FLASHBACK – September 29, 2011

Opening of new schools might be delayed[/B]

The Public School System may have to delay the opening of two new schools if the government is forced to run a budget under continuing resolution next fiscal year, a top education official said yesterday. Esther Fleming, chairperson of the Board of Education, said PSS hopes to open the Sinapalo and Kagman elementary schools next school year. “Unless we’re given additional funds on top of the budget level that we would be using based on continuing resolution, we might be forced the delay the opening of the two new schools in year 2001,” Fleming said. The education agency’s current budget is $37 million. It hopes to get a share of $42 million from the proposed $206 million Commonwealth budget for FY 2000.

The Department of Public Safety is planning to provide two more police vehicles for the island-municipality of Tinian and carry out improvements in the detention center there. Despite limited budget, the department will try to look for funds to accommodate the request of Tinian local government for additional police cars. There are two police vehicles on Tinian right now but only one is in good condition to service the community. DPS Commissioner Charles W. Ingram met with local police officers on Tinian to discuss the problem. DPS turned over a 31 ft. boat to Tinian police force to augment its search operations. DPS is facing a problem with its patrol car operations for FY 2000 after the budget for car lease has been reduced from $1.1 million to just over $800,000.

House bill dulls attraction of CNMI to lawyers[/B]

The Attorney General’s Office has warned against legislation scrapping government housing benefits, saying the move will make it more difficult for the CNMI to hire and retain government lawyers from the U.S. mainland. Noting other jurisdictions offer attractive compensation package, it said even indigenous lawyers would be discouraged to join government service here without such perks. Assistant Attorney General Elliot A. Sattler presented the AGO’s position in a testimony presented to the House Judiciary and Government Operations Committee which is reviewing HB 12-34 amending the government housing law.

A number of CNMI community organizations now have the means to start plans to institute various youth and family-oriented programs with the Criminal Justice Planning Agency Supervisory Council’s recent approval of over 31 sub-grant applications to support their respective agenda. According to CJPA Executive Director Harry C. Blanco, the applications for funds available under the Fiscal Year 1999 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Program and Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant amounted to some $409,746. He added the council has also awarded $161,220 to three sub-grant applications under the federal Victims of Crime Act Program covering Fiscal Years 1999 and 2000.

EPA: Used oil must be shipped off-island[/B]

Used motor oil should be shipped off-island in the absence of a costly refinery that could recycle the waste for reuse, a visiting official of the Seattle-based U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region X said. Due to the absence of a refinery, there are more quantities of stored used oil on Saipan compared to levels at the U.S. mainland, said Calvin Terada, program manager and inspector of the EPA Region X’s Tribal Underground Injection Control Program. The program regulates septic systems and other waste disposal systems that go to the ground. Used motor oil and wastewater are among common pollutants that contaminate groundwater.

Despite vigorous objections by litigants in the Bank of Saipan case, outgoing bank receiver Randall Fennell enjoyed the court’s graces, with Superior Court Presiding Judge Edward Manibusan granting him full judicial immunity from future lawsuits that may be filed against him in connection with the receivership. At the same time, Manibusan ruled that the bank and the receivership shall indemnify Fennell for future claims that may be filed against him in connection with his actions as receiver. Before exonerating Fennell, however, the Calvo shareholders-Paul, Edward and Thomas-already expressed intent to challenge the court’s decision.