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DoF secretary to leave govt this month
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Posted on Dec 10 2005
Finance Secretary Fermin M. Atalig is set to leave the department at the end of this month.
Atalig said he is retiring after 26 years in government service.
Atalig served as the government’s finance chief just as the Commonwealth faced a most difficult time in its history, owing to the severe downsizing within the garment industry due to the worldwide lifting of trade quotas as well as the fiscal dilemma created by the departure of Japan Airlines.
In addition, the government’s coffers have been hit hard by the unexpected expenses incurred due to the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. state of emergency declaration this year.
“It’s has been very challenging but we remain standing. Despite all these challenges, there has been no payless paydays. We have electricity. There’s more CIP projects. You look around and see that we have so many ongoing infrastructure projects,” he said.
Atalig said the Babauta administration “did a lot” but its performance seemed to be overlooked because of “huge economic problems beyond our control.
“It’s too bad that the economy is not in our favor,” he said.
The government only collected $26 million in garment user fee in FY05 or a 14-percent decrease from than the annual average collection.
User fee represents 3.7 percent of the total gross sales of the industry.
The trade liberalization has resulted in the closure of five garment factories and downsizing of operations of others.
Meantime, Atalig joined the Babauta administration in late 2002 initially as Commerce secretary and later as Finance secretary.
Before this, he served as member of the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents for two terms, representing Rota.
Atalig chaired the board, which also serves as State Board of Regents for post-secondary programs, during his last term.
Prior to that, Atalig worked as resident director for the Rota Health Center.
He also served as Rota commissioner for education.
He began his government career as tax officer in 1978.
