PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT

Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i

By Gemma Q. Casas

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, Jan. 13) – Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Governor-elect Benigno R. Fitial and Lt. Gov. Tim P. Villagomez have each been issued a Nissan Pathfinder SE as their official vehicles.

Delivered by Joeten Motors, each car, which is fully loaded, is worth about $30,000.

Fitial gets the silver Nissan while Villagomez will use the gray-black model.

Then Gov. Juan N. Babauta and then Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente each used a white Ford Explorer during their four-year term.

An Explorer costs about the same as the Pathfinder.

The governor’s special assistant for administration, Esther Fleming, said the cars previously assigned to the former governor and lt. governor will be reassigned to other offices in the executive branch which are in need of service vehicles.

Despite the government’s cash-strapped condition, new cars are purchased every time a new administration is sworn in.

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