Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan, said his opinion is backed by a federal court ruling.
Citing a case in which the federal government sued Tinian over a breach of contract amounting to $2 mllion, Tenorio said the CNMI attorney general at that time refused to represent then-Tinian Mayor Francisco M. Borja because he was not part of the central government.
The issue in that case was whether the municipality of Tinian could sue and be sued.
Tinian claimed it was not a chartered municipality and not capable of suing or being sued.
The U.S. District Court for the NMI ruled that the municipality of Tinian was chartered and could sue and be sued.
In an interview yesterday, Tenorio said the ruling indicates that the municipal governments are not part of the CNMI’s central government.
In order to be benefit from the CNMI retirement program, one must be an employee of the commonwealth government, he added.
Since Tinian, Rota and Saipan are not part of the central government, Tenorio said the islands’ mayors and municipal employees should not be part of the Retirement Fund benefits.
The Retirement Fund, he said, should stop its program for Tinian, Rota and Saipan, most especially for the personnel of the Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission.
The Fund, he added, should also stop getting contributions from municipal governments and if necessary, should return those that have already been contributed.
“This is a very legitimate issue,” Tenorio said, adding that he stands on solid ground.
The Retirement Fund administration has not yet responded to his letter, but he said he will also write to the Office of Public Auditor today.
In a separate interview, Tinian Mayor Ramon M. Dela Cruz said the speaker should “seek psychiatric attention.”
“Either he is getting too old that he should retire or just so desperate that his casino did not slip through,” the mayor said.
“Just because the people of Saipan did not support his casino, he is turning his ire toward us? I don’t know why he is so desperate to get this casino. What he is doing now is a sign of desperation,” Dela Cruz said.
The mayor urged Tenorio to propose a casino initiative on Saipan instead of attacking Tinian.
Dela Cruz said Tinian and its people are part of the commonwealth.
The island, he added, contributes “substantially” not only to the Retirement Fund but also to the economy of the entire commonwealth.
Dela Cruz said Tenorio, should put together an economic recovery plan instead of getting back at those who opposed the Saipan casino proposal.
