MPLA spends nearly $50K in travel costs last month

Travel costs of the Marianas Public Lands Authority, including per diem fees of employees, reached nearly $50,000 in January 2006, based on documents released by the agency.

The bulk of some $48,841.60 in travel expenses came from the Seattle, Washington trip of board chair Ana Demapan-Castro, member Nicolas Nekai and commissioner Edward DeLeon Guerrero.

Travel advances of Demapan-Castro and Deleon Guerrero for the Seattle trip totaled $7,621.78 each, representing $4,050.60 in airfare, $2,661.18 in per diem fees, $560 in car rental or ground transportation cost, and $350 for “other fees.”

Nekai’s travel advance for the Seattle trip totaled $7,181, with almost the same spending as those of Demapan-Castro and DeLeon Guerrero, except for his car rental cost, which only reached $120.

In all, the Seattle trip cost the MPLA $22,425.34 for the officials’ attendance to a four-day conference at the Hotel Monacco Seattle, filing the travel advances in early December 2005. The three officials attended the Western States Land Commissioners Association conference from Jan. 8-12, despite the scheduled inauguration of Gov. Benigno R. Fitial on Jan. 9. DeLeon Guerrero reported back for work at the MPLA’s Saipan offices only on Jan. 20.

The two-week Manila trip of three MPLA employees cost the agency some $19,533, with each employee getting per diem fees of $4,500. “Other fees” totaled $1,360 each, while airfare cost $651 each.

MPLA spokesman Ed Arriola, Jr. earlier said Homestead Division inspector Anthony Benavente, Demapan-Castro’s son-in-law, Real Estate and Development Division inspector James Fleming and MPLA systems administrator Frank Borja completed a two-week computer course from DB Wizards, a Microsoft-certified school in the Philippines.

MPLA insiders had pointed out, though, that only Borja has a job related to computer technology. They said the two others—Benavente and Fleming—have MPLA jobs that are unrelated to computer technology, alleging that they have close ties with Demapan-Castro. The insiders alleged that Fleming is the son of Demapan-Castro’s co-worker at a private company.

Demapan-Castro defended the Manila trip, saying that sending the three employees to the Philippines for training was in line with the MPLA’s vision for a continuing education for its staff so they could become assets to the agency.

The MPLA’s recent board meeting cost the agency at least $5,755.44, excluding cost of the meeting’s continuation in February.