Saipan Tribune

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Friday, March 08, 2013

CDA board chief no plan to tender courtesy resignation

Pedro I. Itibus, chairman of the Commonwealth Development Authority board, said he will not resign unless asked by newly installed Gov. Eloy S. Inos.

In an interview Wednesday, Itibus cited the impact to CDA if its board lack a quorum.

He said the board shapes the policies for CDA, an autonomous agency that provides loans to promote economic development in the Commonwealth.

“Without us, the agency would just be nothing,” Itibus told Saipan Tribune, adding that the board's function and its need to have a quorum is the reason behind the “staggered” appointments of its directors.

Appointed by former governor Benigno R. Fitial to the board, Itibus is now on his fifth board chairmanship after being re-elected last February.

Fitial resigned as governor on Feb. 20 and was replaced by then Lt. Gov. Inos. The new administration is currently evaluating the performances of Fitial's appointees and Cabinet members.

Members of the Commonwealth Ports Authority board separately tendered their courtesy resignations. Inos, however, declined to accept board chair Jose Lifoifoi's resignation and is yet to act on the resignation letters of four other members of the CPA board.

Itibus noted that the members of the CDA board also constitute the board of the Northern Marianas Housing Corp., a subsidiary agency that serves as the key provider for housing, mortgage, and community development programs in the CNMI.

“If all of us [in the CDA/NMHC board] resign, what do you think would happen with the two agencies?” he asked.

Itibus revealed that no one among the CDA and NMHC boards have heard of any request from the governor if they would be asked to resign.

Without any directive from the governor's office, Itibus said the board will carry on with its function and mandate.

“If the governor asks me to submit my courtesy resignation, with all due respect I would,” added Itibus.