SENATE Vice President David M. Cing has asked Senate President Paul A. Manglona to allow him and Senate Minority Leader Pete P. Reyes to engage in an uninterrupted debate on the $2 million Compact Impact fund that Gov. Juan N. Babauta recently earmarked for the completion of Tinian High School.
“(I) formally requested that a special session be called wherein myself and…Senator Reyes may engage in a debate concerning the Compact Impact funds…. (This is) not to only sanction such a debate but to use the powers vested in your office…to control the debate in such a manner as to allow the debate to proceed without interruption,” Cing, D-Tinian, told Manglona, R-Rota, in an April 30 letter.
Cing earlier challenged Reyes, R-Saipan, to a debate after the minority leader questioned the governor’s move to transfer the funds to Tinian which he believed should benefit Saipan as it hosts most if not all citizens from Freely Associated States.
But Reyes, in an interview yesterday said that while he welcomes the debate, he “did not see it fair and proper” to have the Senate president as the moderator for the debate. He also said this should not be done in a special session as “it has nothing to do with the Senate’s business.”
“Why should a biased Senate president become the moderator when he is expected to support the majority of his members? Why should I not expect that he would repeat what he did during the Jan. 14 inauguration when he prevented me from making a statement? I will not be challenged by a biased moderator and be stopped from responding to the issues that need to be addressed,” said Reyes.
The senator suggested that an independent entity like the Honor Society of Northern Marianas College should act as moderator.
Manglona said he will address Cing’s concern in the leadership meeting that will be held today. He declined to comment on Reyes’ statements.
