‘Where are the documents we asked for?’

Following a reported failure by certain agencies to submit required documents, House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial has formed an investigative committee that would force these agencies to appear and respond to the chamber’s inquiries.

Fitial said Friday that he created the panel and appointed Rep. Claudio Norita to be its chairman.

The panel is specifically tasked to go after the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., Marianas Public Lands Authority, Marianas Public Lands Trust, Department of Public Safety, and the Department of Public Health.

Fitial said that Norita’s committee would ascertain, among others, why the MPLA and MPLT seem to have not resolved their differences on fund issues.

MPLA and MPLT were ordered over a year ago by the court to pursue a settlement agreement over the MPLA’s “questionable” use of a multi-million dollar proceeds from land leases.
Sometime last year, the MPLA said that its court-led negotiations were nearing completion.

Meantime, during Friday’s session, House Vice Speaker and Public Utilities, Transportation, and Communication Committee chair Timothy Villagomez aired his frustration over the CUC’s failure to submit requested documents on the power situation on Saipan.

“The power situation is a grave concern, and the panel never received the documents it requested from CUC. Now the CUC is pushing for privatization without doing any comprehensive consultation. CUC needs to know that it can’t privatize something that it does not own. CUC is a public corporation,” he said.

Villagomez, a former CUC executive director, also noted that while CUC did not provide his committee with needed information, the agency seems to be already making big plans, including the possible entry of a power barge amid a seeming power crisis.

“What’s happening with CUC? CUC is not giving us an accurate picture,” he said.

He noted that, while CUC earlier denied that there is a power crisis and a meltdown of the power system, its actions seem to confirm such a situation.

“Here’s the board chairman planning to bring in power barge. Does CUC know that power barge costs a lot more than buying an engine? It’s very expensive and it’s an environmental concern,” he said.

PUTC earlier asked CUC to submit documents on the power situation by June 4. Villagomez said that, instead of complying, CUC sent a letter asking for a deadline extension, without specifying any extension date.

CUC board chairman Herman P. Sablan said the CUC management was “quite busy at this time.” He also took exception to the PUTC chairman’s “manner” of asking.

“I don’t think there should be a deadline. Why put a deadline?” Sablan asked.

The panel asked CUC to submit information on the power situation by June 4 or face a subpoena.

In a June 2 letter to CUC, Villagomez had noted that less than 48 hours after getting assurances from CUC about sufficient power supply on Saipan, the utility firm began power shedding, instituting “rolling blackouts” across the island.

These, he said, had adversely affected the tourism industry, among others.

Meantime, Norita declined to comment on what particular issues his committee is pressing with DPH and DPS.

Norita also reported during the session that both agencies failed to submit documents as requested.