OPA urged to scrutinize MPLA travel costs

The Marianas Public Lands Authority was accused of spending over $50,000 in public funds for unwarranted trips to the United States during the past two months.

Describing the allegation as “extremely serious,” Senate President Joaquin Adriano asked public auditor Michael S. Sablan to conduct an immediate audit of MPLA travel expenses, as well as their justifications, during the months of December 2004 and January 2005.

“I am in receipt of solid information that MPLA board members took trips to the United States mainland during this time period, and that many of these trips over the holiday season and into the New Year were allegedly for personal pleasure, rather than public purposes,” Adriano said in a letter to Sablan.

“At a time when the board should have been acting on revenue generating proposals for the government, it appears that MPLA officials have been off squandering public funds for their pleasure,” Adriano added. “It is estimated that these trips to the United States have cost over $50,000 in taxpayer money allegations are extremely serious and OPA must ensure that there has been no improper use of public funds.”

MPLA commissioner Edward Deleon Guerrero said he was not aware of Adriano’s call to OPA, but added that the possible audit is in no way a cause for alarm for MPLA.

“OPA can come and audit us anytime. We have nothing to hide and we’re not concerned about anybody coming to check our travel expenses because we know they will find those trips are justified,” said Deleon Guerrero.

He said he could not recall the exact dates the trips were made, but confirmed that there was one in December and another in January.

During the Washington, D.C. trip in December, MPLA board member Nick Nekai, MPLA attorney Alan Lane, and Deleon Guerrero met with a firm to discuss matters regarding utility cables buried in public lands, the commissioner said.

In January, another MPLA delegation attended a symposium on pozzolan in Las Vegas before proceeding to Reno to visit a mining site. The group included MPLA chair Ana Demapan-Castro, vice chair Manny Villagomez, board members Felix Sasamoto and Nekai, Deleon Guerrero, and attorney Mark Smith.

“I don’t know of any trip where board members used public funds for personal purposes. All the trips they made were for official purposes,” Deleon Guerrero said.