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Senate resets hearing on public lands issue
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Posted on Oct 04 2008
A Senate hearing on public land issues was postponed Friday after Public Lands Secretary John S. Del Rosario declined an invitation to testify, saying there were more important things that need his attention.
The Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs has rescheduled the hearing for Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 10am. The purpose of the meeting is to gather information on issues related to homesteads, land compensation, and commercial land leases.
In addition to Del Rosario, the witnesses asked to testify at the hearing are assistant attorney general Brad Huesman, who serves as legal counsel for the Department of Public Lands, and Public Works Secretary Diego B. Songsong.
Del Rosario in a letter to Sen. Jude Hofschneider, the chairman of the Senate committee, said he could not attend the Friday hearing because he was “heavily saddled with several substantive issues requiring my full attention.”
Del Rosario said there are major investors asking for information from the DPL. He also cited the situation with Rota Resort, whose new owners the DPL recently threatened to sue for failing to obtain government approval for the purchase of the 600-acre complex. DPL also needs to fast track the pre-qualification criteria for residential homestead applicants on Tinian and Saipan and the permitting process for the proposed landfill for Tinian, the department head said.
“These are very pressing issues and I need to take advantage of opportunities to resolve them forthwith,” Del Rosario said.
On Thursday, the Senate passed a bill that aims to put DPL in the hands of a board of directors rather than an appointed secretary. Hofschneider, who sponsored the bill, has accused DPL of being slow and unresponsive on critical issues like homesteading and commercial land leasing. He has also said the legislation would lend a higher level of transparency to DPL’s decision-making.
A board of directors ran DPL’s predecessor, the Marianas Public Lands Authority. In 2006, the Legislature abolished MPLA amid allegations of misuse of public funds and abuse of power.
