Legislators Misspent $7 Million!
It is really very unsettling to read how the legislature, in fiscal years 1996-97, have misspent public funds to the tune of $7 million in taxpayers money.
The guys went on a spending spree while most taxpayers are struggling to make ends meet.
Perhaps former Speaker Diego Benavente and Senate President Paul Manglona have a sound explanation how they’ve allowed such expenditure to go unchecked?
The excuse of differences in the interpretation of law of what’s a public purpose isn’t going to stand scrutiny in terms of accountability. You are lawmakers, therefore, you should have swiftly strengthened a vague provision of law to instill accountability.
Interestingly, these are the same lawmakers who have sought for an audit of administration contracts in hopes of instituting accountability. But then it must feel strangely awkward being in the same shoes as others who have failed to exercise accountability of public funds.
The question that comes to mind is : Would legislators pay back the $7 million you’ve misspent? I mean, if others similarly situated are required to pay up or be prosecuted, then the same legal standard must be made equally applicable in the case of the legislature for fiscal years 1996-97. And we haven’t seen how you folks must have repeated the same mistakes in fiscal years 1998-99.
Lawmakers spent public funds in a manner that “supersedes” regulations imposed by the Department of Finance, according to the public auditor’s report.
“Lawmakers spent more than $500,000 for purchases never put out to bid, spent more than $79,000 for services at establishments operated by lawmakers’ relatives and spent more than $488,000 for purposes unrelated to official business”, the auditor’s report said.
It’s ironically moronic how our men of wisdom–known in our community as LAWMAKERS–have shoved aside accountability suspiciously ignorant that they too are required to follow the same sets of procurement and disbursement laws! Like buckling up, “It’s the Law!”
It’s an abuse of power convinced that they can spend public funds–your tax contributions–on services involving their relatives. Gentlemen, we too know how to patronize relatives. Apparently, you’ve decided it was perfectly fine to violate your Oath of Office and laws of the CNMI. And you call yourselves lawmakers? Eh, how about leadership by example?
Hopefully, the Attorney General’s Office would take action that would establish, once and for all, that the laws of the CNMI EQUALLY applies to every Tom, Dick and Harry, including our esteemed lawmakers! If this doesn’t happen so to encourage fostering accountability in government, then everybody in that office ought to seriously consider resignation. We need tough law enforcement for everybody!–and not just the politically poised!
In fact, I’ve heard too many towering ghost stories of cases where certain law violators have been spared prosecution for one reason or another. Obviously, it’s a tale of the lack of law enforcement in these isles. Let’s see some real accountability and justice, please?
Strictly a personal view. John S. DelRosario Jr. is publisher of Saipan Tribune.
