Flashback – October 5, 2011-2003

Oct. 5, 2001

US funding sought for tourism center

A House lawmaker has asked the US Economic Development Administration for funding that would be used to set up a proposed Tourism and Business Training Center at the Northern Marianas College. Rep. William S. Torres wrote EDA representative Gail Fujita to ask her for help in securing EDA funding for the proposed center, which a feasibility study in December 1995 said would cost over $10 million. As an alternative, Torres said that speedy action on his request would enable the NMC to purchase the Korean-owned Riviera Hotel, which the NMC can acquire for approximately $4 million. The hotel can then be transformed into a tourism and business learning center, where its students can learn tourism-related skills.

MVA to launch hospitality initiative

As the CNMI economy continues to reel from the downturn in tourist arrivals, the Marianas Visitors Authority is leading a CNMI-wide initiative to improve visitor hospitality among industry players and the public. The “Hafa Adai Hospitality Program/WAVE…Welcome All Visitors Enthusiastically” campaign is expected to be formally launched next week with a “Developing a Sense of Place” seminar on October 12-13, which will provide free training on visitor hospitality. “More than ever, we need to improve the quality of our service and ensure our visitors are treated royally from the moment they step off the plane until they leave,” said MVA Managing Director Perry Tenorio.

Oct. 5, 2002

OPM to take over NCLEX review program

The Department of Public Health has placed its NCLEX review program under the office of Personnel Management to avoid having “accountability” problems with concerned staff. “OPM will be responsible in managing (the program) so that proper accountability of time will be taken into consideration and granting of training credits will be given accordingly. All these things will be beneficial to the employees,” DPH Secretary James U. Hofschneider said. In a press conference, Hofschneider, together with DPH special assistant Pedro P. Untalan, said OPM’s assistance is needed to make the program successful. “Since the OPM handles the CNMI personnel matters, we might as well let them manage this,” Untalan said.

Entry of 40 aliens to CNMI busted

Federal and local authorities have busted a scheme to illegally bring in some 40 aliens to the CNMI. The aliens were mostly from Egypt, people privy to the case disclosed. “It [the scheme] was busted. They were caught so they never managed to proceed.” Based on initial assessment, the 40 foreign nationals would come in to work for a federal facility. The Department of Labor and Immigration refused to divulge details of the incident, but said that it has began the probe on it. “The department is investigating this issue. We can’t comment further pending the investigation,” Immigration Director Antonio Sablan said in an interview.

Oct. 5, 2003

Senate majority OKs domestic violence bill

With amendments, the Senate majority on Friday passed legislation that promises to be tougher against perpetrators of violence in the family. House Bill 13-196, which sat in the upper house for about a year, was approved against the backdrop of October as the 2003 CNMI Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Advocates, led by the Domestic Violence Task Force, have been pushing lawmakers to approve the legislation designed to give more teeth to existing anti-domestic violence statutes. With three affirmative votes by Sen. Pete P. Reyes, Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero and Sen. Thomas P. Villagomez and one abstention by Sen. David M. Cing, the upper house passed HB 13-196, House Draft 1, Senate Draft 1.

Disabilities Council receives new US grant

The CNMI Council on Developmental Disabilities has received word that the agency’s Alternative Financing Mechanism Program’s Federal Financial Assistance Application has been approved and awarded $508,392.00 to establish an assistive technology low interest loan program known as “Trankilu” (tranquil). This good news was relayed by Carol Cohen, project officer of the National Institute on disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education. NIDRR is the administering federal agency of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 and the designated federal grantor agency for all assistive technology projects across the nation and its territories.