GOVERNOR Juan N. Babauta has certified that 15 positions in various government agencies are vacant and must be filled within the current fiscal year.
In five separate letters to Senate President Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota, and House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider, R-Saipan, Babauta said “pursuant to 1 CMC 7204(d),” the vacancies must be filled “during the period of our present continuing resolution.”
The positions that needed to be filled are the following: for the Office of the Governor, an office aide; for the Workforce Investment Agency, two intake clerks; for the Tinian Mayor’s Office, an advisor, community worker, executive secretary, chief executive officer, assistant chief executive officer and a resident department head for the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs.
At the request of the mayor of Rota, the governor also intends to fill the following positions: special assistant for projects, project development worker, administrative assistant, counselor aide, school aide and community worker.
Babauta told Manglona and Hofschneider that the filling of these vacant positions “is of vital importance for the efficient delivery of essential public services.”
He also assured them that “continuing appropriations are available for the full personnel costs associated with these vacancies.”
Due to the low wages paid by the private sector, the CNMI government remains the largest employer of locals.
Based on a recent study by Bank of Hawaii, U.S. citizens on Saipan made up 81.2 percent of government workers. Only 3.5 percent of the local workforce are in the manufacturing industry while 3.3 percent are in the construction industry.
