Saipan Tribune

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Inos: All up in the air for review

Newly sworn in Gov. Eloy S. Inos said yesterday that all Cabinet members are up for review, and so are the emergency declarations for the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. as well as the proposed extradition of former attorney general and now fugitive Edward Buckingham.

Inos said he and Lt. Gov. Jude U. Hofschneider will hold a Cabinet meeting this morning to go over agencies' activities and his expectations.

In an interview after his inauguration, Inos told reporters that he has a “very ambitious agenda” given that he has only less than two years under this term. He was sworn in yesterday as the new CNMI governor after Benigno R. Fitial resigned 15 days before his impeachment trial. Inos is expected to run for governor in the 2014 general elections.

“I don't know if we have enough time. So we try to reprioritize what we're doing and there's a lot of projects on the table right now. But I like those folks to concentrate on, finish and focus on [things] like the tourism task force,” he said.

Inos, who oversees government finances, said there is a “review process” when asked whether he will replace all or some of current Cabinet members.

“There is no telling but certainly there is a review process. Everyone is up for review,” he told reporters.

He said he will take a look at the agencies' performances and projects.

“We want them to focus on the projects that we think are critical and we give them a timeline to finish and so essentially we are going to be a results-driven administration. We are going to get together [Thursday] and start asking for reports to see if we are meeting the objectives,” he said.

He said he will review the emergency declarations for CUC and see whether a board of directors can be reinstituted.

“What I like to do is maybe take another look at the executive order and I need time to really think about what is the best option,” he said.

When asked whether he would extend the contract or rehire Alan Fletcher for CUC, he said he has yet to talk to him. Fletcher was at the inauguration yesterday.

“That's part of what I need to do, although I need to do that right away simply because I understand [yesterday] is his last day in office,” Inos said, adding that if anything, he wants “smooth transition” at CUC. Inos later issued a directive extending Fletcher's contract for 30 days.

Inos said he also has to look at the memorandum from the Office of the Public Auditor on the extradition of Buckingham.

“I'm sure the governor has reasons for not acting on that thing before he left. I want to take a look at what those reasons might be. And maybe take it from there. But certainly that's an issue on the table,” he said.

He said for the most part, it was business as usual yesterday.

“I just need to keep in mind I don't have anybody above me to look up to so I am it. I am going to have to just to make sure everything is in order. But I do look up to the lieutenant governor as well for him to pitch in and we are going to be sitting down and start distributing areas of responsibility that we may have oversight on,” he said.