“At this point, the spot is vacant and the administration will evaluate whether or not there is sufficient funding and need for such a position,” he said.
The special assistant serves as both the department secretary and deputy secretary’s point of contact and is tasked with getting the details on many issues at Commerce.
Asked if Villagomez left unfinished business, Ada said “We were fortunate that we were afforded some time to ensure a smooth transition of projects and responsibilities, so we avoided having too many projects lingering — we implemented succession planning for his position.”
He added, “Villagomez was an asset to the success of Commerce and will be missed.”
According to Ada, the Office of Personnel Management will set the minimum requirement for the position if ever there is a need to fill it.
He said Villagomez and John Blanco revised the department’s foreign investment database so that Commerce could provide accurate information to the federal government regarding the impact of the federalization law on CNMI foreign investors and the local economy.
The Fitial administration opposed the law’s implementation, but a federal court dismissed the lawsuit filed by the governor to prevent its implementation.
