Because keeping the discussions from the media is also part of the “ground rules” observed by the conferees, none of them gave details of the discussions that started at 2:30 p.m. in the House speaker’s conference room yesterday.
The budget panel members designated Senate Fiscal Affairs Chairwoman Jovita M. Taimanao, Ind.-Rota and House Ways and Means Chairman Ramon S. Basa, Covenant-Saipan, as their spokespersons.
Variety was told that the discussions were “cordial.”
The conferees allowed reporters to take photos prior to the meeting which discussed, among other things, the lawmakers’ discretionary funds and funding for the Public School System and Northern Marianas College.
Nothing was accomplished during the first meeting on Friday last week because only Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, attended from the Senate side.
Taimanao and the other Senate conferees, Senate Vice President Jude U. Hofschneider, R-Tinian, and Sen. Ralph DLG Torres, R-Saipan, had to hold a public hearing on Rota about the proposed constitutional amendments to repeal Article 12 or the land alienation rule.
Reyes said they agreed to certain ground rules and assigned only two persons to speak to the public regarding the budget deliberations.
Although nothing official was discussed on Friday, Reyes said they were able to plan how things would proceed as soon as the budget talks officially started.
He said both sides agreed to stay focused on the main objective of the budget, respect everyone’s opinion, have a draft budget bill by Sept. 21 and treat everyone’s suggestions as important “so that we can reach our objectives.”
Meanwhile, the Fitial administration is preparing the list of critical services exempted from a government shutdown in case the Legislature fails to pass the budget bill by Oct. 1.
In a separate interview, Press Secretary Angel A. Demapan said the administration must figure out this week “the likelihood or unlikelihood of a shutdown.”
Like last year, the list of critical positions will change if the shutdown takes longer than expected, he added.
The administration, Demapan said, does not expect to see the budget bill on Sept. 30, the last day of the current fiscal year.
The governor, he added, should have ample time to review the measure before acting on it.
