IN his four months in office, Gov. Juan N. Babauta has committed several mistakes, but at least he has vowed to rectify them. That’s remarkable.
The most notable of these errors was when he allowed at least 15 of his appointees to get paid above the statutory salary cap without legislative sanction. (Isn’t it surprising that none of his advisers or trusted friends was able to tell him that his actions were against the law?)
Babauta said he would “rectify” the deficiencies and ensure “future compliance” with the law, following the concerns raised by the House leadership, the Office of the Public Auditor and his critics.
The governor said he would transmit to the Legislature the amended salary certifications for his appointees. That transmission is yet to take place, and I will surely keep an eye on that. I’m also waiting for the result of his Jan. 29 statement that he would return the $23,000 campaign donations from companies owned by garment magnate Willie Tan.
Transparency, as Babauta promised in his inauguration speech, is a priority of his administration. If admitting errors and vowing to rectify them are part of this transparency policy, then that’s something commendable—a mark of a true leader.
However, repeatedly making mistakes at the expense of taxpayers’ money and delivery of public service is an entirely different issue. I hope that wouldn’t happen.
Another admission of error was when he appointed Francisco I. Taitano as director of the Customs Services Division even when Director Joe Mafnas was still legally holding the position. After more than a month, Babauta finally rescinded his appointment of Taitano, and later named him special adviser for customs and quarantine—a new position in an already bloated CNMI bureaucracy.
Despite his austerity measures and the still suffering economy, the governor, it seems, has appointed as many supporters as he can to serve in the government while giving them large salaries—but since that’s in the process of “rectification” I will set this argument aside.
Now, we have a senior policy advisor, a special assistant for federal and policy matters, a special assistant for regional affairs, a special assistant for Micronesian affairs, a special adviser for customs and quarantine, a special assistant for CIPs, a special assistant for youth affairs, etc. Of course, the governor need not explain why he needed those positions.
Meanwhile, the economy is still unstable. I wonder why didn’t the governor instead hire a reputable economist who will help assess the true state of the CNMI economy and help plan its future?
Hiring an economist is much important than paying two, three or four heads that seem worthless to this government and the commonwealth in general.
If the Babauta administration really wants to fix the economy, then perhaps it should also come up with an efficient economic recovery plan.
Almost all local banks are getting affected by the Bank of Saipan scandal. City Trust Bank has taken a hit from massive withdrawals last Friday, while Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp. has also announced that it will shut down its Saipan operations by the end of this year. A number of businesses are also shutting down operations.
The Babauta administration, of course, could be credited for the realization of long-delayed projects, including the construction of the $10 million new Marpi landfill project, the $4.192 million garbage transfer station and recycling facility in Lower Base, the $17 million adult prison facility project in Susupe, the closure of the Puerto Rico dump, and the completion of the treatment of the PCB-contaminated soil in Tanapag.
But there’s still a long way to go.
