Amid concerns of possible illegal reprogramming, the Babauta administration has provided the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. anew with more funds, bringing the total payment so far this fiscal year to $11.4 million.<\/p>\n
This amount is $6.4 million more than the continuing appropriation, which is $5 million.<\/p>\n
Finance Secretary Fermin M. Atalig said in a statement yesterday that the government is paying CUC \u201cextra\u201d amid the soaring fuel prices, which hit a record high of $66 per barrel last week.<\/p>\n
CUC reportedly consumes 3 million gallons of fuel a month.<\/p>\n
He echoed the administration\u2019s position that CUC needs money \u201cto keep the lights on in the Commonwealth.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe CUC fuel surcharge to its customers is not enough to pay for the cost of fuel. So to keep the lights on\u2026the administration has paid $11.4 million,\u201d said Atalig.<\/p>\n
He said this \u201cextraordinary payments\u201d are allowed by the Legislature in House Joint Resolution 14-36, which gives the governor 100 percent reprogramming authority over all government funds to address CUC\u2019s woes.<\/p>\n
The House leadership, however, has expressed great concern over a possible illegal reprogramming by the governor.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe House leadership only supports the governor\u2019s legal reprogramming of public funds for CUC and strongly disapproves of any illegal reprogramming of public funds,\u2019 said House leadership spokesman Charles Reyes Jr.<\/p>\n
Reyes said the leadership insists that Babauta adhere to the law and strictly refrain from violating it. He said the governor should submit a detailed report to the Legislature showing the sources and amount of funds \u201cillegally diverted\u201d to pay for CUC.<\/p>\n
In particular, he said lawmakers in the House majority are alarmed by reports that Gov. Juan N. Babauta may have diverted money from vital healthcare services.<\/p>\n
\u201cFunds for CUC should be reprogrammed from non-essential sources only,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The leadership cited the $226,485 that was diverted from the CNMI Chronic Disease-Diabetes Control program and up to $553,392 that was taken from Saipan\u2019s Ambulance fund.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe leadership is not comfortable with the governor\u2019s reprogramming of public funds from the DPH Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program, the Division of Public Health Program, the Cancer Registry, the Breast and Cervical Cancer account, and the Rota and Tinian Health Centers,\u201d Reyes said. \u201cIdeally, the governor should work closely with the Legislature in identifying funds for CUC. The governor should develop a comprehensive and transparent reprogramming plan in consultation with the Legislature.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following the governor\u2019s May 19 declaration of state of emergency, a total of $5.1 million has been reprogrammed for CUC. Babauta said this reprogramming action \u201cis necessary to address critical fuel and maintenance issues facing the CUC.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a July 7 memorandum to Atalig, Babauta authorized the following reprogramming of funds for CUC Emergency Fuel Contingency Fund:<\/p>\n
Tobacco Control Fund\/Tobacco Control Revenue\t$940,814
\nCNMI State Based Tobacco Control\t\t98,037
\nCNMI Chronic Disease-Diabetes Control\t\t226,485
\nCNMI Cancer Registry – $67,960
\nBreast & Cervical Cancer\t – $47,398
\nEnforcement of Local Tobacco Regulations\t$29,908
\nRota Health Center\t$ 22,500
\nRota Youth Programs\t– $12,406
\nTinian Health Center\t$7,872
\nTinian Youth Organization\t$5,030
\nSub-total\t$1,458,410<\/p>\n
Developer\u2019s Tax
\nDeveloper\u2019s Tax-Saipan\t$26,471
\nSan Antonio Dispensary\t$810
\nDanDan Basketball\/Road Project\t-$25,302
\nDeveloper\u2019s Tax-Rota\t $332
\nRota Various Power Distribution\t$48,009
\nDeveloper\u2019s Tax-Tinian\t$45,842
\nSub-total\t$146,766<\/p>\n
Active Revolving Accounts
\nBoard of Nursing Examiners\t$178,047
\nCHC\/GHI Revolving\t$128,461
\nDPH Environmental Quality\/Sanitation Revolving\t$387,897
\nRota Municipal Council back pay\t$58,007
\nSaipan Ambulance Fee Revolving PL 13-12\t$\t553,392
\nTinian Ambulance Fee\t$1,280
\nRota Ambulance Fee\t$\t3,028
\nSub-total\t$1,310,112<\/p>\n
Old Remaining Budgets
\nPre 1996 Section 702 Talks\t1909\t38,446
\nPre 1996 Jr. ROTC\t1910\t2,984
\nPre 1996 TIQ Guesthouse Operations\t1920\t1,551
\nPre 1996 CHC FMS\t1921\t10,482
\nPre 1996 Finance FMS\t1928\t12,977
\n2003 Asia Pacific Little League\t1932\t1,135
\nPre 1996 Retirement COLA\t1933\t87,000
\nPre 1996 DLNR Melon Fly\t1934\t37,266
\n2000 MV Shogun Settlement\t1935\t26
\nPL 8-2 PSS Lapse\t1940\t131,321
\nPL 11-41 30% Retirement Bonus\t1941\t129,924
\nPL 10-41 Rota Mayor\t1942\t11,955
\nPL 10-41 Salary Adjustment\t1943\t520,698
\n1999 DLNR Pagan Reef Damage\t1946\t2,119
\nFY96 OPA Medical Referral\t1947\t581
\nPL 8-2 Miscellaneous\t1974\t3,110
\nSub-total\t$991,575<\/p>\n
Tobacco Settlement
\nDPH Community Guidance Center\t7651\t$355,553
\nDPH Children\u2019s Health Ins. Program\t7652\t50,261
\nDPH Division of Public Health Program\t7655\t25,131
\nCoalition of Private Schools\t7658\t47,120
\nMayor of Rota\t7657\t62,827
\nMayor of Tinian\t7658\t46,895
\nSub-total\t$387,787<\/p>\n
Others
\nFina Sisu Sewer System Project\t3388\t$500,000
\nCDA\t315,000
\nSub-total\t$815,000<\/p>\n
Grand total\t$5,109,650<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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