Senate committee holds public hearing on Remedios Mofnes nomination to Commonwealth Economic Incentive Authority

SAIPAN, Sept. 18 — The Senate Executive Appointments and Government Investigations Committee on Thursday held a public hearing on the nomination of Remedios Mofnes to the board of the Commonwealth Economic Incentive Authority, a new entity charged with marketing incentive districts and helping investors streamline permitting and business start-up in the Commonwealth.

For the record, Jean Paul B. Regis, special assistant for the administration, introduced the nominee on behalf of Governor David M. Apeteng and Lieutenant Governor Dennis C. Mendiola and said required documents outlining Mofnes’s background were transmitted to committee members.

“If confirmed, I will publish clear criteria and timelines of decisions that are transparent and predictable, tie incentives to verified results, jobs, capital investment, and training with clear compliance and remedies,” Remedios Mofnes said after taking an oath administered at the hearing. She told senators she would disclose and recuse where necessary to maintain public trust and would “prioritize community benefit, good, stable jobs, local supplier growth, and environmental and cultural respect.”

The hearing included supportive testimony from business and community speakers. Joshua Cook, vice president of the Trade Council of the Marianas, described Mofnes as having “vision, resourcefulness, and integrity,” and gave an extended personal example of her assisting his family during illness. Resident Paul Zak said Mofnes “knows her part of the equation” for helping investors navigate required documents and local processes.

Committee members pressed Mofnes on several substantive questions about how the Commonwealth Economic Incentive Authority (CEIA) will operate and how it differs from the Commonwealth’s existing incentives administered by CETA. Senator Mangonia, the Senate floor leader, asked whether CEIA’s functions would duplicate CETA and whether CEIA would help fill gaps exposed during recent SelectUSA outreach. Mofnes said CEIA would market investment districts, register qualifying businesses for district-based incentives and work with CETA when applicants fall outside incentive districts.

On the length and calculation of tax incentives, Mofnes and several senators discussed claims that CEIA licenses could provide incentives for 20 years while CETA’s qualifying certificates can run up to 25 years. Senator Mangonia noted he could not find statutory language authorizing a 20-year CEIA incentive and urged the nominee and the future board to clarify and document any benefit packages and standard operating procedures.

Senators also discussed internal rules for the CEIA board. Mangonia suggested committee consideration of language requiring that a quorum of five board members include at least one member from each of the First, Second and Third Senatorial Districts and that decisions include geographically representative participation; Mofnes said she would work with incoming board members to organize procedures.

Several senators asked about practical barriers to starting businesses in the Commonwealth. Mofnes said the Department of Commerce has signed a contract for an online portal and is in “phase 2” of a registrar-of-corporations digital system expected to begin accepting filings next year. Senators and public commenters urged closer coordination with permitting agencies to reduce delays, and they raised the high cost of some construction items — for example septic systems — as a factor that can impede small-business start-ups.

Committee staff reported two written testimonies in support of the nominee from David R. Maritita, ABTC division director, Department of Commerce, and Charlene M. Tenorio, administrative services manager, Department of Commerce. No written opposition was reported.

The hearing was a public-record proceeding; the committee chair said all written and oral testimony would be included in the committee’s recommendation report to the full Senate. The committee did not vote on confirmation during the hearing; senators asked Mofnes to work with other board members to develop clarifying procedures and to return any additional documentation the committee requests.

Votes and formal motions taken during the session were limited to the committee’s internal business: the committee adopted the meeting agenda and later adjourned the hearing by motion. The record shows no confirmation vote by the committee or the full Senate on Sept. 18.

The nomination will proceed to the committee’s formal recommendation to the full Senate, alongside the written and oral testimonies submitted during the hearing.