GOVERNOR Juan N. Babauta and Sen. David M. Cing both denied that the governor allocated $2 million of Compact Impact funds to Tinian High School to “guarantee” that the Senate Committee on Executive Appointment and Government Investigations, formerly headed by Cing, would confirm all gubernatorial appointees.
“My decision has nothing to do with anything other than to complete the construction of Tinian High School. I feel that the completion of the school is essential for the students and the community. That is what I am concerned about,” said Babauta on Friday.
Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero, American Reform-Saipan, claimed he learned from Cing that Babauta earmarked the $2 million to Tinian in exchange for the confirmation of all his nominees.
But Cing, D-Tinian, denied that he said this to Guerrero.
“I never said anything like that to him. Maybe that is his own belief. Some may say that good politics means that I will confirm 99.9 percent of the governor’s nominees. But no sir, I will not confirm an appointee even with $10 million because the integrity of my committee is priceless,” said Cing in an interview yesterday.
Sen. Pete P. Reyes, chairman of the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation, recently wrote to Babauta requesting him to “justify” his decision to allocate the $2 million to Tinian.
“The…delegation hereby respectfully requests that the Office of the Governor provide an explanation of the laws and procedures that would justify the proposed expenditure of the $2 million…fund,” Reyes, R-Saipan, told Babauta.
Reyes said the educational and social services on Saipan “are the most affected by the Compacts of Free Association.”
“Tinian, by contrast, has not faced the same level of increased demand for educational or social services. (Thus) to effectuate the purposes of (the U.S. policy on the Compacts), a proportionate amount of the…fund for fiscal year 2002 should be expended…on Saipan and the Northern Islands,” Reyes said.
Under the Compacts signed by the U.S. and the Freely Associated States—Palau, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia—FAS citizens can freely migrate to America and its territories.
In return, the federal government promised to reimburse states and territories that are “accommodating” FAS citizens. This reimbursement is called “Compact Impact.”
