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Rios confirmation hearing postponed
Overwhelming support for Yumul appointment
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Posted on Mar 29 2023
The confirmation hearing for acting Department of Commerce secretary Joseph Santos Rios Jr. did not push through yesterday, even as acting Department of Public Works secretary Ray N. Yumul received overwhelming support during his confirmation hearing.
Oscar M. Babauta, who is the special assistant for the administration of Palacios-Apatang, told the Senate Executive Appointments and Government Investigations Committee that Rios had asked to postpone the confirmation hearing as he is taking care of a pressing personal matter. Rios appeared in the Senate chamber, but did not speak to the committee.
Saipan Tribune learned that Rios had briefly met with Senate EAGI Committee chair Sen. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan) in the latter’s office before the hearing.
Joseph Santos Rios Jr.
With respect to Ray Yumul’s confirmation hearing, several DPW officials, members of the community, and government officials, including his brother, Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (Ind-Saipan), and Rep. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan) testified to express their strong support for Ray Yumul’s confirmation.
Ray Yumul disclosed at the hearing that due to the termination of American Rescue Plan Act-funded staff within DPW, the department’s head count has dropped from 157 to 89.
In talking about the six DPW divisions, including a couple of divisions that need serious attention, Yumul disclosed that in the works are online access to DPW’s applications and informational website; promulgating a fee structure for floodplain survey requests; restoring the 10% tax earmarked for the solid waste revolving fund (Public Law 13-42 reduced it to 7%); and sustaining the 5-cent per can recycling program beyond its initial timeframe. The Office of Grants Management, the Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, and Coastal Resources Management will implement the can recycling program from April 1 to August 2023 only.
