(Office of the CNMI Governor) — Senior officials from the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Office of Insular Affairs are in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands this week to engage in a series of high-level meetings focused on fiscal reform progress, audit milestones, and budgetary planning.
The visit includes Angel A. Demapan, deputy assistant secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary – Insular and International Affairs, and OIA Budget Director Jonathan “Jeff” Dunn.
Demapan and Dunn met with Gov. David M. Apatang, Lt. Gov. Dennis C. Mendiola, and key CNMI cabinet members to review fiscal reform milestones requested by the White House Office of Management and Budget in response to the Commonwealth’s ongoing budgetary challenges.
Discussions also addressed the CNMI’s request for a seven-year schedule of budgetary support, as part of preparations for formal Section 902 consultations scheduled for Feb. 17.
Additional meetings are scheduled throughout the week to continue coordination on fiscal reform and economic development priorities. Demapan and Dunn are scheduled to meet with the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors to discuss economic development-related OMB milestones, including a visit to the Business License “One Stop Shop” to review process improvement initiatives aligned with federal requirements.
Further engagements include a meeting with the Marianas Visitors Authority to discuss tourism growth milestones, followed by site visits to the Garapan Revitalization Project, supported by Economic Development Administration funding, and other destination enhancement initiatives.
On Thursday, meetings were scheduled with the CNMI secretary of Finance and staff, including the introduction of RMA Associates, OIA’s audit contractor, and a review of audit status and applicable OMB audit milestones.
Additional discussions are planned with the Statewide Accounting and Management Bureau and the secretary of Finance to address budgetary and financial reform benchmarks.
The visit also includes briefings on Capital Improvement Program projects and a meeting with Ernst & Young to review audit status and milestone expectations.
Governor Apatang welcomed the ongoing engagement, emphasizing the importance of continued coordination with federal partners to strengthen fiscal accountability, advance reform efforts, and support the Commonwealth’s long-term economic stability and recovery.
The visit reflects continued collaboration between the CNMI and the U.S. Department of the Interior as the Commonwealth works toward meeting federal fiscal reform requirements and prepares for upcoming consultations on budgetary support.
