Senate committee holds public hearing on nomination of Sixto K. Iguisomar as Department of Public Lands secretary

The Senate standing committee on executive appointments and government investigation held a public hearing June 12 in Saipan on the nomination of Sixto K. Iguisomar to serve as secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Public Lands.

Iguisomar, who previously served as DPL secretary and as a senator, told committee members he is “focused on transparent and fair land administration with priorities on homestead distribution, responsible land use, and constitutional compliance.” He outlined stalled projects, a reliance on self-generated revenue for operations, and plans to modernize records and operations if confirmed.

The hearing took place at the Susie Mofna Memorial Building, Senate Chamber, Capitol Hill. Acting special assistant Oliver Gonzales introduced the nominee on behalf of Governor Arnold I. Palacios and Lieutenant Governor David M. Apatang. Committee members present included Chairman Francisco K. Cruz, floor leader Senator Donald Manglona and Vice President of the Senate Senator Carl R. King Neighbors, among others.

Why it matters: The Department of Public Lands manages homestead allotments, land leases and land-claims payouts that affect residents across Saipan, Tinian and Rota. Committee members and public witnesses focused on whether the nominee would address backlogs on land claims, stalled homestead permits and the department’s financial and data-management practices.

Major points raised by the nominee

- Past projects and current status: Iguisomar said projects begun in his prior tenure had stalled, often because promised ARPA funding did not arrive. He listed prior work including openings of a homestead subdivision, A&E design completions and surveying for expansions in Marble Heights and Castizo, and groundwork initiated for FNAFAA homesteads in Rota.

- Land claims and documentation: He said the land-claims division is finalizing an “allowable” document intended to identify claims ready for payment once general-fund dollars are available.

- Operations and systems: Iguisomar described DPL’s reliance on Excel spreadsheets for inventory and said that increases the risk of human error and data gaps. He said the department needs a more robust land-management system and cited a planning employee’s estimate that commercial software could cost about $1,015,000 per year in subscription fees, while current GIS and computer hardware are outdated.

- Finance and reserves: Iguisomar said DPL operates on self-generated revenue and maintains a reserve to cover operations if general-fund transfers do not arrive. He described a current internal reserve he estimated at roughly $4–5 million, and said a comfortable operating budget for DPL is about $5–6 million; he warned operations would be “very tight” below $4 million.

- Leases and regulatory changes: The nominee said DPL filed a regulatory amendment to adjust how base rent and a business gross receipts (BGR) percentage are calculated; he said base rent is currently 5% of appraised value and BGR rates range from about 2–5 percent. He told senators an amendment was with the Attorney General’s office and expected to be filed by June 15, with an emergency filing to allow immediate use if cleared.

Public and staff testimony

- Patricia Grama, who said she worked under Iguisomar at DPL, testified to his “ability, capability and his drive,” saying he focused on homestead design, land compensations and mobilizing surveyors.

- Lorna Eginoyev, representing the Northern Islands mayor’s office, said Mayor Bing Taisacan (name as provided in testimony) supports the nomination and urged a swift confirmation.

- Irene Torres, a Department of Public Lands employee, said she has “complete faith” in Iguisomar’s leadership and “wholeheartedly support[s] his nomination.”

Key issues senators pressed the nominee on

- Land-claims lists and payments: Floor leader Manglona asked why previously circulated claim lists included many applicants not yet vetted. Iguisomar said he directed land-claims staff to supply only claims where an offer had been accepted and payment or exchange was pending; he said some offers were held up because the secretary of finance would not sign agreements when there was no identified funding.

- Homestead permitting and CRM coordination: Senators asked about homestead permits stalled for lack of infrastructure. Iguisomar said he had sent a letter to the Coastal Resources Management agency (CRM) seeking clarification on whether specific homestead permits (for example, Barranca in Tinian) could proceed and requested CRM consider regulatory flexibility to allow single-family homestead permittees to use alternatives such as cisterns where appropriate.

- Data and technology: Committee members pressed on plans to replace Excel-based records. Iguisomar said the department needs an integrated system that links GIS, court records and application databases; he described current systems as unstable and sometimes requiring manual searches of court pages.

- Reserve levels and remittances to MPOT: Senators asked how much DPL could remit to MPOT. Iguisomar described a process of comparing bank balances to budgeted operating needs and said past disputes about remittances were driven in part by timing and incomplete audited statements. He said he had begun remitting funds while trying to preserve an operating reserve.

Other items noted in testimony

- Lease activity: The nominee said lease negotiations continue for properties including Coral Ocean Point, Managaha Island and Kanoa Resort; he said some leases are under RFP review and that the Kanoa lease was expiring the week of the hearing.

- Training and staffing: Iguisomar said training for compliance, planning and surveying staff has been limited by budget constraints and that many tasks depend on the capacity of individual technicians.

Committee process and next steps

The committee took testimony from the nominee, DPL staff and several public witnesses and recorded four additional written letters in support that will be included with the committee’s recommendation. Committee members did not vote on confirmation during the hearing; the record of the hearing and written testimonies will be forwarded with the committee’s recommendation to the full Senate for consideration.

Ending

Committee members thanked the nominee and public participants and closed the hearing. Motions to adopt the meeting agenda and to adjourn were carried during the proceeding; no confirmation vote was recorded during the public hearing.