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MPLA speaks on land compensation delays
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Posted on May 28 2005
The Marianas Public Lands Authority has broken its silence and has spoken out against the Attorney General’s Office move to delay the release of land compensation payments.
In a May 9 letter, the AGO had instructed Finance to stop processing all land compensation drawdowns amid concerns over the MPLA’s handling of recent land compensation payments. The AGO said that it was reviewing several drawdown requests pending approval at Finance.
Attorney General Pamela Brown had explained that her office is just putting in place appropriate measures and does not aim to delay the release of land compensation funds.
She said that, as part of the procedure, the AGO verifies records of any indebtedness of each claimant to the government prior to the release of funds. A review is conducted with the Division of Revenue and Taxation, Commonwealth Health Center, and other government agencies to ensure that the land compensation claimant does not owe monies to the government, she added
If the government is owed, “then due diligence requires this office to take action to collect those amounts owed.”
In a statement issued Friday, however, MPLA pointed out that, according to a signed agreement on land compensation procedures between the MPLA, the attorney general, and the Department of Finance, the MPLA will inform Finance in writing at least seven days in advance to complete their debt investigations before MPLA submits the requisition to Finance.
“Therefore, all debt investigations should be completed by the AG before MPLA submits its drawdown requisitions to Finance, not after,” MPLA said.
“The [MPLA] has put a tremendous amount of time and effort in trying to compensate these individuals who have been waiting generations to receive any type of compensation from the Commonwealth. We sincerely hope that the Attorney General’s Office quickly concludes this continued delay of payments to these deserving individuals,” Commissioner Edward Guerrero said.
