Patrick Guerrero, the governor\u2019s authorized representative, will make a final push this week to get an answer from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on the CNMI\u2019s request for a waiver on the 25% matching fund requirement of the $7.7 million that was approved for the Lost Wages Assistance program. <\/p>\n
Speaking at the House\u2019s Committee on Health and Welfare meeting last Friday, Guerrero said the latest communication he got was last Jan. 6, which is an official letter from Robert Fenton, regional administrator of FEMA Region 9, acknowledging the receipt of their Sept. 10 letter that asked for the waiver. Guerrero said he actually wrote that letter to FEMA and that Fenton had replied that the CNMI\u2019s request is being processed and that he\u2019ll (Guerrero) be notified once a decision is made.<\/p>\n
Lost Wages Assistance Program grants come from FEMA and the intended beneficiaries are workers who have been unemployed or are working few hours due to disruptions caused by COVID-19. The CNMI was approved for $7.7 million last Sept. 16, 2020, for this purpose but it came with a 25% cost share requirement.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo if we paid out $300 for the first three weeks or six weeks, then the CNMI government would have to cover the $100 cost share. So, for a total of $400 payment, that translates to over $2 million,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Other than the reply letter from Fenton, Guerrero said that that was the only communication he got from FEMA between September 2020 and Jan. 6, 2021, despite numerous requests for an update.<\/p>\n
Guerrero said he intends to ask for one last update this week. \u201cIf we don\u2019t pay out anything by March 27, we forfeit this amount,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said they\u2019ve been sort of hanging and hoping that their waiver request would get approved but, with less than 30 days to go before the grant expires, he believes that they have to make a quick decision whether or not they could source the funding. \u201cAnd I will do that in the coming next few days to [make] one final push,\u201d he said. \u201cIn my push in the coming days is where we are to make a decision and if there\u2019s no other source of funding, then I guess I would ask FEMA for one last [time]. \u2026If we pay this today, when, how much time are we [going to] get to pay the share, and that may be a factor in our decision to commit to this program.\u201d <\/p>\n
Guerrero said that Guam asked for a waiver as well. \u201cThey [Guam] did get FEMA\u2019s go ahead to go and pay and not have to pay with the share right then and there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Guerrero said the Department of Labor and Finance Secretary David Atalig are aware of the situation, and they\u2019re always following up on this as well. <\/p>\n
Committee chair Rep. Christina E. Sablan (D-Saipan) told Guerrero that Atalig was recently in the House of Representatives\u2019 chamber for the House Ways and Means Committee meeting, during which lawmakers did inquire about the LWA program.<\/p>\n
Sablan urged Guerrero to follow up with Atalig because Atalig appears to be under the impression that an $8-million match is required. \u201cAnd I recall that you had said it was lower than that,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Sablan pointed out that the CNMI is expecting a windfall of federal funds whose requirements for use will be quite flexible and could be used for government operations. Sablan said that, according to Atalig, these funds could also be used for the local match. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo, if time is of the essence, if we could possibly lose out on $7 [million] to $8 million, that could go right into the pockets of people who really need it, who needed it, you know, last year,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Guerrero said he has already alerted FEMA that, should the CNMI decide in the next few days to put up a local match, there is an allowable extension of time so the CNMI doesn\u2019t lose out on the LWA funding entirely.<\/p>\n
Guerrero said he will report back to the House Committee on Health and Welfare this week. <\/p>\n
Guerrero also said the CNMI government got approved for a community disaster loan for Super Typhoon Yutu. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be in millions and millions of dollars, but covers some shortfalls. In this event, in particular, the almost automatic $5 million that you get could also be used for this and any other activity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Guerrero said that\u2019s one of the options on the table. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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