Public auditor Michael Pai\u2019s reappointment or replacement hangs in the balance barely a month before his current six-year term expires in October, as Gov. Eloy S. Inos said on Saturday that it still is \u201can open question right now\u201d and he has \u201ca few names in mind\u201d that he\u2019s not ready to disclose yet. Inos said he would meet with Pai personally in a week or two before deciding.<\/p>\n
Pai\u2019s reappointment or replacement \u201cdepends on many things,\u201d the governor said.<\/p>\n
When asked whether he would inform Pai that he as governor is also considering other individuals for the post, Inos said, \u201cIf I\u2019m looking still by that time, I will tell him. If not, I will tell him the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pai, an appointee of former governor Benigno R. Fitial in October 2008, told Saipan Tribune earlier that he is \u201cinterested in continuing\u201d his work as CNMI public auditor.<\/p>\n
Inos said \u201cideally\u201d he would like to have his own appointee for public auditor \u201cbut that really is not the case. \u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to be meeting with Mr. Pai in the next week or two to talk about this and other matters\u2026\u201d the governor told Saipan Tribune on Saturday night at the newly-renovated cultural village in Garapan as part of DFS Galleria\u2019s rebranding. The luxury shopping giant reinvented itself as T Galleria.<\/p>\n
With Pai at the helm of the Office of the Public Auditor, high-profile corruption cases were pursued including those involving Fitial and his attorney general Edward Buckingham. <\/p>\n
Buckingham was found guilty of all public corruption charges except one and was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, all suspended. The case against Fitial is still ongoing. Fitial became the first CNMI governor to be impeached by the CNMI House of Representatives on corruption, felony and neglect of duty. He resigned on Feb. 20, 2013, days before an impeachment trial at the Senate.<\/p>\n
Inos said the public auditor\u2019s position has specific qualification requirements, including being a certified public accountant.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve checked a few people and they just don\u2019t want it (the public auditor\u2019s post),\u201d Inos said. \u201cIt\u2019s an open question right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked whether he\u2019s satisfied with Pai\u2019s performance, Inos declined to comment.<\/p>\n
Inos, when asked why it wouldn\u2019t be Pai again, he countered, \u201cOr why him again?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really unfair for him because I haven\u2019t discussed this in detail (with him), the kind of questions you\u2019re asking,\u201d the governor said.<\/p>\n
Concerned citizen Glen Hunter said he believes that OPA under Pai\u2019s guidance \u201chas done a large service to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were a saving grace to governmental authority under the Fitial administration. When the former AG and former DPS commissioner not only turned a blind eye but also assisted in acts of public corruption, the Public Auditor and his team stepped up. They have directly investigated and challenged numerous allegations of public corruption. Without Pai and his team, I believe that the pleas from this community for justice against the former AG (Buckingham) and impeached governor (Fitial) would have gone unanswered,\u201d Hunter told Saipan Tribune.<\/p>\n
Hunter reminded that much of those exposed public corruption cases are still ongoing. <\/p>\n
And because of that, he said there is a strong chance that current government officials who may be tied in some way to those ongoing investigations \u201cwould be hopeful that Pai\u2019s contract not renewed.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cTherefore, it is up to the community to ensure that does not happen,\u201d Hunter said. <\/p>\n
Hunter added that with Pai reportedly wanting to remain at his post, \u201cI believe it would be unconscionable for the sitting governor not to reappoint him.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cA move such as that would send a strong negative message to the community on where this administration stands on the issue of public corruption. If any department deserves credit for tackling, head on, the recent abuses of power and authority by Fitial, Buckingham, and others, it definitely is Pai\u2019s OPA. I commend Pai on his performance and thank him and his team for all they have done and continue to do to fight public corruption,\u201d Hunter added.<\/p>\n
Pai earlier said OPA is quite proud of its accomplishments during his term, including the refocusing of the audit operations and increasing the number of audits.<\/p>\n
OPA has also enhanced the government corruption and white-collar crime investigations division \u201cand believe that there will be cooperation with the Office of the Attorney General in the pursuit of corruption in the coming months,\u201d Pai had said.<\/p>\n
OPA has also improved the processing of appeals of procurement decisions, he said.<\/p>\n
Pai has been a certified public accountant for more than 20 years. He attended the University of Hawaii, where he completed degrees in engineering and business administration. He put up his own accounting firm in 1986, after working for a number of corporations and an accounting firm. He was also a shareholder for some businesses based in Guam, Minnesota, and Saipan. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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