Inos said the administration will work closely with the incoming 17th Legislature to address budget issues amid economic crisis.
He said they want to maximize the CNMI cash-strapped government’s meager resources without sacrificing essential public services.
Inos expects the resumption of “Austerity Fridays” and the implementation of unpaid holidays.
“The 16-hour work reduction was not the administration’s proposal. That was the Senate’s,” he said. “For [fiscal year] 2010, we asked for an eight-hour reduction just like in 2006 and 2007. The whole idea there was to have some overall cost reduction to keep some folks to deliver essential public services rather than try to shut down certain activities. It’s just a matter of trying to survive.”
Inos said in Hawaii even public schools are furloughing teachers due to the tough economic times.
He expressed hope that the cash-strapped CNMI government won’t reach that point.
“Here education is a sacrosanct matter that no one touches. We would like to maintain that so long as we can do it,” he added.
