Flashback – Nov. 1998-2001

Deficit rises to $53M [/B]

CNMI’s cumulative deficit almost doubled to approximately $53 million in FY 1997 compared to the previous fiscal year, and Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio feared this could lead to a financial collapse of the government. The figure reflects an increase of $21 million in deficit incurred by the previous administration in FY 1996 at $32 million under former governor Froilan C. Tenorio. According to the incumbent governor, the amount was based on the independent single financial audit of Deloitte&Touche which is now under review by the Office of the Public Auditor.

Senate Floor leader Pete P. Reyes yesterday accused House Speaker Diego T. Benavente of bowing to federal pressure over his insistence to limit operations of the garment industry in the Northern Marianas in the wake of worsening economic crisis on the island. “We have to take care of our own problem. They (federal officials) dont care about us… If we die, they will just watch us,” the senator told reporters in an interview. Reyes was reacting to a statement from the House speaker warning of federal takeover of local immigration and labor control should the Senate pass a legislation that will cap foreign work force in the garment sector and allow what he considers hiring of 600 additional employees.

Loving and living with the disease[/B]

When the family of Moses Saburo learned that he was infected with HIV, they were shocked and devastated. In the first place, older sister Faustina and Moses made them believe that he’s suffering from cancer after he returned from the mainland. It was only during a family gathering two months ago that Faustina and Moses, who are the closest among the siblings, revealed to the whole clan that their younger brother was HIV positive. After guarding his deepest secret for two years, Moses, 39, felt like a huge concrete slab was taken off his chest. His family rallied behind him and encouraged him to come forward to stir people’s awareness on the deadly disease.

Superior Court Associate Judge Timothy H. Bellas has come under fire anew from his arch-critic, Representative-elect Stanley T. Torres, who wants him investigated for alleged improprieties, conflicting duties, extra-judicial and political activities. In a letter to acting Attorney General Maya B. Kara and Supreme Court Chief Justice Miguel S. Demapan, Torres urged the two officials to take disciplinary action against Judge Bellas for misconduct in office. Mr. Torres cited five instances over the past two years in which the judge allegedly violated standards as member of the CNMI Judiciary, including his campaign activity in the Nov. 6 elections where he was up for retention vote.

Salary hike suspended[/B]

Declining revenues prompted the Civil Service Commission to suspend certain mandatory salary increases for government employees, as part of the austerity measure implemented by the administration of Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio. Saying that the situation calls for an emergency, the Commission has come up with a rule that suspended provisions in the Personnel Service System Rules pertaining to mandatory salary increases. The measure covers civil servants in different CNMI government agencies, including the Department of Labor and Immigration, which circulated a memorandum to its offices last week in connection with the emergency rule.

A $100-million promotional grant for tourism may soon be made available to all states and territories of the United States, including the CNMI, as an added stimulus to an industry that is seeing all-time lows due to the 9/11 tragedy. A bill has been introduced at the US House of Representatives that seeks to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to issue grants to states and territories to be used for advertising that stimulates economic activity by promoting travel and tourism. House Resolution 3321, which was introduced by Rep. Mark Foley, has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.