Palacios, Apatang give themselves A-plus grade for their 1st 100 days

Gov. Arnold I. Palacios talks about the administration’s first 100 days as Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang listens during a press conference in the governor’s office in Capital Hill yesterday morning. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

In rating their own performance in the first 100 days of their administration, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang are giving themselves an “A-plus” grade.

Speaking at a press conference in the governor’s conference room yesterday, Palacios and Apatang, who reached their first 100 days in office last Wednesday, highlighted the CNMI’s situation when they assumed office, plus the many programs and projects that they have implemented in the last 100 days.

Palacios said he and Apatang needed to work hard immediately as soon as they came to office to address the challenges and that in that period they started renewing relationships with federal partners, renewing plans, and putting together their plans moving forward.

“We look forward to tangible and concrete results in a matter of six months,” the governor said.

Palacios said he was very upfront and very honest with the federal government.

“I told them straight out. I didn’t hide anything. And this is where we’re at. This is the help that we need. And I left it at that,” he said.

The governor said the federal government has been responsive, as well as Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (D-MP), who has helped put together packages to help and assist different agencies, different departments, and different programs in the Commonwealth.

Palacios said when they were first inaugurated, they all knew the situation that the CNMI faced, the fiscal challenge, and the real dilemma that the CNMI is in. He said they spent a lot of time and effort in assessing and evaluating the situation and figuring out how to address the issues.

“And we were in a crisis, basically, and we still are. …But I think we’ve gone beyond that and have started addressing the issues. And that’s basically for the past 60 to 70 days is what we have been doing,” the governor said.

After the initial assessment, he said, they immediately went to cost-cutting measures that the administration had to make. And it wasn’t just the cost-cutting measures. It included the revision of the fiscal year 2023 budget, which took out the American Rescue Plan Act funding from the budget and the expenditure plan. He said they had the fiscal response team, which included the Legislature, the Department of Finance, Office of Management and Budget, and other staff, work on that.

The governor said they submitted the revised budget for fiscal year 2023 during the first part of March. The Legislature passed last Wednesday a revised budget bill.

“These 100 days have been very challenging and, in some cases, very humbling. …But, at the end of the day, we have to make some very critical or sometimes controversial and unpopular decisions,” he said.

Apatang said they also continue to strengthen relationships with the federal partners. He said the governor met with and provided testimony in the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources regarding the state of the CNMI.

He said Palacios also met with representatives of the White House, the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, Department of the Interior, U.S. Customs and Immigration Services, and other agencies.

Apatang said Palacios, along with Sablan presented the CNMI’s challenges and request for federal assistance at the senior plenary session of the Interagency Group on Insular Areas.

Apatang said they met with assistant secretary Carmen G. Cantor at the start of the administration and in Washington D.C. to discuss matters relating to the state of the CNMI’s fiscal affairs.

He said they met with U.S. military (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard)-Department of Defense meetings in developing an economic recovery plan; amended the Tinian public land lease; and invited DOD to the solid waste planning task force.

Apatang said they continue their meetings with Joint Region Marianas to include the federal government, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security, and Drug Enforcement Administration.

He said they continue work with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other federal partners to strengthen environmental initiatives.

Palacios and Apatang also discussed, among other things, their efforts in collaborating with Sablan to benefit the Commonwealth, working with the CNMI Legislature and municipalities, strengthening ties with allies, economic diversion, appointing qualified individuals to lead department heads and agencies, and supporting businesses.

They also discussed their efforts in moving forward many infrastructure projects and collaboration for renewable energy.