CNMI acting Governor vetoes Friday shutdowns
Updated
The acting governor of the Northern Marianas has vetoed a bill that would have reintroduced mandatory Friday shutdown of government offices.
Our reporter in the Northern Marianas, Gemma Casas, reports that Acting Governor Timothy Villagomez says he vetoed the legislation because it contains provisions that will further destabilise the government's financial position.
He's also criticised the bill's employment provision, describing it as "too restrictive" and "intrusive into the judicial and executive branches' power to hire personnel.
Had the bill been passed, government offices would have been shut down for nine Fridays and three holidays would have been unpaid.
Proposed government spending for the next fiscal year is at its lowest in more than a decade as the islands continue to grapple with steadily declining revenues.
