In an interview yesterday, Press Secretary Angel A. Demapan said they had already identified the essential government agencies that will continue to operate despite the shutdown.
The memorandum regarding the essential services will be issued any time this week, he said.
Demapan said the administration is not going to sit around and wait until the last minute before it informs government employees about the contingency plan.
Variety learned that the essential agencies include those that were exempted from previous payless paydays:
Public Health, Public Safety, Corrections, the school system, Northern Marianas College and federally funded positions.
House Bill 17-91, which House Minority Leader Diego T. Benavente, R-Saipan, introduced will give the governor full authority to designate essential personnel in 10 government services that must continue to operate during the shutdown.
But this bill remains pending in the House.
Demapan said without such legislation, the governor has to make his own list of essential services.
This is also based on a legal opinion of the Attorney General’s Office.
The members of the conference committee yesterday continued to work on the budget in the Senate chamber. None of the members wanted to make any comment.
