Previous Story
CNMI Judiciary disputes $1.6M of $2.4M unpaid utility services
CUC reading shows 18,000% increase in Judiciary’s monthly water use
Alexandro C. Castro and Roberto C. Naraja
CNMI Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro and Superior Court Presiding Judge Roberto C. Naraja informed acting CUC executive director Betty G. Terlaje in a letter Wednesday that they are disputing the sum of $1,680,185 for the Guma’ Hustisia building on Saipan.
Specifically, Castro and Naraja said, the Judiciary has been incorrectly charged $774,636 for water and $905,548 for wastewater/sewer services from July 2022 to the present.
Terlaje sent disconnection notices last May 3 to several government agencies, including the Judiciary, over unpaid utility services as of March 31, 2022.
Terlaje gave the Judiciary until May 18, 2023 to pay or settle the $2,486,634 to avoid power and water disconnection to Judiciary facilities on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
In the Judiciary’s response to Terlaje’s notice, Castro and Naraja asked for a meeting to discuss the matter and reach an amicable solution.
Castro and Naraja also pointed out that, beginning in July 2022, the Guma’ Hustisia’s water and sewer usage exponentially spiked and that this was “highly unusual” since their water consumption and sewer discharge had not changed in any significant way to warrant the inexplicable charge.
Prior to July 2022, their monthly water and sewer charges averaged $628 and $500, respectively, they said. Beginning in July 2022 to the present, however, the monthly charges have averaged approximately $77,000 for water and $90,000 for sewer—with their monthly water consumption reportedly going up from 8,877 gallons to 1,633,036 gallons.
“This was drastic increase of approximately 18,000%,” said Castro and Naraja, adding that they expect to resolve this discrepancy through CUC’s dispute resolution process.
The Judiciary receives its operations and utilities funds through annual legislative appropriations. Historically, though, the Judiciary has been receiving insufficient amounts to meet these obligations, Castro and Naraja said.
“We now face the difficult choice to completely shut down judicial operations for our people on Tinian and Rota, and cut family court, drug court, and mental health court services on Saipan,” the two officials said.
They said they dispute CUC’s meter reading beginning in July 2022.
