Vote expected on possible call for Taisague

The House of Representatives ad-hoc committee that is investigating the previous administration’s Building Optimism, Opportunities, and Stability Together, or BOOST program, is expected to vote tomorrow, Thursday, whether or not to summon former Department of Commerce Economic Development director Jesus Taisague and others to testify.

House majority leader Rep. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan), who is acting chair of the Special Committee on Federal Assistance & Disaster-Related Funding, set a committee meeting for tomorrow at 1:30pm in the House chamber.

On the meeting’s agenda is the subpoena for Taisague, who partly owns Elite Group LLC, which does business as Lovebirds Restaurant on Tinian.

Taisague, who served as a member of the BOOST program review panel, testified before a joint House committee in December 2022 that he indirectly benefitted from the program, with businesses he partly owns receiving over $1.2 million.

He said he had recused himself from the review panel when the businesses he partly owns submitted the BOOST applications.

Also on the agenda is the subpoena for “Alexandria” Yuan Jing to testify. Jing is reportedly part-owner of Elite Group LLC and owns Flower Tea House, Saipan Goddess, and Saipan Horse Course.

According to the BOOST program ledger, Flower Tea House received $125,000, Saipan Goddess got $125,000, Saipan Horse Course in Kagman obtained $200,000, Sakura received $50,000, and Elite Group LLC’s Love Birds Restaurant got $125,000 and another $100,000.

Also on the agenda is a subpoena for Kevin C. Guerrero, of COVID-Care Force Micronesia and Saipan Renal Care, to testify before the special committee. COVID-Care Force Micronesia reportedly received $150,000, while Saipan Renal Care was awarded $150,000, according to the ledger.

Also on the meeting’s agenda is for committee members to vote whether to request or not House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez (Ind-Saipan) to certify the statement of contempt against former Finance secretary Atalig and send it to the attorney general for prosecution in Superior Court.