Probe set on NMC ‘mismanagement’

High-ranking officials of the Northern Marianas College as well as top finance officials of Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio will face beginning on Thursday a House panel that will investigate into allegations of mismanagement of CNMI’s lone higher learning institution.

But Rep. Heinz Hofschneider, chair of the Health, Education and Welfare Committee, said that the oversight is not an attempt at fault finding as to what went wrong in the affairs of the financially troubled state college.

“There will be no finger-pointing,” he told reporters after meeting with members of the panel on Friday. “We will find out what are the problems with the college and what is the role of the administration and the legislature (in the issue).”

Among those summoned for the House probe include NMC President Agnes M. McPhetres, the college’s Board of Regents, the CNMI scholarship’s office as well as the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Finance and Mike Sablan, special advisor on Budget and Finance.

The committee is also awaiting an audit report of the college from the Office of Public Auditor which was requested by HEW last May to undertake a comprehensive evaluation on NMC’s financial standing ahead of the oversight.

Some of the audit findings will be divulged during the series of hearing to be conducted by the panel.

Hofschneider also dismissed claims that the probe has been prompted by a long-standing opposition against some NMC officials who have been at odds with him over college policies.

“Some people have taken my view as antagonistic,” he explained, “but my purpose is to improve education at NMC and to ensure that programs are preserved.”

Under attack in recent years due to its wobbling financial shape, the college last week drew yet another firestorm after dozens of students picketed the governor’s office to protest against what they charged as a government neglect on the NMC scholarship program.

At least 530 students are at risk of losing their financial aid from the CNMI government because the grants have run out of funds amounting to $575,000 that were earmarked last September for the spring semester.

Meanwhile, the HEW chairman is urging the public, especially students and parents, to submit a written testimony or voice out their opinions during the hearing to be held on January 28 at the House chamber.

The testimonies will be part of the decision of the committee on NMC and the scholarship office, according to a statement. For information, contact 664-6969.