By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

A GROUP of concerned citizens wants each of the CNMI’s 27 legislators to disclose all their expenditures in the interests of transparency in the government.
Tina Sablan, the group’s spokeswoman, said a letter was sent to each lawmaker regarding their spending in the last two years involving discretionary funds, subsistence allowances, travel and personnel.
In the letter, which Variety published on Wednesday, the group stated that “although we are aware that a law was passed by the 9th Legislature to exempt the legislature from the Open Government Act, or Public Law 9-2, we believe nevertheless that as CNMI residents, taxpayers, and voters, we have the right to know how public funds are being spent by our elected officials.”
Sablan, in an e-mail to Variety, said their request for disclosure is the first step toward improving government accountability which is a subject that has come up again and again at the public forums they are organizing.
“We plan to review and organize the information we receive from the Legislature, and to publicize our findings to the community through the media and public forums. We will do the same for other key agencies and officials,” she said, adding that they’re hoping that this election year will mark a real turning point for the CNMI.
“We realize that we should expect more from our leaders and from ourselves, as well. We should know where candidates stand on the issues before we vote for them. We should know their qualifications for the positions they are seeking, and their vision for the commonwealth. If they are incumbents, we should know how they represented us during their terms, and how they spent our money. If we don’t know these things, how can we make informed decisions when we go to the polls?” she said.
Besides reviewing and publicizing the spending records of legislators, Sablan said they are preparing popular initiatives to nullify the Legislature’s exemption from the Open Government Act and to require annual expenditure reports from lawmakers.
“In addition, we are preparing a questionnaire for all of the political candidates this year, which would ask them for, among other things, their backgrounds, qualifications, and positions on issues ranging from education, to utilities, to the environment, to healthcare. We are also planning public forums focused on this year’s election, and will invite the candidates to participate in the discussions,” she added.
Speaker Oscar M. Babauta, Covenant-Saipan, said he welcomes the group’s proposals.
“But I will leave it to the individual members to decide on (complying with the group’s request),” he said. “Personally, I do not see anything wrong with it because we are elected by the people and there should be transparency as much as possible,” he told Variety.
The group’s request should also be directed to the finance department through an Open Government Act request, Babauta added.
Senate Floor Leader Felix T. Mendiola said he is already preparing the documents requested by the group.
“I am now working on my disclosure because I appreciate the group’s effort. It’s proof that we are promoting transparency in the government,” he said, adding that with or without the Open Government Act, he will grant the request and will ask his colleagues in the Senate to do the same.
Sen. Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota and the author of the Open Government Act, echoed Mendiola’s sentiment saying the request should be granted.
“I don’t have any objection with that because our expenditures should be a matter of public record. These documents can also be obtained if the group requests them (from the finance department) through the Open Government Act,” Manglona said.
He said he is also in favor of amending the law to promote more transparency in the government.