Commonwealth Ports Authority board nominee Antonio B. Cabrera, center, and Northern Marianas Housing Corp. board nominee Vina Claire Saures Ayuyu, fourth right, pose for a photo with their family members and senators in the Senate chamber on Thursday.
THE Senate on Thursday unanimously adopted the Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations’ reports recommending the confirmation of Antonio B. Cabrera to the Commonwealth Ports Authority board of directors, and Vina Claire Saures Ayuyu to the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. board of directors.
All seven senators present voted for the adoption of the committee reports during a Senate session at 1 p.m. Thursday.
Sen. Paul A. Manglona attended the session via tele-conference while Sens. Dennis Mendiola and Jude U. Hofschneider were excused.
Special Assistant to the Administration Oscar M. Babauta thanked the senators for an opportunity to grace the session on behalf of Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, who expressed their “sincere gratitude, most especially to the EAGI Committee chair, Sen. Celina R. Babauta, for the expeditious… confirmation of the nominees.”
He said Cabrera and Ayuyu “are eager to be sworn in this afternoon so they can step foot on the agencies they will be serving from here on.”
Sen. Babauta said the committee acknowledges Ayuyu’s credentials and finds that she meets the qualifications beyond education and professional standards. The senator said Ayuyu articulately responded to the committee’s questions and was well-prepared in presenting herself before the committee during a confirmation hearing.
The committee, Sen. Babauta said, presumes that Ayuyu’s experience, education and skills will carry her well in her new capacity as NMHC board member.
A graduate of Chaminade University, Ayuyu is a program manager at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.-Community Guidance Center’s Hali-Inaguaiya-System of Care. She will represent Saipan and the Carolinian community on the NMHC board.
As for Cabrera, Sen. Babauta said “the credentials, vast experience and education as well as professional conduct of the nominee” were “scrutinized in the committee meeting.”
She said the committee has no doubt that Cabrera is “uniquely qualified and will serve the CNMI ports with reliable, sound and effective policy decisions.”
Cabrera is a former seaport manager.
After the Senate confirmation of their nominations, Cabrera and Ayuyu were sworn in at the governor’s office by Lt. Gov. Apatang in his capacity as acting governor.
