By Emmanuel T.Erediano
Variety News Staff

THE Saipan Mayor’s Office suspended all its services effective yesterday, citing the failure of the Department of Finance to pay Mobil Oil on time for the municipal government’s operations.
Mayor Juan B. Tudela announced the suspension in a in a press statement.
He said these services include water truck deliveries, quarry operations, coral deliveries, road repairs, junk car removal, site preparations for wakes and funerals, and village cleanups and beatifications.
He said his office has only one telephone line left — the rest of were cut off.
“We have no fuel for government operations,” Tudela said.
Because of the “late payments to Mobil Oil by the Department of Finance (the fuel supplier) cut us off until further notice,”
Variety called the Department of Finance for comment but was told that Secretary Eloy Inos was off-island.
Revenue and Taxation Director Esther Ada, the acting secretary, was attending a conference.
In an interview on Tuesday, the mayor also expressed dismay over the “drastic” 15.6 percent budget cut imposed by the governor’s office.
Tudela said he understands the reason for the budget cut, but added that he will not cut the salaries of his workers.
His annual budget has been reduced from $1.9 million to $1.6 million.
“We can’t live within that limit,” he said.
Tudela said he is also upset about changes in the plan to establish an animal shelter.
But he said he will not comment until he sees official documents or correspondence regarding the matter.
The mayor said, in the meantime, he is asking for the understanding of the public whowill be notified once his office’s services are resumed.