FLASHBACK -Feb. 3, 2012

Feb. 3, 1999

CUC sets more consultations on water project

Apparently not satisfied with previous public hearings on the proposed water desalination plant on Saipan, the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation will hold additional town meetings to find out whether it will forge ahead with the costly project. CUC officials said they still need to get more input from island residents on the proposal, which although seen to address perennial water shortage in central Saipan, it will cost the government-owned utility firm some $100 million in the next 20 years. “It’s a very expensive solution to the water problem,” said CUC executive director Timothy P. Villagomez. “But I don’t want to put a price into that because we do not know it.

China seeks strong partnership with CNMI

Two diplomats of the People’s Republic of China yesterday met with Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio seeking stronger cooperation against the backdrop of growing problems stemming from difficulties in deporting Chinese illegals in the Northern Marianas. Consul Hanchang Quin, Beijing’s consul to Los Angeles, and his staff, Zhongmin Zhang, paid a courtesy call to the governor and discussed briefly PROC’s desire to improve relations. According to Tenorio, the visiting officials told him that China wants to work closely with CNMI’s labor and immigration department to address mutual concerns.

Feb. 3, 2000

EAGI poised to investigate CUC chief

Amid denials by the parties involved in the bribery allegations on the controversial Saipan power project, a Senate committee is set to investigate Commonwealth Utilities Corp. executive director Timothy P. Villagomez to finally determine whether these claims from his former wife are valid. The Senate Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations will meet with the Attorney General’s Office and the Office of the Public Auditor within the next few days in their search for answers on the claims contained in a purported affidavit from Alice Fleming Villagomez, who is now divorced from CUC chief.

MVA earmarks $100K for Saipanda survey

After over one year of using Saipanda mascot in its advertising campaign in Japan, the Marianas Visitors Authority is set to evaluate whether the marketing plan worked out or not. The MVA board has approved a $100,000 budget for an independent firm to carry out the survey on its biggest market. In the planned marketing evaluation, MVA wants to know if the consumers have associated Saipanda with the destination. “We want to know whether we are reaching our target consumers. Most of all, we want to find out if our marketing campaign is in the right direction,” said Perry Tenorio, managing director of MVA. He said MVA wants to conduct a similar evaluation on its Korean market.

Feb. 3, 2003

Feds, NMI meet on refugee handling

CNMI and federal officials recently met in San Francisco to discuss new procedures for handling refugees following reports about the U.S. government’s decision to suspend admission of Iraqi refugees. Department of Labor and Immigration Joaquin A. Tenorio said the meeting focused on what the CNMI can do to cooperate with the federal government with respect to refugees. “There’s a treaty that was signed by the United States with respect to refugees and it applies to us. We went over there, to find out what we can do to cooperate with U.S,” he said. Tenorio clarified that there are no known refugees in the CNMI. “We don’t have any refugees that I know of.

DPH to set up pilot MHS clinic

The Department of Health will activate a clinic at Marianas High School as part of the goal to bring health care services closer to students. The DPH will also set up, through a federal grant, a new community clinic in Kagman. DPH Secretary James U. Hofschneider said the department intends to push for the school-based clinics to be able to reach out to more adolescents and address their particular needs. “We’ll start with MHS. This is our pilot project. We want to make our services more accessible to students. Also this gives them learning tools about public health,” he said. This move, he said, aims to address problems associated with youths such as teenage pregnancies, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases.