By Haidee V. Eugenio
Variety Assistant Editor

PRESS Secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. yesterday became the first of over 500 government officials to file his statement of financial interests for calendar year 2006, four months from the May 1 deadline, according to the Office of the Public Auditor.
Public Auditor Mike Sablan yesterday said other government officials should follow Reyes’s good example and not wait for the last minute to file their financial statements.
Every year, over 500 elected and appointed officials, judicial officers and executive department heads or directors are required to file their statements of financial interests by May 1 as required by the CNMI Government Ethics Code Act.
Also covered in this reporting requirement are members of boards and commissions and task forces, both in regular or in acting capacity, along with public employees who received additional compensation in calendar year 2006 either for professional services rendered to, or as an independent contractor for, the CNMI government.
“Although the deadline is May 1 of this year, I thought I would get my statement in early, and I have also reminded our Cabinet to do the same to ensure that our administration is fully compliant before the deadline,” Reyes told Variety.
Last year, 44 percent of 539 government officials failed to file their financial statements by the May 1 deadline.
Even after a 30-day grace period before the $10 daily fine is imposed, 72 still failed to file the document last year.
Financial interests include any interest as a result of which the owner currently receives or is entitled to receive in the future more than $5,000 a year, or any interest with a cost or present value of $5,000 or more.
Unlike Guam, other U.S. states and other countries, the CNMI’s law does not require OPA or any other government agency to “make public” the statements of financial interests of their government officials.
(With Moneth G. Deposa)