In a separate interview, OPA audit manager Rosauro Zapanta said Yumul’s request is still on their list of pending tasks because their office is undermanned.
Zapanta said OPA used to have 20 auditors but they only have six left due to budget constraint.
He is the only audit manager of OPA which gets its funding through the mandatory 1 percent contribution from each government agencies’ budgets.
The CNMI’s fiscal year 2009 budget is down to $148 million from $213 million in 2005 as government revenues continue to fall.
Last month, Yumul asked the OPA to look into the housing benefits of some excepted service employees, citing the law that was supposed to have ended such privilege as early as 2007.
The government was allowed to provide a monthly housing allowance of $600 for every off-island hire employee without dependents and $800 each for those with dependents.
This applies to all foreign hires.
But Yumul said the law states that this housing benefit should not be provided after an employee’s fifth consecutive year of employment with the CNMI government.
“This matter is of great importance considering the declining economy and government resources. Moreover, it is not fair for resident employees in similar positions that do not receive housing benefits for their off-island hire counterparts to receive housing benefits if it’s in violation of the law or if there is no regulation authorizing such entitlement,” Yumul said in a letter to OPA.
These employees include nurses, doctors, other medical professionals and lawyers.
Yumul, R-Saipan, said no one is above the law.
He said concerned agencies should ask the Legislature to amend the current law if they want to continue giving their contractual employees housing benefits.
