By Zaldy Dandan – Variety Editor
Magic wands don’t power the islands
CPUC wants CUC to pay net-metering credits required by a law that was passed without consulting CUC. Not surprisingly, there was no study on the law’s “full impact” on CUC.
In March, CPUC froze any increases to the Fuel Adjustment Charge, which pays for power plant fuel costs.
Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, the public utilities chair says he opposes legislation to waive the $15.7 million CUC owes DPW for road cuttings.
How, exactly, is CUC supposed to pay for all these obligations?
Many believe certain CUC officials and personnel are overpaid, and that pay cuts should result in lower utility rates, funding for net-metering credits, and payment of penalties owed by CUC.
Would it, though? Lawmakers should find out. CUC should provide them with relevant information, including pay rates for positions mandated by the federal government under stipulated orders.
And why stop there? What about the “high salaries” at other government branches, departments, divisions, bureaus, offices, programs, public corporations, semi-autonomous agencies, including federally funded units?
CUC, in any case, says that if DPW’s demand were enforced, “CUC would either be forced into receivership or compelled to implement rolling blackouts across Saipan, Tinian, and Rota to preserve minimal operations.”
And what was the House public utilities committee chairman’s reply? “I don’t support clown operation,” he said.
How statesman-like.
Elected officials continue to make demands on CUC while stiffing it of what the government owes. Like waving a magic wand, the administration earlier “offset” more than $10 million in utility bills. Capital Hill also passed a law waiving approximately $30 million in penalties, surcharges, and late fees that CHCC owes CUC.
So again, we ask:
How is CUC — having incurred losses averaging millions of dollars per year between fiscal years 2021 and 2024 — supposed to pay for obligations imposed by feel-good but arithmetically challenged laws?
Show not tell
THE administration’s FY 2025 annual report claims that three businesses are registering for every one business that closes. And this, apparently, “is a promising outlook for the private sector, signaling a continuing entrepreneurial spirit in the CNMI.”
Is it?
Several prominent and major businesses have shut down since 2023. So what are these “new businesses” that have opened shop on-island? How many of them are old businesses that have simply re-registered under a new name? How many were created primarily to avail themselves of local or federal grants? Remember the dozens of “new businesses” that sprouted following the announcement of the BOOST program in 2020? Incidentally, how many of those “new businesses” are still around?
And speaking of BOOST — and ARPA funds — where is the final, comprehensive report on their expenditures that was promised about three years ago? How, exactly, were the ARPA funds spent? Who received BOOST money and how much did they get? How many recipients are considered “questionable”? Was any law violated? What were the results of the investigations reportedly conducted by local and federal authorities?
Perhaps some officials believe that releasing a final result would take the political sting out of the issue, especially in an election year.
In other words, “Transparency for thee, but not for me.”
Zaldy Dandan is the recipient of the NMI Society of Professional Journalists’ Best in Editorial Writing Award and the NMI Humanities Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism. His four books are available on amazon.com/.
