Finance Secretary Tracy B. Norita has resigned with Gov. David M. Apatang saying she plans to relocate to the U.S. mainland and that family considerations may have played a role in her decision.
In an interview with Marianas Press last Aug. 26, Apatang confirmed Norita had submitted her resignation and said he was saddened by the departure of an official he credited with helping strengthen the Commonwealth's financial operations.
Norita's resignation is effective Oct. 8, although her last day in the office will be Friday, Aug. 28. She will use her remaining annual leave until the resignation takes effect.
Apatang said he understood that Norita had secured a job in the states and plans to relocate there. He also surmised that family considerations may have factored into her decision, including having a daughter attending college in the states.
“I think she went on leave and dropped her daughter in the States for her college and maybe that's part of the reason she wants to leave and probably join her daughter in the States,” Apatang said.
The governor stressed that he did not believe Norita's departure was driven by the Commonwealth government's financial situation.
“It's not because of financial, we should know that,” Apatang said.
Apatang praised Norita as a dedicated and knowledgeable public servant, particularly citing her work on the government's audits.
“She's a very dedicated public employee, very knowledgeable,” he said, adding that Norita and her audit team have been working on the government's outstanding audits. “I'm just so sad to see her leave the Commonwealth.”
Apatang said he plans to discuss with Norita how the administration will continue managing government accounting operations after her departure. He noted that an assistant secretary normally fills in when the Finance secretary is on leave but did not identify a permanent successor during the interview.
“You got to be careful on how we do things nowadays, especially with the financial situation that we are in,” Apatang said.
In her Aug. 24, 2026 resignation letter to Apatang, Norita did not state a specific reason for leaving. Instead, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and highlighted the Department of Finance's work during her tenure.
Norita said she had served as Finance secretary since January 2023 and credited the administration's commitment to rebuilding trust, integrity, and accountability in government.
She said Finance had made progress in rebuilding its internal systems and organizational structure, strengthening compliance and financial reporting, and making improvements aimed at greater accountability.
“Serving during this period has also required navigating significant and complex fiscal challenges in exceptionally difficult circumstances,” Norita wrote.
She added that she was proud to have helped address those challenges, strengthen Finance's operations, and position the Commonwealth for greater fiscal stability.
Apatang thanked Norita and her family for their service and wished her well in her next endeavor.
“Those kind of individuals, you know, we need them here, not leaving the Commonwealth,” he said.
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