‘Fitial didn’t OK any CPA board meeting’

The Governor’s Office questioned Tuesday the Commonwealth Port Authority’s announcement of a board of directors meeting on Thursday this week, saying it is without the approval of Gov. Benigno R. Fitial.

“He [governor] did not authorize the CPA board to meet. CPA said in its public announcement that ‘pursuant to the law, the governor and the lieutenant governor hereby give notice for the meeting.’ But the governor is not calling for that meeting. The governor does not approve of that. He wants the resignation of all board members,” said press secretary Charles P. Reyes yesterday.

When reached, CPA executive director Lee Cabrera said that he received a notification from the Governor’s Office on the matter.

He said he referred the issue to acting board chair Antonio Camacho.

Cabrera said he could not say yet if the board meeting would continue as scheduled.

“I brought it up to the acting chairman,” he said.

Board chairman Jose Lifoifoi had resigned as of January this year.

Rota member Prudencio Manglona had likewise resigned.

AUTONOMOUS AGENCY

Board member Benigno Fejeran said the CPA board could hold regular meetings without the prior approval of the governor, citing its autonomy.

“We’ve been meeting. We go out to the newspaper for announcement. We never get the governor’s approval for a meeting. None whatsoever since the day I came in,” said Fejeran.

He said the CPA’s public notice bearing the name of the governor is “standard.”

The CPA’s newspaper announcement, which came out Tuesday, said that “pursuant to Public Law 8-41, Governor Benigno Fitial and Lt. Governor Timothy Villagomez, through the CPA board of directors, hereby give notice” that a regular meeting of the CPA board of directors will be held on Thursday, March 23, 2006, at 10am at the Saipan seaport office.

The board is set to discuss several issues, including the Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino’s fuel tank farm, Taga Air’s additional hangar space, Tinian dock facility, supplemental reserve fund, Open Sky matter, FY 2006 revised budget, and several others.

Fitial earlier met with the members of the CPA board to ask them for their courtesy resignations. Only two have so far resigned.

Others remain on board, including Camacho, Fejeran, Bobbie Yamada, and Serafin Dela Cruz.

Dela Cruz of Tinian said earlier that they have the responsibility under the law to carry out their fiduciary duty as board members.

He said, “Politics should not be above the law.”