Flashback — Oct. 1999-Oct. 2003

Govt owes landowners $80 million[/B]

The government intends to address a huge backlog in unpaid settlement totaling to $80 million it owes landowners whose properties were acquired for right-of-way or easement projects, according to House Ways and Means Committee chair Karl T. Reyes. He said these land acquisition dealings were done as far back as 1990 and ranged from a small lot area of 11 square meters to more than 7,000 sqm. “They have not been fully paid or not paid yet by the government,” Reyes told reporters in an interview yesterday. “We just want to see how we can address this.” Since payment for these obligations were not included in the fiscal budget of the government for the last two years, the Legislature and the administration will try to work out a scheme to reduce the debts.

The American College of Radiologist has recently certified the mammography facility of the Commonwealth Health Center after meeting the requirements that included tests on the capability of hospital technician, radiologist and physician, according to Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez. This means that the facility can conduct yearly breast examination until such time the it has to renew accreditation from the American College of Radiologists, said Susan Zehr, manager of the radiology division. The accreditation has to be renewed every three years. With the accreditation given last week, Zehr said the people in the community are assured of receiving quality health care.

PCB worries hold off homestead project[/B]

Another homestead project has been put on hold following a warning that the area may be contaminated with PCB. According to the Marianas Public Lands Authority, its homestead project on Capitol Hill, which covers about 18-20 lots, would need additional environmental evaluation. In an interview, MPLA Commissioner Bertha C. Deleon Guerrero said regulatory agencies could not release the permits for those lots due to possible PCB contamination. In the meantime, she said, the MPLA will reevaluate its options-whether to go ahead with a soil test or look for another suitable area.

The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation Board does not fully agree with the terms contained in the proposed Memorandum of Agreement with the Commonwealth Development Authority in connection with the utility firm’s unsettled loans. In an interview, CUC Board Chair Frank Guerrero said board members think that the proposed MOA, which had already been signed by the CDA, was “unfair” and “one-sided.” “For one, the majority of the board said do not sign it because we don’t owe CDA anything,” he said, adding that the the fund loaned out by the CDA was appropriated by the Legislature and was used for public purposes.

Feds evaluate CNMI Head Start program[/B]

A seven-member visiting Head Start team has begun its weeklong evaluation of the local program to see if it has complied with last year’s recommendations amid findings of major deficiencies in implementation. Visiting team leader Richard Ybarra said in an interview that last year’s findings showed that the local program’ systems were “very dysfunctional” and in need of immediate repair. “We gave them a year to correct those,” said Ybarra. On Friday, the visiting group will make public its new findings on the CNMI Head Start. When asked, Ybarra said this week’s visit is not in the tone of “make or break” for the local Head Start, adding that its funding for FY 2004 has, in fact, already been released.

Japanese investors were very curious about the CNMI, but they have not made any business commitments, according to the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. CUC board chairman Herman P. Sablan, who joined the one-day investment meeting in Tokyo last week, said close to 500 business people showed up for the event. “There were lots of curious people.” Asked whether there was any investment interest on utility services, Sablan said the business group was “looking at the CNMI business environment in general.” “There’s no specific commitment but we talked with them. We need to follow up with them,” said Sablan.