FLASHBACK

APRIL 13, 2005

Govt liabilities total $113M

The CNMI government’s liabilities now stand at a whopping $113.3 million, including a $79.1-million deficit representing overdue Retirement Fund payments. “The deficit is $79 million, which is an accumulated amount over 10 years,” said Finance Secretary Fermin M. Atalig yesterday. Statistics from the CNMI Treasury showed that, as of April 5, 2005, the government is $79.1 million behind in its Retirement Fund contributions. It also owes $12.6 million in Retirement Fund quarterly allotments, $13.3 million in utility bills owed the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., $1.7M owed the Marianas Visitors Authority, and $6.8 million owed its vendors.

OPA: Some board members paid $30K

Some members of government boards are getting as much as $30,000 in yearly compensation for participating in meetings-more than triple the annual salary of some civil service employees. Public auditor Michael Sablan said this was one of the preliminary findings that his office made from a survey of compensations being received by members of 46 autonomous agencies.

APRIL 13, 2004

DPS: Over 3,000 crashes in ‘03

Traffic related crashes in the CNMI increased by 29.6 percent from 2002 to 2003, of which 378 incidents-or 11.9 percent-involved drivers below 22 years old. At the same time, traffic related fatalities doubled in 2003 when compared with the four recorded in 2002. Based on latest records provided by the Department of Public Safety, a total of 3,168 accident complaints were reported last year-an increase of 723 incidents over that of 2002, which posted 2,445 traffic-related crashes.

7 officials off to Beijing Friday for ADS signing

Arrangements are now in the works for the reported trip to Beijing this Friday of seven government officials who will participate in the scheduled signing of a memorandum of agreement that would pave the way for the CNMI being granted Approved Destination Status. Capitol Hill sources said that travel documents of these officials are now being processed, to include Gov. Juan N. Babauta, special adviser to the governor Adam Turner, Attorney General Pam Brown, Marianas Visitors Authority deputy managing director Vicky Benavente, MVA board member Marian Aldan-Pierce, House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial and Senate President Joaquin G. Adriano.

APRIL 13, 2003

Seaport revenues up 2.5 percent

Incoming and outgoing cargo traffic on Saipan recorded a 2.5-percent increase during the first five months of financial year 2003, or 8,124 higher than the revenue tonnage during the same period last year. A report prepared by the Commonwealth Ports Authority for the first five months of fiscal year 2003 disclosed that activities at the Saipan seaport reached 55,592 revenue tons in October 2002; 68,739 tons in November 2002; 73,689 in December 2002; 60,022 in January 2003; and 74,505 in February this year.

Saipan as training ground for ’08 OlympicS?

Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio is toying with the idea of opening up Saipan as a training ground for U.S. athletes who will be competing in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. In an interview with reporters, Tenorio disclosed plans to coordinate with the U.S. Olympics committee with regard to this suggestion.

APRIL 13, 2001

Health chief sued for $3.6M

The children of a deceased woman yesterday filed a $3.6 million-civil action suit against Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez, holding the public official personally liable on allegations of neglect. The late Ana Deleon Guerrero Cepeda’s brood of eight, who each filed uniform complaints against the Department of Public Health, have apparently taken to heart the hospital’s alleged failure to preserve the remains of their dead mother, which resulted in the body’s desecration.

Visitor arrivals saw flat growth in March

Despite a 27 percent decline in tourists from its second biggest market—Korea, figures from the Marianas Visitors Authority indicated that CNMI visitor arrivals for the month of March are comparable to numbers registered in the same period last year. MVA records showed a total of 44,388 tourists came to the Commonwealth last month. In March of 2000, the CNMI welcomed 44,355 visitors for an increase of a minuscule .07 percent in visitor arrivals between periods.