CUC received the shortlist of applicants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency which reviewed and evaluated the applicants.
Cepeda said the seven candidates on the shortlist have all the qualifications required by the federal stipulated orders.
Of the seven, only one is a CNMI resident, he added.
CUC Assistant Executive Director Utu Abe Malae is one of the applicants, and has been endorsed by outgoing Executive Director Antonio Muna, who is on leave.
A working committee will look into the list of the remaining applicants before it is submitted to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, who will select the new executive director.
The committee comprises a representative from the Attorney General’s Office, CUC’s legal counsel, chief engineer, associate engineer, executive director, technical director for oil, chief finance officer, human resources manager and power generation managing engineer.
After the selection of the executive director, CUC will proceed with the selection of the deputy executive director.
More than 20 individuals applied for the position.
The executive director will get a two-year contract with a salary ranging from $120,000 to 150,000 annually while the deputy executive director’s salary will range from $100,000 to $120,000 per year.
