1 Feb 2011

CNMI governor says the cash strapped government will have to let some workers go

2:56 pm on 1 February 2011

The CNMI Governor, Benigno Fitial, says his administration intends laying off workers because of the ongoing budget shortfall.

Despite slight improvements in revenue collected last month, the deficit has reached 6 million US dollars in the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

Many government employees had their hours reduced by 20 percent, and holidays cut in October last year.

The governor says he can't say which agencies will be affected by manpower cuts or when they'll begin, but he says the government needs to streamline its spending.