Teno says no to exemption from procurement policies

Governor Pedro P. Tenorio has rejected a proposed measure that would have earmarked additional funding from poker licensing fees to several road projects on Saipan due to concerns on the existing CNMI Procurement Regulations.

House Local Bill 12-21 sought to allocate $150,000 to the construction and various road paving projects in Precinct I.

“Although the fund balance of $150,000 from the local poker license fees is available for the proposed construction and paving of various roads on Saipan, this bill contains a provision that needs to be addressed before it could be signed into law,” said Mr. Tenorio.

In a letter to House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial and Saipan/Northern Islands Legislative Delegation Chair Pete P. Reyes, the governor raised his concerns on a provision in the proposed measure that touched on CNMI Procurement Regulations.

“Section 3 purports to exempt the expenditure authority from the CNMI Procurement Regulations, provided at least three quotations are solicited,” Mr. Tenorio told the legislators in his transmittal letter.

He pointed out that this local legislation cannot waive the CNMI Procurement Regulations, as the authority for such is derived from a Commonwealth-wide law.

“I am returning this bill as disapproved, and hope the concern can be addressed so that the proposed projects can be realized,” he added.

Several local appropriation bills, which seek to allocate funds from poker licensing fees, have been filed and approved in recent weeks. One of these is the allocation of $10,000 for renaming of the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council Building in honor of the late Council Secretary Pedro T. Nakatsukasa.

Half of the total appropriation will cover the expenses of the dedication while the other half will be for the building renovation.

Funding for the dedication and renovation project will come from the fees collected out of the Saipan poker machine licensing fees. The governor said the Department of Finance has verified that this funding source is available.

The governor has also signed into Saipan Local Law 12-9 a local bill which seeks to appropriate $95,000 from fees collected out of poker machine licensing fees to several road projects in Precinct I. (ARF)