Sablan: Probe will put BOOST fiasco to rest

Rep. John Paul P. Sablan (Ind-Saipan) looks forward to helping put to rest the fiasco surrounding the previous administration’s Building Optimism, Opportunity, and Stability Together Program.

Rep. Ralph N. Yumul (Ind-Saipan), who chairs the ad-hoc committee that is looking into the matter, said Monday that they have yet to subpoena former Finance secretary David DLG. Atalig to compel to testify before the committee that is investigating the BOOST Program.

Yumul said the committee, called the Special Committee on Federal Assistance & Disaster-related Funding, is first issuing what’s called “Letter 1309” to different agencies.

A Letter 1309 in the Commonwealth Code refers to the acquisition of information by other lawful means.

During the committee’s meeting last Thursday, Sablan thanked Yumul and vice chair Rep. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan) for including him in this committee. Although he was a member of the 22nd Legislature, he said he was not a member of the joint House committees that started the probe into the BOOST Program.

Sablan said that some members of the special committee earlier alluded that there are a lot of legitimate businesses that have been here in the Commonwealth for more than two decades, but were not given the opportunity to receive BOOST funds. He said these are the businesses that went through the ups and downs of the CNMI economy.

Yet he noted that some businesses that were awarded BOOST Program money just started their business on the same year when the program was opened.

“And I am willing to put all these issues to rest. And I look forward to working with all of you,” he added.

Aside from Sablan, Yumul, and Propst, the other members of the special committee are Reps. Vicente Camacho (D-Saipan), Marissa Renee Flores (Ind-Saipan), Angelo Atalig Camacho (Ind-Saipan), Diego Vincent Fejeran Camacho (D-Saipan), Blas Jonathan T. Attao (Ind-Saipan), and Vincent Seman Aldan (Ind-Saipan).

BOOST was a project of the previous Office of the Governor, Department of Finance, and Department of Commerce that aimed to provide financial assistance to CNMI businesses and non-profit organizations.

Rep. John Paul Sablan

Rep. Ralph Yumul