The Senate Committee on Executive Appointments is due to hold a confirmation hearing on several cabinet appointees, including Faisao and Corrections Commissioner Dolores Aldan.
“I would like to remind each of you that the people of the CNMI voted for you and are displeased with the negative turn of events, the political sweetheart deals and courtship that the members of the House and the Senate are having with the governor,” the concerned citizen wrote in a letter to Senate President Paul A. Manglona, Ind.-Rota.
“Each of you has a fiduciary duty to uphold the constitution, its laws and the interest of the CNMI people to include the rights of government employees and the efficiency and effectiveness of government services,” the letter added.
The letter writer accused Faisao of, among other things, mismanagement and lack of professionalism.
Under Faisao’s leadership, the concerned citizen said the Arts Council lost its federal grant and people who were protected by the Civil Service Commission were transferred to other offices against their will.
Moreover, the Kagman Youth Detention Center was “closed down by the feds and transferred to the Department of Corrections; the U.S. Department of Labor sanctioned DCCA for unpaid wages; the Office of the Auditor is now investigating DCCA’s Office of Aging on misuse of government vehicles and federal funds to purchase food, beverages and propane gas for the Covenant Party campaign rallies,” the letter writer said.
Asked for comment, Faisao requested for a copy of the letter, which this reporter e-mailed to him.
He had yet to issue a statement as of press time last night.
The concerned citizen also alleged that Faisao, a former House member, ignored the civil service law when he re-assigned some DCCA employees to the Kagman Detention Center even though the federal government had already closed the facility.
These employees believe their support for Republican candidates in the last elections prompted Faisao’s decision to transfer them.
The concerned citizen called on the Fitial administration to consider another appointee for DCCA which also deals with the federally funded food stamp program.
“There are many individuals within Governor Fitial’s Covenant Party who are college educated and have higher qualifications and accomplishments who demonstrate professionalism and leadership that the governor could have nominated as DCCA secretary,” the letter writer said.
“I hope there are still sensible leaders who will look beyond the party and vote with ‘common sense’ and the people’s interest first,” the letter writer added.
Aside from Faisao and Aldan, other cabinet appointees who are expected to be confirmed by the Senate are Santiago F. Tudela, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety; former Speaker Oscar M. Babauta as secretary of the Department of Public Lands, and; Dr. Ignacio I. Dela Cruz, who was reappointed as secretary of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources; and Chief Public Defender Adam Hardwicke, who was also reappointed.
