FLASHBACK – Feb. 6, 2012

Feb. 6, 2003

NMC’s deficient audits alarm WASC

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges has expressed concern over the deficient audit reports submitted by the Northern Marianas College for fiscal years 1997, 1998, and 1999. It gave the college up to May 31, 2003 to correct these so-called deficiencies. “We received a letter from the WASC commissioner expressing concern on this,” said NMC president Kenneth Wright, adding that his office will respond to the commission before the due date. Wright said the WASC noted that the college may not be in compliance for Standard 9 (fiscal management) and Standard 5 (student records). “These are the old standards. These have been modified last June, but those are the issues [fiscal and student records] referred to,” he added.

EMO plans to dig up ordnance

The Emergency Management Office yesterday said it would dig up dozens of ordnances on different locations on Saipan, including San Roque. EMO response and recovery coordinator Anthony Tenorio said residents who recently spotted several pieces of live projectiles were afraid that they might explode and just covered the explosives with soil. “They were scared and they just covered it up,” Tenorio said. “They’re still underground.” Tenorio said EMO would be using the Department of Public Works’ backhoe in unearthing the ordnances. Tenorio estimated the number of explosives at 50. The ordnance recovery would take place next week, said Tenorio.

Feb. 6, 2004

MVA and GVB to promote NMI at RP TravelTour Expo

The Marianas Visitors Authority is gearing up for the 11th TravelTour Expo slated for Feb. 6-8, 2004 in Mandaluyong City, Philippines. The expo is organized by the Philippine Travel Agencies Association, the largest travel association in the country. Deemed to be the largest and most prestigious travel trade show in the Philippines, the event was organized to encourage unity in the travel industry and to promote the interests of its members and the traveling public. The MVA, in partnership with the Guam Visitors Bureau, will be sharing booth space at this year’s expo, where they will showcase the attractiveness of the CNMI and Guam to business and leisure travelers. The MVA delegation includes Directors JM Guerrero and Edward Maratita, Public relations & Community programs Manager Martin Duenas, and Marketing assistant Brenda Repeki.

CNMI taps federal tax funds

The Babauta administration yesterday disclosed that it has obtained federal funds from previously untapped sources at the U.S. Treasury. In a media statement released by the Attorney General’s Office, the government disclosed receiving some $210,000 so far from federal coffers. “Under the terms and provisions of the Covenant to establish the Northern Mariana Islands, the CNMI is entitled to cover over tax funds paid into the U.S. Treasury by CNMI,” the media release stated. Attorney General Pamela Brown said the CNMI expects to receive additional federal monies this year. The AGO and the CNMI Department of Finance, together with the Governor’s Office, managed to unearth the funding source, according to the media statement. Gov. Juan N. Babauta has reportedly entered into an understanding with the federal Treasury in connection with the payment of the funds.

Feb. 6, 2005

Admin to disclose Babauta’s CUC reprogramming

The Fitial administration will issue a report on the extent of funds reprogramming for the financially troubled Commonwealth Utilities Corp by former Gov. Juan N. Babauta. Acting Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez said Friday that such a report would be completed in 30 days. “We hope to have it in 30 days. We’ll immediately provide this information to the Legislature. It’s the information that we had been asking the previous administration but was never given to us,” said Villagomez.

MPLA spends nearly $50K in travel costs last month

Travel costs of the Marianas Public Lands Authority, including per diem fees of employees, reached nearly $50,000 in January 2006, based on documents released by the agency. The bulk of some $48,841.60 in travel expenses came from the Seattle, Washington trip of board chair Ana Demapan-Castro, member Nicolas Nekai and commissioner Edward DeLeon Guerrero. Travel advances of Demapan-Castro and Deleon Guerrero for the Seattle trip totaled $7,621.78 each, representing $4,050.60 in airfare, $2,661.18 in per diem fees, $560 in car rental or ground transportation cost, and $350 for “other fees.”