FLASHBACK

MAY 21, 2005
1.4M GALLONS OF FUEL UNDERWAY

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. should have enough fuel to run its power generators through June, with the Governor’s Office and CUC management succeeding yesterday in getting Mobil Oil Marianas deliver 1.4 million gallons of fuel to the power plants. Pursuant to the governor’s declaration of a state of disaster emergency and his office’s subsequent assumption of control of CUC, Lt. Gov. Diego Benavente and CUC executive director Lorraine Babauta entered negotiations with Mobil on Thursday through Friday.

FATE OF SOLE DRYDOCK BIDDER HANGS IN THE BALANCE

The Commonwealth Ports Authority will decide Monday whether to approve or reject the sole proposal the agency has received for the Saipan drydock project. CPA executive director Carlos Salas said yesterday that the board would be presented with detailed information on the Guam Economic Development Authority’s opposition to the proposal submitted by Guam Industrial Services Inc., which operates Guam Shipyard.

MAY 21, 2004
OLYMPIC EXPERT BROUGHT ONBOARD

An expert in the Olympic Games was awarded $53,000 to explore the possibility of Guam and the CNMI being certified as a training ground for the upcoming 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Public information officer Peter Callaghan said Gov. Juan N. Babauta awarded the $53,000 grant provided by the Office of the Insular Affairs to Bill Tucker, who is reportedly a member of the U.S. Olympic Games committee. The expert will be in the CNMI and Guam to conduct a study on the potential of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as training areas when participants rev up for the 2008 summer Olympics.

CONTROVERSY HOUNDS MVA APPOINTMENT ANEW

A disgruntled applicant for the managing director slot at the Marianas Visitors Authority asked the MVA board yesterday to explain the basis and criteria used in the selection of Vicky Benavente, insisting that he is more qualified for the job. In a letter to the MVA board of directors, James A. Santos said he strongly feels discriminated against and that he wants an explanation from the MVA on the criteria used to select Benavente over him for the post.

MAY 21, 2003
GOVT TACKLES NURSING SHORTAGE

The requirement that all nurses working at the Department of Public Health should be NCLEX exam-passers has been suspended, as a means to address the current shortage of nurses in the Commonwealth. To make sure, however, that the level of local nursing care does not go down, Directive No. 227 requires that all foreign graduate nurses who are to be hired from now on should have passed the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools exam.

RESISTANCE VS SAIPAN CASINO GROWS

If Monday’s public hearing was any indication, it seems that more Saipan residents are resistant to the legalization of casino gambling on the island. Anti-gambling advocates outnumbered those who stood up to support the proposal, as evidenced in the testimonies they aired before the House Committee on Ways and Means. Bishop Tomas A. Camacho, with the backing of Diocesan Leadership Organizations, reiterated his stance against the entry of casinos into Saipan.

MAY 21, 2002
BANK OF SAIPAN OPENS TODAY

The Bank of Saipan will open its doors today as banking transactions resume after a 20-day hiatus. However, the BoS, including its Tinian and Rota branches, will recommence banking operations on a limited basis, allowing depositors to withdraw up to $500 only or about 10 percent of each customers’ deposits. All banking transactions, including loan payments, deposits and withdrawals, will be back on track, Commerce Secretary Fermin Atalig said yesterday.

DELA CRUZ, VILLAGOMEZ ASSUME NEW POSITIONS

The Senate has a new Vice President in the person of Sen. Jose Dela Cruz and a new Legislative Secretary in Sen. Thomas P. Villagomez-a reconfiguration of Senate officers arising from Sen. David M. Cing’s resignation from the chamber’s leadership. During yesterday’s session, the upper chamber adopted Senate Resolution 13-12, which effectively promoted Dela Cruz to the Senate vice presidency, replacing Cing and leaving the Legislative Secretary position vacant for Villagomez to slide into.