Flashback August 21, 2000-2002

CUC: Agencies should assume unpaid bills[/B]

The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation has expressed support for a proposal to turn over responsibility of paying government utilities to each department or agency in view of the mounting debt by the Tenorio administration in unpaid billings. At present, the government owes CUC over $12 million—and still counting—which represents utilities costs for all departments and agencies from as far back as late 1997.

The government will lift by next month the ban imposed on food products coming from the Federated States of Micronesia after lowering the risks of a cholera outbreak in the Northern Marianas. Lands and Natural Resources Sec. Joaquin A. Tenorio said a decision will be made in the next 30 days, although the CNMI has in recent weeks eased restrictions on the entry of some of the products imported from FSM.

Office of Personnel Management Director Mathilda A. Rosario has opposed a proposal that will authorize women government employees who have newly born children one hour of administrative leave for breast-feeding. While she shares the concern of the Legislature on the welfare of newborn children, Ms. Rosario said she is still opposing HB 12-068 because it “would exacerbate an already existing equity problem and could be misconstrued as discriminatory.”

House allows continued bombing [/B]

The House of Representatives threw its support behind the US Navy, in connection with the case filed by the US-based Center for Biological Diversity against the US Navy for conducting live fire training on the Farallon de Medinilla Island. The House also directed its legal counsel, Patricia Halsell, to file a legal brief supporting the legal stance taken by the US Navy in the case.

Work is underway for the completion of the Kagman Laboratory where the scarlet gourd stemborer will be stored to propagate once its importation is completed. Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Service entomologist Lee Eavy said the Division of Agriculture has agreed to allocate a section at the Kagman Laboratory where the scarlet gourd stemborer will be housed shortly after importation.

Given a choice, Rep. Egredino M. Jones would want all elected officials and legislative staff in the Commonwealth to undergo mandatory drug testing. To this end, Jones said he intends to introduce a bill that would require all elected officials in the CNMI, as well as all employees of the Legislative Bureau and the staff of all legislators, to undergo mandatory drug testing to weed out drug users.

NMI educational hub for Korean and Japanese students[/B]

The Northern Marianas is slowly but surely carving a niche as a prime destination for Korean and Japanese students, as the CNMI strengthens cultural and educational exchange programs with the two Asian countries. Apart from the 100 Korean students who arrived on island under the HANVIT-Saipan exchange program, 40 students from Korea were also welcomed with warm tropical greetings by Dandan Elementary School students and teachers yesterday morning.

The House of Representatives is expected to transmit this morning to Gov. Juan N. Babauta the proposed $213 million Fiscal Year 2003 budget, after the Senate gave the green light yesterday afternoon to the Environmental Beautification Tax. Both chambers of the Legislature had already passed House Bill 13-170-the spending plan for the next fiscal year-but the House has held off transmitting it to the Office of the Governor until the Senate passes House Bill 13-171-the beautification tax-which the lower chamber considers key to achieving the projected revenue for next fiscal year.