Superior Court associate judge Kenneth L. Govendo stated that the ruling he issued in 2009 about how much the CNMI government owes the NMI Retirement Fund was a final judgment.<\/p>\n
In a status hearing Wednesday, Govendo said he keeps hearing statements that because the Fund\u2019s lawsuit against the administration was decided by default, there is no final judgment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is ridiculous; a final judgment was issued on June 29, 2009,\u201d Govendo said.<\/p>\n
In that judgment, Govendo ruled that the CNMI government owes the Fund $231.6 million in damages and that the law suspending government contributions to the Fund is unconstitutional. As of February 2011, the government\u2019s debt has reportedly grown to $317 million.<\/p>\n
The judge pointed out that status hearings are to push for results and to hear progress reports.<\/p>\n
Assistant attorney general Meaghan Hassel-Shearer, counsel for the government, asked the court to include language in its order that the June 29, 2009, order was a final judgment and the Fund can file a writ of execution to attach government property.<\/p>\n
Govendo granted the request and directed Fund counsel Viola Alepuyo to include that language in the draft order for him to sign.<\/p>\n
Govendo also agreed to include in the order language that the government must provide the Fund a list of assets that might be given to the Fund in partial payment of what is owed. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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