REPRESENTATIVE Gloria DLC. Cabrera has requested the Attorney General’s Office to conduct an immediate investigation into the unprocessed personal action of Health Secretary James U. Hofschneider.
In a June 25 letter, Cabrera requested Attorney General Robert T. Torres to find out why Hofschneider is being paid the salary of a full-time physician after he was already confirmed as health secretary.
Based on the payroll list from the Department of Finance, the secretary receives an annual salary of more than $140,000.
Based on P.L. 9-25, however, the salary ceiling for a secretary of health is only $80,000.
“The lack of action to place Dr. Hofschneider in his respective position will most likely mean that one full-time employee is being held by someone who already has a designated position when it should be filled by a doctor who can provide full-time medical services. This is clearly not in the best interest of the people of the CNMI,” Cabrera told Torres.
She said the issue is “both controversial and perplexing” as it brings to question the “integrity of the administration’s effort to prevent excess spending.”
