GOVERNOR Juan N. Babauta, who will mark his 100th day in office today, says his job as the CNMI’s chief executive has been a “humbling yet rewarding experience” so far.
“I haven’t hit my stride and there is always something coming up that is a challenge,” Babauta told reporters yesterday.
However, he added, “despite all the financial difficulties that we have…and the criticism…that comes along with this job, it has been a tremendous honor and I have always appreciated the trust the (people) gave me—it’s a humbling experience.”
Putting the right people in key government positions “has proven to be a challenge,” he said. “We are trying to put the right people…to make sure that we would be consistent with the overall idea and philosophy of putting together a government that the (people) can trust and depend on.”
Babauta is also hoping that all CNMI officials would continue to cooperate because “we cannot do business otherwise.”
He added: “There (have been) disagreements, but we have to (find areas of) agreement rather than fostering disagreements.”
He said the biggest challenge that his administration faces is “changing the attitude of our community so that we can work together, pull our resources and lessen the acrimonious relationship…between the administration and the Legislature that had slowed us down in the past.”
The Office of the Governor is expected to release next week a report on the accomplishments of the administration in its first 100 days in office.
