Flashback April 19, 1999-2001

[B]April 19, 1999

FAS citizens won’t be cut from health care: Villagomez[/B]

The Department of Public Health will continue to provide health care to nationals of the Freely Associated States of Micronesia despite the recent opinion of the federal government that the CNMI will not violate any law should they decide to drop them from Medicaid. However, DPH Secretary Kevin Joe Villagomez said FAS nationals would become a burden more to the community if they are left on their own. However, the CNMI would be reimbursed 50 percent of the medical expenses by the federal government if the FAS people here are under Medicaid.

[B]Tan Holdings makes substantial compliance[/B]

Tan Holdings Corp. has already completed 85 percent of the requirements imposed by the Department of Public Health including structural changes in the factory’s kitchen to ensure the safety and cleanliness of food preparation. According to Health Secretary Kevin Villagomez, employees working in the factory’s kitchen have complied with the food handlers examination and attended the health seminar as part of the department’s requirement after the food poisoning incident nearly a month ago.

[B]Legislator praises CPA incentives plan[/B]

The chair of the House Commerce and Tourism Committee hailed a plan by the Commonwealth Ports Authority to grant incentives to all airlines in an attempt to stimulate traffic and revive the faltering tourism economy as he urged the government to step up its campaign to entice visitors. Rep. Oscar M. Babauta said it is a timely move to lower landing fees and passenger facility charge for existing airlines, allowing international carriers to maintain its direct flights to Saipan, while increasing their seating capacity.

[B]April 19, 2000

OPA investigates CPA’s sole-sourcing of contracts[/B]

The Office of the Public Auditor has opened an investigation on the way the Commonwealth Ports Authority awarded some contracts for services to private companies without the benefit of a public bidding, government documents disclosed. Public Auditor Leo LaMotte is asking ports authority officials to explain why they canceled the Request for Proposals, which CPA issued last year for marine consultancy services.

[B]No date set yet for release of rebate checks[/B]

The Department of Finance has deposited between $15 million to $17 million to a trust account that will be used to pay out rebates and refunds to more than 30,000 taxpayers in the CNMI. But Finance Sec. Lucy DLG. Nielsen disclosed the department has yet to set the date for the release of the checks, saying only that they are on target in their tax collection.

[B]March arrivals post flat growth[/B]

Visitor arrivals for the month of March reached 44,355 representing a flat growth compared to the same period of the previous year, according to the Marianas Visitors Authority. As Japan’s arrival record failed to show any improvement during this period, tourism officials see a little hope on the continuous increase in visitor arrivals from Korea which jumped 36 percent.

[B]April 19, 2001

CNMI consumers brace for higher power rates[/B]

Tinian and Rota will be adversely affected by the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation’s soon-to-be implemented rate increase in hopes to recoup revenue losses and to aid maintenance of power plants. According to the 10-year rate structure proposal approved by the CUC board last week, the power corporation needs to implement new rates to get all utility services going.

[B]CNMI’s CIP funds used as Compact-Impact payment[/B]

There is apparently nothing to be happy about the half-a-million-dollar federal appropriations received by the Commonwealth as partial payment to the fiscal impacts of the Compacts of Free Association. It turned out that the $500,000 Compact-Impact allocation from the Fiscal year 2002 budget submitted by President George W. Bush to the US Congress already belonged to the CNMI under the Section 702 funding.