Nabi emergency ‘unwarranted’—Fitial

House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial is unconvinced that there is a need to declare a state of emergency due to Typhoon Nabi, which, he said, largely spared the Northern Marianas from major damage. He accused the administration of using the typhoon as an excuse to tap funds for “non-emergency” purposes.

“We’re thankful that the typhoon didn’t hit us very hard. To declare a state of emergency because of it is, in my opinion, nonsense. Everything is back to normal. Schools have resumed classes. There’s no need for emergency,” said Fitial in an interview yesterday.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta issued an executive order Thursday afternoon declaring a state of emergency to mobilize resources in response to a disaster wrought by Nabi in the Commonwealth.

“This declaration is necessary for the Commonwealth government to identify and mobilize resources in response to the damages caused by Typhoon Nabi, which has created a ‘disaster’ in the Commonwealth as defined in 3 CMC section 5114 (a),” Babauta had said.

“Is there an inventory of the damage? Where did he base his declaration? I’m really appalled by the governor’s decision. It seems like he doesn’t know anymore how to differentiate what is an emergency and what is not,” said Fitial.

He said this is just a “scheme to tap available resources to do things that are not emergency.”

Babauta could not be reached for comments yesterday.

Press Secretary Peter A. Callaghan defended the governor’s declaration, saying it would allow the governor to direct the resources needed to ensure quick recovery from the typhoon.

“It gives the governor authority to direct resources from [the departments of] Public Works, Public Safety, Public Health, [and] Community and Cultural Affairs to do the things necessary to get people’s lives back to normal, as well as to do the cleanup. There are people who were made homeless by the typhoon. For [Fitial] to say something like that means he doesn’t understand the role of the Executive Branch,” he said.

Callaghan pointed out that Guam Gov. Felix Camacho made the same declaration Thursday for the territory, which suffered lesser damage from the typhoon.

Senate President Joaquin Adriano expressed his full support to the governor’s declaration.

“I agree because Saipan was worst hit by it. Here on Tinian, about 80 percent of damage were on tin houses and farming. The declaration will make it easier to help these people,” the senator said.

He said displaced families on Tinian had returned home.

Emergency officials said there were 765 displaced individuals, including 35 on Rota and five on Tinian, following the onslaught of Nabi on Wednesday.

On Thursday afternoon, the number of evacuees went down to 109, all of them on Saipan.

Five Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives and two from the Small Business Administration are expected to arrive on Saipan today to conduct damage assessment.