Attorney General Edward T. Buckingham in a letter asked Rep. Joseph M. Palacios for any other “supplemental material” that would help the AGO better understand the issues the lawmaker raised.
Palacios, R-Saipan, asked the AG if the KKMP Radio had been given “improper access” to the EMO tower for free.
In his separate letter to EMO Director Jack Omar last Tuesday, Palacios said he had been receiving complaints about KKMP Radio having access to the EMO tower without paying monthly fees that other radio stations on island pay.
Palacios told Omar that if EMO is giving “freebies” to one company, “please extend the same courtesy to the rest as well.” The other radio stations here, the lawmaker said, are struggling, too, and are in dire need of assistance from the government.
“But if you are not [giving freebies] I strongly recommend that you cease this kind of practice because we are sending a ‘wrong signal’ to the business community,” he added.
In an interview yesterday, Omar said the six-month access given to KKMP Radio was just temporary. It was supposed to end last Aug. 3 that was why he notified the radio company that if it failed to unhook from the EMO tower, it must pay $600 a month starting September.
Omar said he gave KKMP Radio a deadline to come up with a plan.
Omar explained that KKMP has been providing the CNMI government assistance in grant writing and free advertisement of emergency management programs. This is why he considered the radio company’s request to temporary hook in EMO tower.
OPA, Omar added, already asked him about this issue. He said EMO has nothing to hide so he gave OPA everything it has to know about the temporary deal.
For his part, Buckingham also notified Public Auditor Michael Pai that the AG’s office will review the material given to them by Palacios.
“Please let me know if you would like to proceed on this matter jointly or if you would prefer that AGO and OPA proceed separately in a review of these matters,” Buckingham told Pai.
Variety tried but failed to get a comment from KKMP Radio owner Gary Sword yesterday.
