Flashback July 25, 2000-2002

[B]July 25, 2000

All rebates out by next month
[/B] Owing it to the automation of the Northern Marianas tax system which fast-tracks processing of all revenue and duty transactions, the Department of Finance yesterday assured that all rebate and refund checks should be mailed out before the end of next month. However, acting Revenue and Taxation Director Dora S. Taitingfong said the anticipated release of approximately 37,000 rebate and refund checks by August will be realized if the finance department system would not encounter software-related difficulties.

[B]Fed housing programs extended to NMI residents[/B]

Northern Marianas residents wishing to own their own home but could not qualify under existing local programs may now get their chance through the implementation of two federal housing programs on the islands, Commonwealth Development Authority Board Chair John S. Tenorio said. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Office has earmarked $1 million in initial guaranteed loan packages for Saipan residents, according to Mr. Tenorio.

[B]DPS told to step up fight against pornography[/B]

The sponsor of the recently-signed law against pornography has urged the Department of Public Safety to beef up its enforcement in areas notorious for such establishments, particularly in the Garapan tourist district. Rep. Malua T. Peter, chair of the House Committee on Health and Welfare, expressed gratitude to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio for approving her measure which she had been pushing since 1995.

[B]July 25, 2001

CNMI shines in Japan[/B]

The Northern Marianas made front page news in Japan over the weekend when one of the country’s widely-circulated print publications covered a ceremony honoring Japanese leader Daisaku Ikeda, who was bestowed an honorary professorship by the Northern Marianas College. The recognition ceremony, attended by Japanese, NMC and CNMI officials, received extensive media coverage in the Soka Gakkai International newspaper’s July 20, 2001 edition.

[B]DYS reports 250 juvenile cases in first half of 2001[/B]

The Division of Youth Services yesterday reported another increase in the number of minors involved in various criminal offenses, with more than 250 juvenile delinquency cases recorded in the last six months. In efforts to deter the continued rise in youthful offenses, Juvenile Probation Supervisor Syl S. Ada Jr. said an effective preventive strategy has been implemented. Ada said alternative activities to engage youths during school breaks are ongoing, noting that these should turn aside the minors’ attention from vices.

[B]$1M released to pay off-island referral billings[/B]

The Northern Mariana Islands Retirement Fund has decided to go ahead with its plan to loan $1 million to the Group Health and Life Insurance as seed money for a trust fund that would be used to pay for off-island medical referral billings. The Fund’s Board of Trustees agreed to go ahead with the $1-million loan, subject to the approval of the Legislature, during Friday’s board meeting at the conference room of the Tinian Casino and Gaming Control Commission on Tinian Island.

[B]July 24, 2002

Housing vouchers for jobless soars[/B]

The number of housing voucher recipients dramatically increased since the September 11 attacks and continues to rise in 2002 due to the persisting economic crisis in the Northern Marianas. Northern Marianas Housing Corporation officials saw an increase on the number of applicants for the Urban Development Section 8 Voucher Program from the latter part of 2001 all the way to 2002, due to rising unemployment in the Commonwealth.

[B]Babauta vows aid package for Rota[/B]

Gov. Juan N. Babauta has promised to come up with an assistance package for Rota’s agricultural sector, even as the island’s local government patiently await federal assistance from Washington D.C. In the meantime, the Rota Legislative Delegation is exploring other means of assistance, including tapping the aid of the Commonwealth Development Authority, which could give micro-loans to Rota’s farmers and fishermen to get them back on their feet.