Saipan Tribune

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Friday, March 15, 2013

'Decision on CEO Babauta depends on committee findings'

Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. board chair Joaquin Torres said yesterday that whatever decision is made in relation to the performance evaluation of CEO Juan N. Babauta would depend on the outcome of the committee report.

The board is scheduled to meet today and among its main agenda is to review the report of the special committee on the CEO's evaluation.

As of 7:30 last night, special committee chair Pete Dela Cruz confirmed with Saipan Tribune that the panel is still in a meeting, doing the final assessment of the employees' survey conducted last month.

Last Wednesday, the same panel-composed of Dela Cruz and trustees Anthony Aguon and Roy Rios-interviewed corporation staff and personnel to gauge the effectiveness of the CEO in his job.

Babauta's contract is expiring in July this year. The board decided to conduct the long-overdue evaluation of the CEO this early in order to determine now whether he will be retained or let go.

Sources disclosed that Babauta's employment may be at risk following revelations of dissatisfaction among trustees and many employees.

When asked what can be expected from the board's meeting today, Torres said that any decision on Babauta's employment will “highly depend” on the committee findings.

“If the committee is ready with its report and recommendation.then we may take an action. I will leave it up to the committee,” said Torres, adding that there's no rush to decide on the matter. He assured that any decision will be supported by facts.

Pedro Dela Cruz, when asked about the possibility of completing the review process today, declined to comment.

In an interview with Lt. Gov. Jude U. Hofschneider during the Public School System legislative summit last Wednesday, he described the corporation as in a “tough transitional period” at this time.

The lieutenant governor said the evaluation process is the purview of the board, and what important is to allow the process to go through.

“While this process is ongoing, the administration cannot really comment on it,” added Hofschneider.