FLASHBACK -Dec. 24, 2011

Defects delaying airport’s baggage handling system[/B]

Serious defects and deficiencies are delaying the use of the much awaited baggage handling system at the Saipan International Airport, a project that was initiated in 2006, according to the Commonwealth Ports Authority. During a special board meeting yesterday, federal security director Mike Conley disclosed that serious defects in the equipment must be corrected immediately so it could be certified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration. The new baggage handling system, which cost about $15 million and was funded by the Federal Aviation Administration, was completed in 2007. It has yet to become fully operational, though, because it lacks the needed certification.

Christmas is much sweeter for 12-year-old Nicole Johanna Arenovski, who won an autographed Epiphone Les Paul guitar from the Jonas Brothers, one of today’s most popular American pop rock boy bands and an active supporter of diabetes awareness programs in the nation. “It’s a surprise. This is so cool,” said Arenovski, as she held the collector’s item guitar, which came as a Christmas gift yesterday through the Hard Rock Café Sacramento and the California Diabetes Association. Arenovski received her autographed guitar from Hard Rock Café Saipan operations manager Raynaldo Perez during a surprise ceremony for her at the Hard Rock Café in Garapan yesterday afternoon.

‘Guam-NMI high on NYT ranking for corruption'[/B]

Taotao Tano president Gregorio Cruz Jr. yesterday brought to the attention of the Legislature and the Executive Branch a recent New York Times article that ranks the states and territories in terms of levels of corruption. In an e-mail to lawmakers and members of the Executive Branch, Cruz said the CNMI “made it to New York Times, listed under corruption.” Cruz said the most interesting chart in the article relates to how many convicted officials are produced for every one million constituents. “These charts are very revealing, especially corruption per percent of population. Other countries may be worse.but if you compare us to American corruption. We are at the top of the list,” according to the Taotao Tano president.

Recognizing the importance of education to the growth of the community, the management of McDonald’s Saipan has given CNMI’s 2009 Teacher of the Tear Jim Phillips with a $500 cash reward. McDonald’s manager/owner Joe Ayuyu personally turned over the money to Phillips yesterday, explaining that it has been the company’s commitment to give the award to the year’s best teacher. “We’ve been doing this for a long time,” Ayuyu said. Ayuyu was one of the panelists in the selection committee for the teacher of the year awardees in 2009. Being a teacher of the year in the CNMI, Ayuyu said, Phillips would be an ambassador for all teachers in the CNMI.

Rebates out for Christmas[/B]

Taxpayers can look forward to a brighter holiday season with the release of $26.4 million in tax refunds and rebates. Gov. Benigno R. Fitial announced on Friday the settlement of the dispute between the U.S. Department of Treasury and the CNMI government over federal taxes that the U.S. government failed to transfer-or “cover over”-to the local government. The settlement resulted in the transfer of $26.4 million to the Commonwealth. The governor instructed the Department of Finance to use all of the recovered amount toward the payment of outstanding tax refunds and rebates.

French luxury goods retailer Hermes opened its newly renovated downtown store on Friday. After closing for refurbishment months ago, Hermes reopened at DFS Galleria in Garapan with a design by the Paris-based architectural firm RDAI. Headed by Rena Dumas, the company is responsible for the design of all Hermes stores around the globe. A private cocktail party was held to mark the event. Jim Beighley of the DFS Pacific Group, Chivil Chen of Hermes South East Asia, and Jewel Camacho of DFS Guam all flew in to join the celebration. DFS Saipan’s president Marian Aldan-Pierce and area general manager Shogo Ando were also at hand.