He said he will also ask Interior not to release even a single penny to CUC unless it can account for federal funds it has already spent.
Interior has provided millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars for the CNMI’s sewer, water and power generation repair and maintenance, but CUC’s services remain unsatisfactory, Cruz said.
“There is no excuse that we the consumers end up being oppressed and only two engines have been rehabilitated and repaired,” he added.
He also criticized the Legislature for its “useless and pointless” efforts as consumers still end up paying for the high power costs approved by lawmakers.
Cruz said the time has come for federal authorities to investigate how CUC spent the federal funds it received from Interior.
“It is evident that something is definitely wrong with the way funding is expended otherwise we would not be in this predicaments,” he added.
He accused CUC Executive Director Antonio Muna for “covering up a failed and defaulted contract agreement” with its contractor, DCM Group.
“Muna’s statement that $1.2 million remaining from the $6.5 million funding provided by the Office of Insular Affairs is highly questionable and someone has to be held accountable for all the funding provided to CUC,” Cruz said.
He added, “The people of the commonwealth must realize and understand that CUC, the administration and DCM Group & EEI Partnership failed to deliver what was stipulated and agreed upon on a signed contract to rehabilitate seven engines in a timely manner.”
