According to a report from Fermin Sakisat, the CPA board’s personnel affairs committee chairman, since the last board meeting in January, there have been 17 “employment separations” due to retirement, relocation abroad or for employment elsewhere.
Recently, Sakisat said, two Rota personnel have also submitted their intention to retire pending final approval from the Retirement Fund.
“During this period and as a result of the executive order instructions, the only urgent replacements that were filled were the mechanics for the Saipan Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighter station, and four ports police trainees for Tinian,” Sakisat said in his report.
But he said within the past week, CPA’s personnel manager and department heads conducted interviews to replace six ARFF vacancies and hire 11 ports police trainees as well as two maintenance personnel — all on Saipan.
Sakisat said the selected applicants will undergo training starting today, Sept. 15.
The board, through the committee’s recommendation, has approved the creation of a new position — a security access controller for the Saipan ports police department.
Sakisat said this is a civilian position whose basic responsibility is to ensure compliance with the federal Transportation Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s advisory system requirements, including conducting security background checks and maintaining inventory and updating of security badges.
Sakisat said CPA has nine employees — six from Saipan and three from Tinian — on military deployment.
He urged the board to fill eight other “key posts” to “ensure the smooth flow of operation”: executive director, airport manager, comptroller, staff attorney, staff engineer, Saipan port manager and two senior accountants.
These positions were vacated by the resignations of Clyde Norita, George Palican, Reno Celis, Jose Bermudes, John Sablan, Lee Cabrera and two accountants.
“Also, I am requesting the board to review and re-activate the application processes, subject to the acting comptroller’s budget analysis and approval, for several positions that were advertised earlier this year but were put on hold as a result of the executive order,” Sakisat said.
These positions, which were advertised in March, are for a vessel traffic controller, general maintenance, mechanics, tariff technician and general maintenance.
