Reyes, R-Saipan, said the Senate informed Finance on Thursday last week that the secretaries of each member of the Legislature should be considered “essential” because “they play an important role in the enactment of the budget.”
These secretaries, he said, are the ones who provide various services while the House of Representatives and the Senate continue to hold meetings and sessions to patch up their differences and finally pass a balanced fiscal year 2011 budget bill.
Finance Secretary Robert Shrack, in an e-mail to Reyes, told the senator that “during state of emergency only the governor can decide who are the essentials.”
Reyes said Finance also advised him to discuss this matter with the governor.
Reyes said the Senate commends Gov. Benigno R. Fitial for coming up with a list of essential services in the executive branch, but the Senate is also reminding the administration about the “co-equal branches of government doctrine.”
Meanwhile, Fitial issued another list of essential services that now includes the executive director, the administrative officer and the election registration clerk of the Commonwealth Election Commission.
Also included are the chief of parole, the Capital Improvement Project Office contracting officer, the Criminal Justice Planning Agency’s executive director and other federally funded positions, the Department of Commerce deputy secretary, federally funded enforcers, the small business development manager, the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs secretary, all staff of the child care development fund program, the DCCA office on Rota, three cooks and a driver on Saipan and Tinian, various positions in the Department of Finance, the Department of Lands and Natural Resources secretary, animal health specialist, the Parks and Recreation director, the Department of Public Health deputy secretary for hospital administration, the Bureau of Environmental Health’s disease control technician, environmental health inspector, health officer, health specialist, health technicians and epidemiologist, Rota Health Center’s health technician, Tinian Health Center’s technician, medical supply officer and social service division staffer, Department of Public Safety’s motor vehicles bureau chief, driver’s license technician, vehicle registration technician, Department of Public Works secretary, executive secretary, building safety code, building inspector, building permit specialist, roads and grounds clerk, equipment operator, foreman, trades helper and trades specialist, Emergency Management Office director, Marianas Visitors Authority managing director, accountant, chief accountant, deputy managing director and two marketing specialists, Office of Attorney General’s executive assistant, victim advocate, Office of Homeland Security’s special assistant and federally funded positions, Office of Management and Budget, Office of Public Auditor, Office of Personnel Management personnel specialist on Rota, OPM director on Saipan, alcohol and drug free workplace coordinator, employment-employee relations and two personnel specialists on Saipan, Public Defender’s Office legal assistant, Veterans Affairs officer and Workforce Investment Agency’s executive director.
