“I have to address this matter and discuss this with our legal counsel. We should stop this practice. It’s not fair. They (Rota and Tinian lawmakers) should not come here for five days and do nothing. Let’s be fair here,” the speaker said.
“Let’s put an end to this practice. They don’t file any documents on how they spend the money. Some lawmakers even ask an advance (subsistence allowance) for the entire quarter or even a year,” he added.
The Rota and Tinian lawmakers’ subsistence allowance used to be $5,000 but was reduced during the 17th Legislature to $4,200 each.
Saipan lawmakers don’t get the same privilege because the Legislature holds most of its sessions on their island.
The subsistence allowance supposedly covers the Rota and Tinian lawmakers’ transportation and accommodations while on Saipan.
But Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan, said the current rate is still high and there is not enough accountability imposed among the recipients.
“I will talk to them. Somehow, we’re going to change the system. They must provide supporting documents (on how they spend the money),” he said.
According to Tenorio, there is no provision in the CNMI Constitution that entitles any lawmaker to get a subsistence allowance.
Tenorio said he will challenge the subsistence privilege of Rota and Tinian lawmakers as the government continues to face difficulty paying its employees.
Some government employees have already been notified by the Fitial administration that their work hours will be cut by 60 minutes every day.
That will be the equivalent of 10 hours per payroll or a 12.5 percent cut.
The CNMI government spends about $280,000 every day for the salaries of its workers.
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