‘So has the CNMI spent $21.7M COVID-19 relief funds or not?’

Rep. Christina E. Sablan (D-Saipan) wants clarity from the Department of Finance whether the $21.7 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds had already been spent or not by the CNMI government.

Finance Secretary David DLG Atalig reiterated Tuesday his previous statement that the CNMI had already exhausted the $21.7 million that U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had asked about.

At a House session Monday, Sablan noted that there has been some back and forth between the U.S. Congressional Office and the CNMI Department of Finance and the administration as to the status of these CARES Act funds.

“Do we or do we not have $21 million that remains unspent?” Sablan asked, adding that the money could lapse and be returned to the federal government come Dec. 31, 2021.

She noted that there had been another response from the Congressional Office that still seeks clarification whether these funds will be spent or not, or have they been spent or not.

The lawmaker said that Atalig’s letter of Dec. 8, 2021, to Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) is not all that clear. She noted that the House Ways and Means Committee chairman repeatedly asked Atalig for the expenditure report on the CARES Act fund, not to mention all of these other federal streams of funding that are coming into the Commonwealth.

“But we have not seen the reports that we’ve been asking for,” Sablan said.

She said she remains concerned, like many lawmakers are, that the CNMI could be at risk of losing out on these $21.7 million if they don’t get some clarity and confirmation from the administration as soon as possible.

She said she understands that the House Ways and Means Committee is once again submitting a request to Atalig.

“And I would hope that there would be some briefing for this body shortly, ideally before the holidays,” the lawmaker said.

In response to Saipan Tribune’s inquiry during Tuesday’s radio press briefing, Atalig reiterated his previous statement that the $21.7 million had already been spent. He said he had already responded to Delegate Kilili Sablan where he shared that they’ve exhausted those funds.

Atalig earlier disclosed to Saipan Tribune that all $36.3 million in CARES Act funding, including the $21.7 million, had already been spent but they have not finalized their report to the U.S. Treasury yet.

Atalig said Tuesday that he knows that Delegate Sablan and Pelosi are doing their due diligence to ensure that if they do have funds available that they make sure they spend it. He said their final report is not due until Jan. 10, 2022. In that final report, Atalig said, they will show that they’ve exhausted all the funds.

“Keep in mind we still have about $54 million of expenses that have not been reimbursed by [the Federal Emergency Management Agency],” he said.

Atalig said in their final report they will show line item expenditures identified as against the CARES Act funds.

Early this month, Delegate Kilili Sablan wrote to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres informing him that Pelosi had asked him about the $21.7 million COVID-19 relief funds for the CNMI that will be expiring on Dec. 31.

Pelosi asked Sablan for the governor’s plan of expenditure for these funds.