“The governor is only part of the process and he is not the prime mover,” Reyes told Variety, in reaction to Rep. Ray N. Yumul’s resolution urging Fitial to return the funds to Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School.
Reyes said the governor can recommend but he can’t dictate an autonomous body, the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. board, from rescinding its decision to provide GTC with $540,000 in federal funds.
The school applied for the grant so it can repair its dilapidated buildings.
NMHC manages the federal community block grants, but the governor reportedly rescinded its decision and re-appropriated the funds for the Koblerville soccer field project.
But Reyes said the housing corporation’s decisions don’t need the governor’s approval.
Within this week, he said, the governor’s office will meet with GTC administrators to discuss the problem.
Another meeting will be held when the governor arrives from his official trip in U.S. next week.
The Public School System has said GTC may have to be shut down after the Bureau of Environmental Health gave the school a failing grade for its failure to rehabilitate three of its oldest facilities.
Reyes reiterated that the governor believes that the soccer field project qualifies for a community development block grant while classroom repairs meet the funding requirements of the federal capital improvement project grants.
He said the governor will ask PSS to submit the plan for the repair of the GTC classrooms.
The governor, he added, has allocated $66,000 in CIP funds for GTC.
If this amount is not enough, Fitial will seek additional CIP funds, Reyes said.
