$8.84M in local poker fees remain ‘untouched’

Some $8.8 million in local poker fees that have been allocated for several projects on Saipan are still sitting on the sidelines and waiting to be transferred.

The amount, which covers fiscal years 2007, 2008, and 2009, remains untouched as business units or their expenditure authorities have yet to process contracts to use the funds.

Documents obtained by Saipan Tribune showed that since the 14th Legislature, the Saipan Legislative Delegation had obligated a total of $25.5 million from poker license fees, of which only $16.7 million was actually used.

The balance of $8.839 million is awaiting contracts to be processed, as stipulated in local laws.

Based on the fund status of all active local poker fee appropriations, there is $4.1 million still not being used for approved projects in fiscal years 2007 and 2008. This, after the Saipan Delegation appropriated a total of $20.8 million in the last two fiscal years, of which only $16.7 million was actually expended and obligated.

For Fiscal Year 2009, the local delegation has approved $4.752 million projects to be funded by local poker fees. Saipan Tribune learned that only $20,500 was actually expended and obligated, resulting in a balance of $4.731 million that remains to be transferred once contracts are processed by expenditure authorities.

More that 40 projects approved by the Saipan Delegation in the last two fiscal years appear to be still in the works as significant amounts have yet to be used up to this time.

From the available $4.1 million in the last two fiscal years, the following are some of the stalled projects, with their respective expenditure authorities:

– Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance has a recorded balance of $947,815 as of Sept. 30, 2008;

– Zoning Board, $42,096;

– Saipan Mayor’s Office dog pound renovation, $75,000;

– Saipan Mayor’s Office heavy equipment rental, $566;

– DPL’s land acquisition, $3,395; and

– CUC’s water project in Dandan, $84,453.

Another accumulated $1.7 million is recorded for DPW for the agency’s various road projects for Precincts 1, 3, and 4.

Records also show that $200,344 is still available for the Finance Secretary’s land compensation payment in Kannat Tabla.

Only a portion of one approved appropriation this fiscal year was already expended and obligated and this is for the SHEFA operations, which has already used $20,500 of its operational funds of $79,500.

The rest are waiting for the transfer and processing of necessary contracts and requirements at the Finance Department:

– SHEFA scholarship, $3 million;

– Zoning Board, $75,000;

– Saipan Little League, $50,000;

– Liberation Day 2009, $45,000;

– Agricultural Fair, $20,000;

– Flame Tree Festival, $15,000;

– Fishing Derby, $25,000;

– Navy Hill baseball field, $30,000;

-Gloria Drive road improvement, $111,000;

– DPW’s various projects, $200,000;

– Capital Hill children’s park, $100,000;

– Precincts 1, 3 road improvements, $400,000;

– Rota Gaming Commission, $450,000;

– Northern Marianas Trade Institute, $100,000;

– Dandan Elementary School maintenance, $21,000; and

– Pakpak beach park improvement, $10,000.

A member of the Saipan Local Delegation, Rep. Justo Quitugua, appealed yesterday to business units and expenditure authorities of the approved local projects to act now.

“The expenditure authorities should really work on these projects because the longer we delay, the higher the cost for the projects,” he told Saipan Tribune.

The lawmaker said these agencies should recognize that approval of the funding was based on the “cost” when the requests were made.

“We’re very concerned about this untouched funds…because the same amount may not be enough when they decide to do the project at a later time,” the lawmaker said.

Quitugua believes that once these projects are given out to contractors, “these will help in the recovery efforts of our dwindling economy.”