Lee Cabrera, acting CPA executive director and Saipan port manager, spent his last day with the agency yesterday by attending scheduled meetings in and out of his office.
Cabrera’s retirement came at a time when CPA is still under the governor, who earlier declared that a state of emergency exists at the agency.
Cabrera worked for the government for about 15 years, seven of which were with CPA.
He plans to join the private sector.
“We regret the loss of Mr. Cabrera’s services,” Press Secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. told Variety yesterday. “Mr. Cabrera is a very competent and capable director and his leadership will be missed. We wish him the best in his other pursuits.”
As of yesterday, the governor had not named a new acting CPA executive director.
“I believe the governor may have to name an acting director with Mr. Cabrera’s departure from CPA, at least until a fully functioning board can name a director,” Reyes said.
Cabrera is the third top official of CPA who stepped down this year — the other two are former acting executive director and fire chief Stanley Torres Jr. and legal counsel Jose Bermudes.
Torres became acting executive director after Clyde Norita resigned in May 2007.
Torres resigned in Jan. 2008 and Cabrera, who headed the seaport division, was named as acting executive director.
The ports authority has also been without a comptroller since the resignation of George Palican in Feb. 2007.
Frances Mafnas serves as CPA’s acting comptroller.
Cabrera earlier said that CPA’s financial troubles had nothing to do with his decision to retire which he made last April, or before Gov. Benigno R. Fitial took over the agency.
