Fitial to Babauta: “Don’t take the credit for $1-M Compact Impact money”

Speaker Benigno R. Fitial said CNMI voters should understand that there are a number of people to be thanked for winning a million dollar share of the Compact Impact money for the Commonwealth, but none of them work for the Clinton administration or its Interior department.

He said that even though Resident Rep. Juan N. Babauta rushed to announce the development in interview with reporters, he should have spread around the credit to parties, according to a statement released by Office of the Speaker.

Credits should go to such people as the key members of Congress who lobbied on behalf of the CNMI, personal lobbying of Congress by members of the House majority coalition and the more favorable impression being generated about the Commonwealth in Washington D.C. despite the best efforts of those who favor federalization, according to the statement.

“Now [Mr. Babauta] is telling that a million dollars in Compact assistance was his goal from the beginning,” Mr. Fitial said, “but the goal of his allies at Interior was to give us zero once again as they have for years.”

He added that Mr. Babauta “maybe… should take lessons from [Guam Delegate] Bob Underwood who got $10 million for his island.”

The CNMI claims millions of dollars have been owed by the United States for expenses incurred in providing education and other services to Micronesians who migrated to the Commonwealth under the Compact of Free Association. The Commonwealth was not a party to such agreement.

But while the Interior department has grudgingly supported payment of a portion of Compact Impact claimed by Guam, it has recommended against such compensation to the CNMI for years, according to the statement.

The money in question, as well as $11 million in capital improvement project money for the CNMI, was put in the appropriation for the Interior Department.

The appropriation is expected to complete legislative approvals shortly and will likely get signed into law by President Clinton.

Mr. Fitial said Mr. Babauta can claim credit for the CIP money too, if he wishes, but that should really go to Gov. Lorenzo I. DeLeon Guerrero and former Lt. Gov. Benjamin T. Manglona, fellow Republicans who got the program started in the first place.