Senate confirms Attao, Johnson, Borja, San Nicolas

The Senate confirmed yesterday the separate appointment of four nominees to serve as board members of the Northern Marianas Technical Institute, Commonwealth Economic Development Authority, and CNMI Scholarship.

All eight senators present at the session voted “yes” to confirm the appointment of Catherine Marie Attao and Roland Johnson to serve as members of the NMTI board, Frank Lee SN. Borja to serve as a member of the CEDA board, and Patricia Joy S. San Nicolas to serve as a member of the CNMI Scholarship board.

Attao will represent Saipan, the Northern Islands, and women on the NMTI board. She will serve a four-year term and, because the terms of the trustees are staggered, her term will expire on March 11, 2027.

Johnson will represent Saipan, the Northern Islands, and businesses on the NMTI board. He will serve the remaining four years of a previously vacant four-year term that’s expiring on March 11, 2027.

Borja and San Nicolas will represent Tinian and Aguiguan on the CEDA board and CNMI Scholarship board, respectively.

Borja will serve another four-year term, which will expire on Sept. 25, 2027. He started serving the board of the then-Commonwealth Development Authority (now called CEDA) in 2017.

Sean Paul B. Reyes, who is the special projects coordinator at the Office of the Governor, said the Senate’s confirmation of the four nominees is “just a step forward as the administration complete the vacancies for all boards and commission.”

Attao was re-appointed last Oct. 26 and the public hearing to assess her credentials was conducted last Nov. 14.

Sen. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan), who chairs the Senate Executive Appointments and Government Investigations Committee, said that Attao is no stranger to her post as she previously served that same position. She said Attao is also no stranger to NMTI’s challenges and achievements.

Babauta said Attao recounted during the hearing her experiences and challenges during her previous tenure as a member of the trustees and is willing to continue the task to fully develop NMTI into a regional model to supply skilled workers to the Commonwealth workforce.

As for Johnson’s appointment, he was nominated last Nov. 2 and appeared before the committee last Nov. 14. Babauta said Johnson’s unique experience in auto mechanics spans over 55 years of technical and hands-on experience.

She said the committee has full confidence in Johnson’s expertise and experience and knowledge that he is a good fit to serve on the NMTI board.

With respect to Borja’s appointment, he was nominated last Nov. 9 and his conduct and credentials were scrutinized in a committee meeting held on Tinian last Nov. 13.

Babauta said Borja has previously served on the CDA board prior to this nomination and the committee did not receive any letters or oral testimony opposing his nomination.

She said Borja’s credentials include being a graduate of the University of Guam and the University of Texas and based on his articulation during his examination hearing, the committee confidently endorses his confirmation.

Sen. Karl R. King-Nabors (R-Tinian) said Borja’s résumé speaks for itself and the nominee himself made the decision to return to the CNMI and provide his expertise and knowledge to the second senatorial, as well as the CNMI.

“It’s important that we continue to encourage our people to come back and give in any capacity in any way that they can,” King-Nabors said.

Regarding San Nicolas’ appointment, she was nominated last Oct. 26 and her qualifications, experience and education, as well as her professional conduct, were scrutinized in a committee meeting held last Nov. 13 on Tinian.

Babauta said San Nicolas’ communication skills, her conduct and her commitment to education bodes well to be a member of the CNMI scholarship board. San Nicolas is an educator by profession.