EVEN if the House of Representatives would come out with a different official position on the Verizon purchase deal, four lawmakers say they will stand firm on their position opposing the proposed purchase of the company’s local franchise by a consortium that includes Tan Holdings and Citadel Corp.
Reps. Gloria DLC. Cabrera, Stanley T. Torres, Andrew S. Salas and House Floor Leader Jesus T. Attao with two other House members sent a petition on June 17 urging the Federal Communications Commission to deny the consortium’s purchase proposal.
House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider, R-Saipan, was recently reported as saying that the petition letter sent by the six lawmakers to the FCC was not the official position of the House.
The speaker, who earlier favored a government bailout of a marina owned by a businessman, cautioned against too much government interference in the sale of Verizon’s local franchise.
But the four lawmakers think otherwise. They all agreed that government intervention is needed on business matters concerning major infrastructure in the CNMI that would affect public interest and the commonwealth’s security.
When asked if she would sign an official position of the House that would either be different or contrary to their petition, Cabrera said she “will maintain” her support “on the document they sent to the FCC.”
“I can understand how the speaker can take such a position on the issue of private investment. However, the sale of Verizon involves an industry that has a direct impact on the people it serves, unlike other capital investment where there are no direct repercussions,” she said.
She added that one of the reasons why the House was not able to come up with the official position on the purchase deal was because “nobody was around” during the last two weeks.
Cabrera, R-Saipan, said she tried for several times but failed to communicate with Hofschneider. “Nobody was around. I tried to communicate with the speaker but he was not around,” she said.
Also, other lawmakers were either on official trips or were not in their offices during the last couple of weeks when the issue of the sale was being addressed, she said.
She said each lawmaker can decide on his own as “there is no rule in the House that dictates them to have a bandwagon mentality.”
Torres, R-Saipan, said he will not change his decision in opposing the purchase deal as “it appears that the consortium provided the government with dishonest information.”
He also believes that the government needs to intervene on the purchase deal.
“No offense to the speaker’s position. I generally believe that the government should take a hands off position on private enterprise. But on this case, I think the government’s strongest intervention is needed. We should not allow a foreign company to dictate the life and welfare of the CNMI,” he said.
Attao said that the executive and legislative branches of the government “should have one position” on the issue. “I don’t think that our decision on the purchase deal was tantamount to too much government intervention. This is a normal procedure. When something questionable comes up, we have to move and protect the interest of the public,” said Attao, R-Saipan.
Salas, R-Saipan, said: “I stand firm (on my position) more than ever.”
