FLASHBACK December 1,1998-2002

Federal funds emerge for cash-starved PSS[/B]

The Public School System is recipient of a $65,000 in grant that will fund the formulation of education reforms to boost learning, and a team from the Hawaii-based Pacific Resources for Education and Learning is helping out push the project through. The project, called Comprehensive School Reform, is required to be based on models that have been proven successful. It focuses away from isolated projects and on a campus-wide campaign. Meanwhile, education officials were told yesterday that PSS may dip into education funds earmarked for some specialized programs and for what is known in the U.S. as migrant education.

Commonwealth Development Authority Board Chairman Juan S. Tenorio said yesterday utility rates in the CNMI are reasonable, debunking claims by the business sector that they were way too high. He said private business owners ought to realize that rates have not been adjusted for many years despite fluctuations in prices of fuel in the world markets. Tenorio said the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. is subsidizing at between $3 million to $4 million annually for sewer and water services.

Budget deliberation resumes[/B]

The House Ways and Means Committee resumed yesterday its deliberation on the FY 2000 budget package, more than two months after it deferred passage of the proposal due to disagreement on how to divide the shrinking cash resources of the government. The panel hopes to complete the task by middle of this month before the Legislature goes into sine die and after members iron out differences, such as the level of appropriation to be given to each department or agency. Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio submitted in April a $206 million spending level, representing a 2 percent drop from the revised budget for FY 1999.

Racketeering charges were filed against two japanese nationals and a Japanese firm for alleged fraud and embezzlement of funds in connection with the development of Coral Ocean Point, a hotel and golf course in the southern part of Saipan. Named respondents in the civil suit filed by lawyer James Grizzard based on the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act were Kiyoshige Terada, chairman of the board of directors; Minoru Imai, president; and Japanese firm Hyakumata Kabushiki Kaisha. According to the complaint, Mr. Terada, Mr. Grizzard and Mr. Imai established Suwaso Inc. in 1985 for the development of COP. Mr. Grizzard owns 10 percent of the shares of the company.

Democrats hold primary[/B]

Democrats are appealing to more than 12,000 voters on Saipan to go out and vote in the open primary tomorrow to decide who will be the party’s official candidate to the mayoralty election next year on the island. Rep. Antonio Muna Camacho and former Rep. Juan Borja Tudela are seeking its endorsement to run for Saipan mayor in the November 2001 polls. This is the first time ever that Democrats are conducting a primary ahead of an election, according to party chair, former Gov. Carlos S. Camacho.

The two candidates in tomorrow’s primary have asked support from the people to give them the mandate to address the critical needs on Saipan. “We’ve been working hard,” said Rep. Antonio M. Camacho in a separate interview yesterday. “People may not come out and vote because this is just a primary, but we are asking them to exercise their right.” He expressed confidence of winning the two-way race, citing his platform of helping the people of Saipan as his main priority once elected into office.

NMI gears up for homeland security[/B]

Local agencies are gearing up for the gradual implementation of the Homeland Security Act, with the Emergency Management Office and the Department of Public Health-among others-leading the local preparedness efforts. Gov. Juan N. Babauta said Friday that the EMO is in the process of procuring hazardous material suits and respirators, while the health department has already begun emergency response preparations.