He was asked to comment on Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s decision to use the sewer project funds for the rehabilitation of power engines.
The governor, with the approval of the U.S. Office of Insular Affairs, reprogrammed the $1.7 million allotted for the Tinian, Rota and Kagman wastewater projects.
The Kagman project will get new federal funding for this year.
OIA federal capital improvement project coordinator Keith Aughenbaugh recently disclosed that the project will get a portion of the CNMI’s $11,330,000 in capital improvement project funding for FY 2010.
Muna said CUC’s primary job is not to look for funding, but to deliver services crucial to the public.
CUC usually gets its funds from its operation revenues or by directly charging its customer, he added.
CUC, he said, also has to pay its vendors to ensure the continuity of services to the community.
When the governor reprogrammed funds from other projects, “it doesn’t mean were neglecting the other systems,” Muna said. “It’s a matter of determining the needs to ensure that the services we provide are reliable and affordable.”
He added, “From the customers’ standpoint we must continue to deliver services — power, water and sewer.”
He said CUC cannot favor one system over another as they have to maintain all the three systems.
But, he added, “the priority is power because without power generation stability everything is affected.”
