Governor Juan N. Babauta says he has a successful meeting with key federal officials and was able to secure additional federal funding for the commonwealth.
Babauta, who is still in the nation’s capital, told Variety on Friday that the CNMI will receive over $1 million in Compact Impact and other federal grants for the next fiscal year.
Babauta met with newly named Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Affairs David B. Cohen last week after attending the 3-day annual Western Governors Association Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
“I want to tell the people of the CNMI that we had a very, very fruitful meeting with Deputy Assistant Secretary Cohen,” Babauta said.
For fiscal year 2003, the CNMI would receive $800,000 in Compact Impact reimbursement. Although the figure is less than what the commonwealth received for the previous fiscal years, Babauta said he was given assurance that the CNMI would continue to receive Compact Impact funds.
He said there will be some money diverted from other sources and added to the CNMI’s Compact Impact funds.
Babauta said Cohen also assured him that the CNMI will continue to get funding for its Financial Management Information Program.
Interior will provide the CNMI with $182,000 for the Babauta-Benavente administration’s performance government initiative, the governor said.
The Department of Labor and Immigration, the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Public Health and the Office of Management and Budget will also get federal funds, he added.
The governor said he and Cohen likewise discussed the 902 consultation talks between the CNMI and federal governments.
“He assured me that this matter will be brought up to President Bush,” Babauta said.
Babauta and Cohen will “try” to convene the talks in October this year.
The governor has named Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente as chairman of the CNMI panel to the 902 talks, but President Bush has yet to name his representative.
Babauta said Cohen also expressed support for the CNMI government’s education, health and tourism promotion and initiatives.
Moreover, Cohen is supporting the need to pursue a comprehensive health study in Micronesia, the governor said.
Babauta hopes that the health study will lead to the establishment of a pediatric hospital on Saipan, the strengthening of tertiary level care on Guam and the creation of a diabetes referral center in the Federated States of Micronesia.
Babauta said the administration’s Education Initiative was lauded by Cohen.
The governor said he also sought federal technical assistance for the Marianas Visitors Authority.
