From fiscal years 1996 to May 2011, the CNMI had a total of unspent $3.8 million for Rota projects alone, the CIP administrator’s record shows.
The $1.8 million in federal share has already expired, leaving only the $1.9 million local share available for funding.
Over the last few weeks, the Senate has been meeting with CIP administrator Virginia C. Villagomez to discuss the status of projects on Tinian, Rota and Saipan.
The senators wanted to know how much of the local share is still available so they can re-appropriate the money.
In her letter to Sen. Juan M. Ayuyu, author of Senate Resolution 17-61, Villagomez said the federal share prior to 2004 has expired and is not available.
The local share with the Commonwealth Development Authority remains available and she recommends it to “be reconciled with CDA if funds are to be re-appropriated.”
In an interview, Ayuyu, Ind.-Rota, said in these times of economic crisis, each senatorial district direly needs those CIP “leftover funds” which have been sitting idle for years.
He said they have vowed to look into these unused funding to help alleviate the conditions of their constituents.
S.R. 17-61 states that “the availability of sufficient funding is subject to significant uncertainty due to the inability to expend CIP funds in timely manner.”
It added that “some projects may be deliberately delayed to authorize reprogramming of such funds as deemed necessary by officials other than the respective island officials.”
In 2005, the record shows that the $1.6 million CIP funds for Rota wastewater project was redirected to Saipan power production under the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s expenditure authority.
In 2007, the administration redirected $1.3 million for the same project to “other projects”
According to the resolution, “it is best fitting for the mayor of each respective municipality to be responsible for administering its CIP’s and grants.”
