By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

THE Commonwealth Ports Authority board yesterday reorganized the agency’s structure and placed two top positions under its direct watch.
Under the existing policy of the agency, the comptroller’s office, which oversees the accounting section, and the legal counsel report directly to the executive director who then turns over the reports to the board.
“Because the law authorizes the board to fill these top positions – the executive director, legal counsel and comptroller — my perspective is that they directly report to the board,” CPA Chairman Rex I. Palacios told Variety.
He said under the new organizational structure, the three positions will be directly under the board’s supervision.
Palacios said that “it will be the same operation because the structure doesn’t isolate one working with one another.”
He said accountability is the most important thing in the operation of the agency.
“The comptroller is independent from legal management and operations…but still they have to work together,” Palacios said.
Last December, the board initially approved the restructuring of some positions and titles within the agency as recommended by executive director Clyde Norita to bring about more efficiency in CPA’s operations.
Norita announced his resignation on Wednesday, citing the board’s “micromanagement” as one of his reasons.
Under that organizational chart, new positions and divisions were created and certain posts were renamed.
CPA has four main divisions – the Saipan airport, the Saipan seaport, the Tinian seaport and airport, and the Rota seaports and airport.
The board created the new public safety division under a public safety division manager.
Currently, CPA has a police and fire division under the Saipan airport manager.
Norita’s recommendation includes five core divisions to be supported by six units: fiscal affairs, human resource office and training, lease compliance and property management, legal counsel, contract management, and special projects which will handle federal grants for the airports and seaports.
The public information officer was renamed “public relations officer.”
“The board approved that general concept because the organization is good and its objective is more efficiency at the agency,” Palacios said. “But certain things that the board requires did not come back to us like the statement of financial impact on the operation and the responsibilities of each of the positions that were created and renamed.”
Palacios said the board has consulted its legal counsel, Joe Bermudes, as to whether the changes will be in conflict with existing statutes.
CPA has yet to hire a new comptroller following the resignation of George Palican.
Bermudes takes over the position of former legal counsel Douglas Cushnie who stepped down in December.