SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands (AFP) - The governor of the US-administered Northern Mariana Islands is driving himself after his chauffeur-bodyguard pleaded guilty to dealing drugs from the official car.

Governor Benigno R. Fitial is at the wheel around Saipan, the capital of the Pacific island territory, after Peter R. Reyes last month pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a controlled drug for the purposes of distribution.

According to court documents, Reyes sold 0.12 grams of crystal methamphetamine hydrochloride, known locally as "ice" to a US Drug Enforcement Administration "confidential source".

The drug deal occurred in the parking lot of the governor's office on March 16 and the driver was put under surveillance until his arrest in September.

Fitial said he had not yet requested another chauffeur-bodyguard but would not rule out the possibility of doing so soon. The governor added that Reyes never apologised or spoke to him after his arrest.

"I feel sorry for the driver and his family. But I cannot stand in the way of the judicial process," he said.

Reyes had a prior history of drug use, resigning from the territory's ports authority in 2001 after testing positive for illegal drugs, and he returned an unclear drugs test before taking over as the governor's driver.