One of the organizers of the recent CUC protest, Propst said they have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to launch a thorough audit and investigation of all funds, federal and local, that have been collected and spent by CUC in at least the past ten years.
All individuals who have committed acts of public corruption involving CUC should be brought to justice, he said.
On Tuesday, Pula met with Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, administration officials and local businesspersons to discuss the island’s energy problem.
Propst said his group is also seeking an audience with Pula but their request had not been granted as of press time yesterday.
“We have some questions to ask him,” Propst said.
If Pula could not meet them, Propst said he hopes that Rep. Tina Sablan can present the sentiment of their group to the OIA director who will meet with lawmakers today.
He added that they will continue to lobby for federal intervention and for President Bush to declare a federal state of emergency to address the failing power, water, and wastewater infrastructure of CUC.
Propst’s group wants CUC placed under federal court-appointed receivership until such time that essential public utilities are restored. CUC’s financial condition is stabilized, and CUC is completely restructured to ensure that it is “transparent, accountable, reliable, credible, and free of destructive political interferences in the future.”
Propst said they already gathered a thousand signatures for their petition that will be submitted to the president and key federal officials including Pula.
According to Propst, “it is ironic” for the Fitial administration to ask assistance from the federal government to address the power crisis while pursuing the lawsuit to stop the federal government from implementing the CNMI federal immigration law next year.
