The CNMI acting governor Eloy S. Inos has reluctantly signed into law a $102-million budget bill for fiscal year 2012.
Mr Inos says the bill is is riddled with problematic provisions, which the House and the Senate failed to address in a rush to prevent another partial government shutdown by the first of October
He says the administration was forced to approve a bill that could have been drafted with more care, precision, and fairness had lawmakers not waited for the 11th hour to tackle the budget.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial submitted his budget proposal to the Legislature on April 1.
While a partial government shutdown has been averted, hundreds of government employees will continue to receive a 16-hour cut biweekly and unpaid holidays under the new budget.
