. We will be monitoring the storm along with Emergency Management throughout the night and help families if necessary,” Hirsh wrote in an email to Saipan Tribune.