A law prohibiting contract buyouts was enacted Wednesday along with legislation to transfer the functions of the Marianas Public Lands Authority to a department within the Executive Branch.<\/p>\n
Authored by House Minority Leader Arnold I. Palacios, House Bill 15-62 was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
The Senate, which convened soon after the House session, voted 8-1 in favor of the bill. Only Sen. Luis Crisostimo voted against the measure.<\/p>\n
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial immediately signed the bill, which now becomes Public Law 15-3.<\/p>\n
The new law prohibits the buyout of government employment contracts for executive directors or the top administrative officer of a public corporation, board, commission, or other autonomous agency of the CNMI government.<\/p>\n
This means that no administrative officer of an agency could be paid the remaining amount of his or her contract in the event that the employment is terminated before the end of the contract term.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Legislature finds that it is inappropriate for public funds to be used to pay government employment contract buyouts. Such a practice amounts to compensation for no work performed,\u201d the law states.<\/p>\n
P.L. 15-3 was enacted amid rumors that the MPLA board of directors attempted to buy out the contract of MPLA commissioner Edward Deleon Guerrero during a Wednesday meeting.<\/p>\n
Citing reports received by his office, Senate Vice President Pete P. Reyes announced in the Senate session that MPLA planned to increase its budget, entertain last-minute contracts, issue homesteading permits, and buy out personnel contracts.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsn\u2019t this a conspiracy to defeat the very thing that the Legislature is trying to prevent? MPLA is a loose cannon. What they\u2019re doing is highly questionable,\u201d the senator said.<\/p>\n
MPLA has denied the allegation.<\/p>\n
Board chair Ana Demapan-Castro issued a statement Wednesday, denying the board\u2019s alleged plan to \u201cbuy out\u201d certain employees\u2019 contracts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe rumors of the MPLA \u2018passing\u2019 a budget during today\u2019s board meeting for the purposes of \u2018buying out\u2019 employee contracts are entirely false,\u201d said MPLA media officer Ed Arriola Jr., quoting Demapan-Castro.<\/p>\n
Board member Nick Nekai had also denied that the board tackled the issue. \u201cNothing like that is happening in MPLA,\u201d he had said.<\/p>\n
The Marianas Visitors Authority, another autonomous agency, has actually bought out the contract of its former managing director, Vicky I. Benavente, following her husband\u2019s failed bid for re-election as lieutenant governor.<\/p>\n
The MVA board of directors terminated Benavente\u2019s employment \u201cfor humanitarian reason\u201d effective Jan. 13, 2006. The board promised to pay Benavente based on her contract, which expires in June 2006.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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