FLASHBACK April 22, 1999-2003

[B]April 22, 1999

CNMI gets backing[/B]

US Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Ca) has defended the Northern Marianas against plans that would strip the islands of duty free privileges, saying such move would throw back the CNMI to dependence on federal subsidies like other US territories. “I strongly disagree that we should single out the CNMI from our other U.S. territories and deny them the duty-free status for trying to find a formula that would enable them to be less dependent on U.S. taxpayers grant,” Rohrabacher said in his Dear Colleague letter to members of Congress.

[B]Gov’t to cooperate in hosting illegals
[/B] Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday said his government is willing to accommodate requests by the United States to divert to the Northern Marianas vessels carrying illegal Chinese immigrants that will be captured by authorities in the future. “I have already made a commitment when I discussed this with the justice department. I have committed that we are ready to cooperate,” the governor said in an interview.

[B]Counsel: Rethink trade-zone law[/B]

The legal counsel of the Commonwealth Ports Authority has asked board members to examine the proposed Free Trade Zone Act of 1999 because it would intrude on the autonomy of the agency to decide how much of its property must be set aside for the establishment of a trade zone. Based on the proposed measure, some 60 hectares of land shall be made available in the vicinity of Saipan International Airport to be leased at reasonable rates.

[B]April 22, 2002

More flights for China Air eyed[/B]

The CNMI government, together with the Commonwealth Ports Authority and the Marianas Visitors Authority, will collectively seek the support of the U.S. Department of Transportation to grant the remaining 100 flight permits for the China Southern Air. This, as Gov. Juan N. Babauta vowed to extend all necessary assistance to the MVA to cultivate the China market, which is seen to alleviate the condition of the CNMI tourism industry.

[B]’Japan-US agreement will help us'[/B]

To obtain a first-hand look at how the decline in Japanese tourists have affected the local economy, a Department of Commerce delegation swung by the Northern Marianas over the weekend in a visit that they described as “action packed.” This comes on the heels of a signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Japan in a bid to bring tourism activity between the two countries back up to pre-9-11 levels.

[B]NMI students’ college tuition now more affordable[/B]

CNMI college students studying in Hawaii can now avail of tuition similar to the rate offered to Hawaii residents following a decision by the University of Hawaii system to adjust the course fees. Pat Grossman, Admissions Counselor for International Students at the UH-Hilo, informed acting Scholarship Administrator Meliza Guajardo of the good news last week.

[B]April 22, 2003

Woman patient under DPH observation[/B]

Department of Public Health officials yesterday admitted that a woman patient has been under close monitoring and her case has been referred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for immediate evaluation amid the global threat of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, but they stressed that they do not suspect it to be SARS. DPH officials headed by Secretary James U. Hofschneider called a press conference yesterday to vehemently deny that it has quarantined a person suspected to have been afflicted with SARS.
[B] CPA lauds airlines’ efforts vs SARS[/B]

The Commonwealth Ports Authority commended airline companies servicing Saipan for implementing tighter monitoring of their passengers amid the outbreak of the deadly disease Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Carlos H. Salas, CPA executive director, noted that airliners that bring passengers in and out of the Commonwealth have been in close coordination with local aviation and health agencies to prevent the entry of any SARS carrier into the CNMI.