Flashback November 8, 1999-2001

11-1 gets people’s nod[/B]

NMI voters on Saturday cast their approval on a controversial proposal seeking to limit to the indigenous people the right to vote on land matters, but a leading oppositor to the legislative initiative said she’s weighing the option of bringing the battle to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Unofficial results provided by the Board of Elections showed that 5,903 voters, or 54.77 percent of the total votes cast, said “yes” to Legislative Initiative 11-1, and its author, Senate Vice President Thomas P. Villagomez, described it as a victory for the NMI descent.

“It’s an issue which have to be decided by the indigenous people. And the people have spoken,” Villagomez said in an interview.

The result of the midterm election is the stunning upset and defeat of formidable incumbent Senator Juan P. Tenorio (Morgen) by newcomer Ramon S. Guerrero (Kumoi) by a margin of about 485 votes. And even with the subsequent arrival of absentee ballots, there won’t be any change in this race.

What may have gone wrong in this contest? There’s the filial feud that ballooned into a public mudslinging among and between the Guerreros, Pangelinan and Tenorios. Morgen and Kumoi are actually very close cousins, but this filial affinity didn’t prevent the exposure of filial dirty laundry best left and confined in the closet.

It became public fodder.

For political observers, however, Morgen’s defeat is itself a public statement of frustration and anger from disgruntled republicans and democrats who have bolted traditional political associations to reveal their true sentiments of the lack of job opportunities for loyal GOP followers and the displacement of the ignorant (democrats) who had no inkling of the politics of change in administration. For this group, the only thing that matters is the means to bring home the bacon. Most are still jobless alongside loyal GOP followers. They can’t bring home the bacon.

US election: What it means for the CNMI[/B]

Island leaders and residents are closely watching the U.S. election being held today (Tuesday on the mainland) as the result is crucial to the CNMI’s future relations with the federal government.

Many local officials are hoping that Republican candidate, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, wins in the tight race for the presidency against Democrat bet, Vice President Al Gore, if only to block any federal takeover attempt.

At the same time, if GOP retains its majority seats in both houses of the U.S. Congress, it will be less difficult for the island government to persuade Washington against extension of federal immigration and minimum wage laws to the CNMI.

According to House Floor Leader Oscar M. Babauta, it will be a “plus factor” for the Commonwealth under a Bush administration in the White House and GOP as majority party in Congress.

Businesses sending workers home[/B]

Businesses have started sending some of their nonresident workers home due to the worsening economic situation in the Northern Marianas.

Hyatt Regency Saipan took a painful cut in its manpower, as the hotel reportedly retrenched 80 contractual workers while implementing a 30-hour work week.

Last Sunday, it closed the Chinese Restaurant due to the unprecedented slowdown in business activities on the island, brought on by the slumping visitor arrivals.

Hyatt officials earlier blamed the restaurant’s closure to the reduced business levels during the last two months, adding that the outlook going into 2002 is uncertain.

The hotel is hoping to re-open the Chinese Restaurant when business levels return to an average occupancy of around 60 percent.