The administration did not include the governor’s office on top of its list of essential services but there must be people who will continue to report to the CNMI’s top officials “even if it’s voluntary,” Demapan said.
All government agencies are expected to receive today the memorandum regarding the essential services that will continue to work during the government shutdown in case the Legislature fails to pass a balanced fiscal year 2011 budget bill before Oct. 1.
Demapan said the administration is “pretty much prepared at this point.”
The administration wants to make sure all essential services will not be disrupted during the shutdown, he added.
That’s the best the administration can do, he said, while waiting for relief from the Legislature.
“We can just expect for the worst and hope the Legislature will address the situation timely,” he added.
Demapan said although the Senate version of essential services includes the governor’s office, the administration will focus on public health, public safety, corrections and other critical areas of government services.
They have yet to come up with a list of executive branch people who will continue to work with the governor and lt. governor during the shutdown.
It is likely that all the cabinet members will continue to report for work on a voluntary basis, Demapan said.
There is work to be done to end the shutdown, he added.
