Forward drive in Marianas

THE 1991 budget announced by

Northern Marianas Governor Lorenzo Guerrero signals a furth er move toward economic self-sufficiency as Covenant Fund operations the money provided by the United States to underpin the budget totals just US$ll million out of a total Commonwealth spending of U 55138.42 million.

Nearly half the 1991 budget allocation goes to the five areas of the Common wealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI) Government has designated as high priority; health and environmental services ($27.61 million), public school system ($22 million), public safety ($8.27 million), utilities ($3.94 million) and re tirement ($1 million). In his budget mes sage to the seventh CNMI legislature, Guerrero said local resources projected for 1991 reflected an increase of $17.07 million, or 16.5 per cent over fiscal 1990.

Covenant funding was down $5 million, but local revenue increases will more than offset that reduction. “The favour able or positive financial projected for fiscal year 1991 truly demonstrates the

commitment of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands to aspire toward self-sufficiency,” the Governor said.

He said payroll and employee benefits represents 68 per cent of the total cost of government operations, with recent increases being due to higher retirement fund contributions and public service pay increases. Health costs were going to be watched closely, and efforts would be made to reduce the number of patients being referred overseas for treatment with the aim being to use savings in that area to buy more equipment for the Commonwealth Health Centre. The Government was committed to working toward the local education system being brought to the same standard as United States schooling. And, while the Com monwealth Utilities Corporation was re ceiving $3.9 million from public funds, the rates it is now charging for electric power would result in the corporation becoming self-supporting in the near fu ture. □