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MPLA seeks to set up teleconference policy
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Posted on May 03 2005
Marianas Public Lands Authority chair Ana Demapan-Castro is seeking the adoption of a standard policy for board members participating in meetings via teleconference.
Currently, board members are allowed to attend meetings via teleconference upon the approval of the chairwoman.
But in an interview yesterday, Demapan-Castro said such a process was too arbitrary and subject to abuse.
“It’s not a fair process. I want a better of way of handling it. There must be established rules to determine whether or not a board member could be allowed to attend a meeting via teleconference,” Demapan-Castro said.
Under the proposed board resolution that would set for the policy, a board member may be allowed to participate in meetings via teleconference only if any of the board member’s immediate family or relative is ill or requires the assistance of the concerned board member, or if participation via teleconference is necessary to establish and/or maintain a quorum.
“Although attendance and participation via teleconference during board meetings is sometimes necessary, it is not the preferred mode of attendance and participation,” read a portion of the draft resolution.
The resolution was introduced at the MPLA board meeting in Tinian last week. But majority of the members voted to defer action on the matter.
Benita Manglona, the Rota representative to the MPLA board who resides in Guam, has reportedly expressed opposition to the resolution.
The Saipan Tribune tried but failed to reach Manglona for her comment.
