disconnected their supply, according to the governor’s special assistant for administration Esther Fleming.
These government agencies have not been paying their power bills for several months, said Fleming.
She said the administration is still trying to find ways to settle these departments’ bills.
“It’s cash that we need,” said Fleming.
She is waiting for the Department Finance to provide her the exact amount of these agencies’ unpaid bills.
She said the administration is trying to work with CUC in finding ways to solve the problem.
“But no matter what we do we still have to find the cash. That’s the problem,” she added.
Fleming said they have been transferring DLNR and DPW employees to different offices of agencies not affected by the disconnection.
The administration has also been meeting with different executive branch officials to identify ways to reduce their power bills, she added.
“We’re also trying to find ways to pay,” she said.
“We all feel really bad but I’m sure that CUC also needs the cash to also pay for its own expenses.”
As of yesterday, she said the administration had been getting some calls from employees of the affected agencies.
“From what I heard, most of the CUC billings or delinquent billings are being sent directly to programs or departments. Some of these departments have yet to go to Finance to request for payment for power,” she said.
CUC on Tuesday disconnected the power to the offices of DCCA .
Vice Speaker Felicidad T. Ogumoro, Covenant-Saipan, said it’s unfortunate to hear about government agencies whose power is being disconnected.
“That is something that each of the department would have to work with the governor to address,” she added.
Ogumoro, who worked as a parent education coordinator of DCCA’s Division of Youth Services, said when the Legislature worked on the fiscal year 2011 budget, “we have put in the figures that should allow the governor to work with the departments and agencies in the payment of power bills.”
