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Senate poised to confirm Mafnas, Larson as DPS and Finance chiefs
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Posted on Jun 10 2011
The Senate is poised to confirm on Monday the governor’s nominations of Ramon Mafnas and Larrisa Larson as secretaries of the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Finance, respectively.
Sen. Frank Cruz (R-Tinian), chairman of the Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations, told Saipan Tribune yesterday that the panel is endorsing the full Senate confirmation of the two appointees.
“The Senate will be confirming them because we don’t see any objections to their nominations,” Cruz said.
Press secretary Angel Demapan, when asked for comment, said the Fitial administration looks forward to a favorable action by the full Senate.
“The two posts are very critical and difficult to fill, so we definitely would like to secure the confirmation of these nominations,” he said.
Cruz reiterated that as chairman of the EAGI Committee, he has made it a point to ask the nominees during public hearings on their nominations about issues affecting Tinian and Rota including scholarship and funding for other municipal programs and activities.
The Senate will hold a session on Monday, when the nominations are expected to be confirmed.
Larson’s expected confirmation will come barely six days after the Senate held a public hearing on her nomination as Finance secretary, a post she has been holding in a temporary or acting capacity since Jan. 10 this year. On April 5, the governor submitted her name to the Senate as his nominee to become the next Finance secretary.
The Senate held a public hearing on Mafnas’ nomination on May 2, wherein he shared with senators the ongoing changes at DPS, with the end goal of raising deserving police officers’ wages, further improving public safety services, and ensuring accountability, among other things.
Mafnas, a former commissioner of the Department of Corrections, also served as Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s senior policy advisor.
The governor said Mafnas will be the likely commissioner when DPS and Corrections are merged by next fiscal year.
