Flashback May 18, 1999-2001

Teno on Murkowski bill: ‘Not that bad’[/B]

Gov. Pedro P.Tenorio yesterday said US Sen. Frank Murkowski’s federal takeover proposal is “more friendly” compared to other bills pending in Congress, but maintained that any legislation that would take away local control over immigration and labor is unacceptable to the CNMI. While Murkowski’s version draws praise from the governor for excluding minimum wage, Tenorio said, “The chairman knows that what we are asking from the federal government and the US Congress is that we maintain our labor and immigration laws.” The bipartisan measure put forward last week by Murkowski, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) seeks full extension of the Immigration and Nationality Act to the Northern Marianas, but eased provisions that may rock the troubled island economy largely dependent on tourism and garment manufacturing.

As many businesses on the island continue to lay off employees due to the slowdown on the island’s tourism economy, the number of companies participating in the government’s on-the-job-training program for graduating students has likewise been decreasing for the past three years. This year, only six of the 75 companies contacted by the Job Training & Partnership Act office have expressed interest in accepting students for the training program. According to Felix Nogis, director of JTPA, his office sent 42 letters for the 1999 summer training but only 15 responded positively in assisting the government.
[B] MAY 18, 2000

Atalig seeks Kumoi’s ouster[/B]

Two Senate committees may kick out Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero as member in what appears to be yet another consequence of his decision to seek an audit of expenditures by his colleagues. But the senator shrugged off the planned ouster as he warned members of the Senate that he will continue to be a “watchdog” in order for the public to find out how they are spending their tax dollars. Sen. Ricardo S. Atalig, chair of the committees on Health, Education and Welfare as well as Judiciary, Government and Law, yesterday informed the upper house that he is “considering removing [Mr. Guerrero] effective immediately.”

Citing security concerns, ranking U.S. Navy officials from Washington ordered military submarine personnel to stay away from near the shore shortly after it arrived and docked at the Saipan International Harbor yesterday morning. The undersea vessel and its crew were welcomed by local government officials headed by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio. Its presence near the shore where the public can apparently have easy access to at least come near the submarine may pose security concerns since USS Columbus is considered a highly classified U.S. military vessel. A 362-foot, 6,927-ton undersea vessel, USS Columbus is well equipped to carry out missions that include deployment of special forces, minelaying, precision land attack or anti-submarine or surface warfare while remaining undetected.
[B] MAY 18, 2001

Teno orders review of projected revenues [/B]

Governor Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday instructed the government’s finance managers to review projected revenues amid the slow rally of the local economy and aggravated business confidence in the CNMI. Mr. Tenorio said he called for an immediate review of the government’s projected income to determine whether anticipated collections are still in line with the administration’s proposed budget for financial year 2001. The governor is particularly concerned about reports on the increasing number of business closures in recent months which, he said, may affect projected government earnings for the next fiscal year.

The Commonwealth government will map out mechanisms to ensure that no other federal takeover threats would be made in the future after the US Congress refused to act on a federalization proposal yesterday. This as Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio planned to collaboratively work with US legislators. He said the CNMI will continuously seek the assistance of the US Congress to thwart future attempts to federalize local immigration and labor systems. He stressed that the administration will not let down its guards and defenses as continuous monitoring of activities in the United States will be carried out.