Flashback September 03, 1999-2002

[B]September 03, 1999

JAL to cut fare in Oct.[/B]

Japan Airlines will reduce by 50 percent its airfare in October, November and December 1999 as well as February and March 2000 as part of JAL’s commitment to increase visitor arrivals in the CNMI. Before the end of 1999, JAL will operate nine charter flights to Saipan, three each in the months of October, November and December from Nagoya. The next millennium will be greeted by JAL with a total of eight more Nagoya-Saipan charter flights in January, February and March, 2000. Likewise, JAL will have eight more charter flights from Fukuoka to Saipan.

[B]US Rep. Schaffer ends low-key visit on Saipan[/B]

A ranking member of the U.S. House Resources Committee ended yesterday a low-key visit to the Northern Marianas in what appeared to be part of the elaborate preparation for the forthcoming oversight hearing on the island’s conditions in Washington D.C. Rep. Bob Schaffer (R-Colorado) was the latest in a string of visitors from Congress who toured the island in recent weeks following the visit of Manase Mansur, chief aide to Resources Committee Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska), and Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa).

[B]Asylum seekers sue US, CNMI governments[/B]

Two asylum seekers, one of them a former student activist in Beijing, yesterday asked the federal court to stop the US and CNMI governments from sending them back to China where they are facing persecution. Rui Lang and Liao Da Nian are both incarcerated in the CNMI Immigration Detention Center on overstaying charges. They are awaiting the Superior Court’s decision on the Department of Labor and Immigration’s bid to have them deported.

[B]September 03, 2001

No quick fix for NMI economy [/B]

The Northern Marianas is trapped in a period of economic uncertainty, brought mainly by the four-year slump in visitor arrivals and the declining volume of apparel exports made by Saipan’s garment manufacturers. This was the gist of a report presented Friday to local government officials and business sector leaders by Bank of Hawaii’s Regional Economist Dr. Wali M. Osman.

[B]Drug peddling in school happens, says principal[/B]

The principal of the Marianas High School admitted Friday that there have been cases of drug peddling within the school premises, after a boy was reportedly caught with a bagful of marijuana sometime last week. But James Denight, the school’s principal, said such cases merely involved “a joint or two” of marijuana, and that no large trafficking of prohibited drugs have ever happened within the school premises.

[B]Phosphate ban just a step behind[/B]

Here’s good news for the environment! The bill that would ban the sale, manufacture, distribution, and use of cleaning agents containing phosphates now heads to the desk of Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio after it sailed through the Senate on a unanimous vote during last week’s session. Voting 8-0, the Senate passed House Bill 12-167 without amendments, ensuring its speedy passage into law.

[B]September 03, 2002

Treasury releases $200K refunds[/B]

The Division of Treasury will be mailing out today another batch of refund checks worth about $200,000, in the wake of the recent release of scholarship checks amounting to approximately the same amount. It was not learned, however, as to how many checks this amount translates to. Treasurer Antonette Calvo declined to issue any statement when Saipan Tribune checked with the Treasury Friday afternoon. However, a female Treasury employee who answered the Tribune’s telephone call said they were already processing the checks.

[B]Construction of mini mall at Saipan airport to start[/B]

The Commonwealth Ports Authority disclosed Friday that construction of a two-storey mall at the Saipan International Airport, which is seen to increase the agency’s revenue collection, will start this month. CPA Executive Director Carlos H. Salas said port officials have finalized negotiations with the Saipan Rainbow, Inc., the firm that would undertake the construction of the mini-mall at the SIA, which would provide an array of services to Saipan’s departing and arriving passengers.