Torres’ trip to DC delays decision on CUC board
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres has yet to issue a decision on the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. board due to a sudden invitation to testify at a U.S. Senate committee hearing tomorrow.
Torres will testify on House Resolution 339, or the Northern Mariana Islands Economic Expansion Act. The bill is authored by Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan (Ind-MP) and seeks to increase the number of people allowed to apply for the CNMI-Only Transitional Worker program.
In a statement made by the Torres administration, Torres failed to arrive at a decision regarding the termination of the CUC board due to an invitation by U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources chair Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), dated April 21, 2017, to testify for HR 339 tomorrow, 10am EDT.
The statement also added that another factor that weighed in on Torres’ failure to arrive at a decision was the “necessary preparation for those meetings that have taken a considerable amount of time.”
The Torres administration’s statement ensured that the CUC board would be provided a resolution upon Torres’ return.
“The governor is very aware of his commitment to coming up with a resolution regarding the Board soon, and will do so in a manner that is transparent and has the Corporation, the ratepayers, and the community’s best interests at heart,” said the Torres administration in a statement to Saipan Tribune.
“He is also very cognizant of his commitment to ensuring that our economic development, our progress, and our pursuit for achieving a greater standard of living for the people who call these islands home continues,” the statement added.
Torres told members of the media last April 20 that he would be issuing a decision on multiple calls for the termination of CUC board members due to recent allegations of multiple conflicts of interest on the emergency procurement of an 8- to 10-megawatt engine for Saipan. Members of the CUC board include CUC board chair Adelina Roberto and directors Eric San Nicolas, Ignacio Perez, Albert Taitano, David Sablan Jr., and Joseph Torres.
Torres left 5 days prior to his “scheduled appearance” to testify. As far as “it takes time to schedule a CUC meeting” that is all bull as these useless CUC board member do it at the drop of a hat.
Torres had much time prior to his Sunday departure to weigh in on this CUC board issue and could have addressed this on Monday Morn then depart to DC.
I wonder just where he went for the extra days prior to his scheduled meeting. All on the taxpayers dime. How many are accompanying this Gov. on this trip.?