On Friday, the Tinian leadership comprising the legislative delegation, the mayor’s office and the municipal council met to discuss the island’s budget.
The Tinian leadership also invited the gaming commissioners to the meeting which tackled, among other things, a payment agreement with the Retirement Fund.
The municipality of Tinian owes the Fund over $1.6 million in employer contributions.
Variety learned that gaming commission chairman Francisco Borja and commissioner Peter Cruz are eligible to retire.
“They are willing to retire but we owe a huge amount to the Fund and we do not have the funds to pay our obligation,” a source told the Variety.
The Retirement Fund will not pay the retirement benefits of a new retiree whose CNMI government employer is delinquent in remitting employer contributions.
In a separate interview, municipal council chairman Patrick Manglona said he was not able to attend the meeting.
However, he said he was informed that the Tinian leadership discussed the retirement of three gaming commissioners and three other personnel of the gaming commission.
Manglona said the municipal government should commit to pay the Retirement Fund to allow the commissioners to retire which will reduce Tinian’s payroll expenses.
Each of the five gaming commissioners receive some $100,000 in annual salary and benefits.
The Tinian delegation has been communicating with the Retirement Fund to discuss options acceptable to the Fund and the municipality. Variety was told.
“The consensus that was reached was that it is in everyone’s best interest to find a way to retire those who can,” another source said.
