Flashback September 24, 1999

[B]September 24, 1999

U.S. Navy turns over land to NMI
[/B] The planned expansion of the West Tinian Airport moved a step closer to implementation after the U.S. Navy and the CNMI government yesterday signed an agreement formally turning over some 1,500 acres of land in the island municipality of Tinian. In exchange for the return of the land, CPA has agreed to grant the U.S. military the use of the airport as well as landing rights.

[B]Gov’t overtime pay down 67 percent[/B]

The Tenorio administration has pared down overtime pay for government personnel by some 67 percent over the past two years that translated to savings of more than $8 million. In a report released yesterday as part of a series of analysis on public spending, the Department of Finance said departments and agencies forced between 33 percent to 100 percent reduction in overtime costs in line with the austerity measures.

[B]CNMI to submit recommendations to Congress[/B]

The government will submit within two weeks specific recommendations on the legislation extending federal immigration laws to the Northern Marianas for consideration by the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday said he is working with his staff to come up with the comments in response to a request from Chairman Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska) during the September 14 hearing in Washington D.C.

[B]September 24, 2001

Continental Micronesia cuts 250 jobs[/B]

Continental Airlines furloughed 250 employees from its Micronesian operations due to the sharp decline in air travel as a result of the September 11 attacks on New York and the Pentagon. The Houston-based airline company said official notices of termination will be handed down this week to about 12,000 employees, including the 250 Continental Micronesia employees. Days after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon early this month, US-based carriers announced massive reduction in operations in anticipation of the slump in air travel demands.

[B]Labor department tightens ATB, re-entry requirements[/B]

The Department of Labor and Immigration is steadfastly monitoring all entries into the CNMI, announcing last week that all Authorization to Board and Re-entry letters will not be honored unless signed by DOLI Secretary Mark D. Zachares. The labor department came out with the memorandum in light of the recent terrorist attacks in New York and Washington DC.

[B]Garment sector sees 10% fall in revenues[/B]

With the way things are shaping up at the moment, the CNMI’s breadwinning sector-the garment industry-will most likely post a 10-percent decrease in earnings. Richard Pierce, president of the Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, said that, by year’s end, the garment industry will have suffered two successive declines in annual sales and taxes contributed to the government’s coffers.

[B]September 24, 2002

Measures eyed to aid businesses[/B]

Rep. Andrew S. Salas is currently drafting proposed measures intended to promote a business-friendly environment and more importantly, assist local businesses during these very trying economic times. Salas, chair of the House Committee on Commerce, is proposing that the imposition of excise taxes on CNMI businesses be suspended until January 2003, an approach which the state of Hawaii has reportedly already adopted.

[B]Inos meets with US Educ Secretary[/B]

Education Commissioner Dr. Rita H. Inos was among the first batch of the nation’s education superintendents and commissioners to dialogue with U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige on issues relating to the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The open discussion, held at the U.S. Department of Education headquarters in Washington D.C. last week, reportedly turned out to be a forum where education administrators raised concerns over each state and territory’s struggles in meeting the mandates of the law.