Flashback – Oct. 1999-Oct. 2003

Oct. 20, 1999

German visitors to promote NMI

The sights and sounds of the Northern Marianas will be seen and heard by 26.6 million listeners all over Germany and its neighboring countries in a first ever telecast in Europe by a major radio and television station. Two editors from Cologne, Germany are arriving today from on Saipan for a five-day visit. Adrea Stopp and Daniela Wiesler will cover Saipan for the weekly cultural travel journal “Sonntagsspaziergang-Reisenotizen aus Deutschland und der Welt”, a 90-minute national public radio program. The program features in-depth travel stories that describes the culture, history and the people of destinations they cover. In Deutchse Well International Radio and TV, which is broadcast all over the world, a 20-30 minute feature story of the Northern Marianas will include geography, environment and special focus on the centennial anniversary of the German administration in the NMI.

CPA rejects lower passenger tax plea

The Commonwealth Ports Authority has declined fresh pleas by the Hong Kong Entertainment (Ltd.) to reduce the passenger head tax it charges to Tinian Shipping & Transpiration Inc. aimed at easing the financial woes of its subsidiary. Hong Kong Entertainment, which operates Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino, has been prodding CPA to cut the existing tax rate by $5 to $1 for two years. However, the ports authority thumbed down the request, citing the agency’s need to raise revenues in order to reinstate the 80-hour work schedule per pay period of its employees. CPA has cut down the manhours due to declining income.

Oct. 20, 2002

Tinian eyes $5 million civic center

Tinian legislative leaders are working out a $5 million loan application for the construction of Tinian’s own civic center. Legislators are looking to borrow the money from the Marianas Public Land Trust to be used for the project’s design and construction costs. The proposed civic center is seen to rise on a parcel of land overlooking the San Jose Village. Senate Vice President Jose M. Dela Cruz said last week that the idea to build a civic center is centered on setting up a long-term investment, in a step toward doing away with renting office spaces for the government.

Tudela cuts back on public services

Financial constraints forced Saipan Mayor Juan Borja Tudela to cut back on some public services and projects, as he appealed to the local community to bear with the local government’s current fiscal situation. From water and coral deliveries, boom-truck, backhoe and island beautification projects to purchasing heavy equipment parts, all services to the public will be drastically reduced, according Tudela. “My office is absolutely down to its last penny. I have to cut most services until more funding is available. I can’t stretch the rubber any longer,” said Tudela. “We want to respond to each and every request. But with no dump trucks and essential heavy equipment part, how can we?”

Oct. 20, 2003

PSS moves to rectify ‘high risk’ grantee status

The Public School System will issue this week a solicitation for the emergency hiring of a federal grant consultant in the wake of the recent classification of the CNMI as a high-risk grantee by the U.S. Department of Education. Board of Education chairman Herman T. Guerrero said the situation calls for an emergency procurement to meet the compliance recommendation outlined by the USDE. “We need to get one as soon as possible. We actually opened this position earlier but it didn’t really materialize. Now we have to do the announcement again,” he said.

Lottery firm, CGC promote responsible gambling

Local lottery players will notice something new each time they buy play slips to participate in the lottery: A reminder to play responsibly. The Marianas Lottery has linked up with the Community Guidance Center in its effort to instill in its customers the value of responsible gambling by informing persons who may have gambling addition to contact the Center for help. Marianas Lottery general manager Marie P. Coleman the company is very conscious of the social impact associated with gambling addiction so it is doing its part by printing a reminder on the back of its lottery play slips.