House panel OKs vesting CHCC with public land but…

The House Natural Resources Committee recommends passage of a bill vesting the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. with some 38,574 square meters of public land adjacent to the hospital, but strictly only for the construction of medical facilities directly associated with the corporation’s operations. Over the years, the same tract of land has been eyed for a shopping mall and a federal courthouse, among other possible uses.
This, even as Gov. Eloy S. Inos said last week that the Department of Public Lands is vested with the proper disposition of public lands.

The House committee recommends passage of Rep. Mario Taitano’s (Ind-Saipan) House Bill 18-156 in the form of House Draft 1, which contains four minor amendments to the original measure.

A House session may be held as early as this Friday, and the committee report may be adopted at the time.

The committee report comes almost a year since Taitano sued DPL and CHCC for breach of fiduciary duty, and to void a land lease transaction between the two agencies involving the same tract of land. In his taxpayer lawsuit, Taitano said DPL conveyed the public land to CHCC in January 2012—under the Fitial administration—so that the latter will be able to lease the land for the purpose of generating income.

The land in question—Lots 098 D 04 and 098 D 05—is situated at the northeast corner of Chalan Pale Arnold and Navy Hill Road.

Chaired by Rep. Anthony T. Benavente (Ind-Saipan), the committee agrees that it is in the CNMI people’s best interest that the lots be used for medical facilities because it is directly adjacent to CHCC.

The committee said the hospital or the Commonwealth Health Center, which is part of CHCC, is already at full capacity at its present location, and no other site is “as well situated as the said lots for the construction of additional medical facilities.”

Medical facilities, according to the committee, refer to hospitals, hospices, pharmacies, nursing homes, clinics, medical laboratories, veterans affairs outreach clinic, assisted living families, and other structures directly related to health care and health support.

The design and construction on the lots, according to the House Natural Resources Committee, “shall be limited to the construction of medical facilities and include a small park or rest area for patients and staff to enjoy and unwind.”

“To ensure that the lots will only be used for its intended purpose, this Act further states that medical facilities will not include facilities primarily dedicated to commercial or governmental activities not directly related to health care; even if such activities may generate proceeds that indirectly benefit health care. Construction on the said lots other than the construction of medical facilities is prohibited,” the committee said.

It added that the bill puts additional safeguards by stating that the conveyance of the lots or any portion of it or interest in the lots for any purpose other than the construction, maintenance or operation of medical facilities is prohibited.

Of the seven House Natural Resources Committee members, six signed off on the committee report.

CHCC chief executive officer Esther L. Muña, in a letter to the House Natural Resources Committee, said that since the hospital opened its doors in 1986, it has encountered many instances when it exceeded the capacity of its 86-bed facility, and that there is a need to “expand and upgrade the hospital facilities.”

“Having a vest of Public Land Lot Nos. 098 D04 and D05 to CHCC from the Department of Public Lands will help CHCC in their future application for grant funding or loan to proceed with such project,” Muña told Benavente.

Muña said CHC has other areas that need improvement and expansion, such as hospices, skilled nursing facilities, and clinics that focus on reducing incidences of non-communicable diseases.