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MPLA travel, board pay total nearly $150K in FY05
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Posted on Feb 02 2006
Travel advances and compensation of board members of the Marianas Public Lands Authority totaled nearly $150,000 in fiscal year 2005, according to documents obtained by the Saipan Tribune.
The documents show that Demapan-Castro tops the board members in terms of travel advances, which totaled $15,988.81. Board member Nicolas Nekai, however, received the highest amount for board compensation during the fiscal year, getting a total of $37,350.
A board member gets $150 in compensation for a meeting under four hours and $300 if the meeting is greater than four hours. Board compensation is separate from per diem fees that MPLA employees receive for off-island travels.
Travel advances of commissioner Edward DeLeon Guerrero for the fiscal year totaled $22,995; while those of legal counsel Ramon Quichocho totaled $15,415.
Demapan-Castro’s brother, MPLA chief financial officer David S. Demapan, had a total of $8,421.55 in travel advances, while her daughter, Real Estate and Division chief Sharee Maratita, had a total of $3,650, including a $3,400-travel advance for a Chicago trip.
Travel advances by the board members totaled $11,726.59 for Nekai, and $10,518.68 for vice chair Manuel Villagomez. Board member Felix Sasamoto only had $3,051.94 in travel advances for fiscal year 2005, while former board member Benita Manglona had $3,686.05.
Board compensation during the fiscal year totaled $101,520—$18,300 for Demapan-Castro, $$11,520 for Villagomez, $23,400 for Manglona, and $10,950 for Sasamoto.
The total increased from fiscal year 2004’s total of $44,370. During that fiscal year, Nekai got the highest board compensation of $15,570. Demapan-Castro got $10,050; Villagomez, $9,330; Sasamoto, $450; former board members Benita Atalig and Pedro JL. Igitol, $5,850 and $960, respectively; and the late Pedro Atalig, $2,160.
