Flashback-January 23, 2001-2004

[B][U]January 23, 2001[/U][/B] [B]Man gambles life to save tourists[/B]

Twenty-six-year old Galileo “Kaily” Torwal would have joined the U.S . Navy in July of this year to pursue his dream. But the young man who was described by his peers as friendly, smart and funny will no longer be able to fulfill his ambition. Kaily died while saving the life of visiting Japanese couple Kohei Mase, 51 and his wife Takako, 50, on Jan. 21. Fellow employees at BSEA, Inc. where Kaily works as a boat attendant are still at a loss on how to accept the tragedy that struck the man who was loved by everyone. It was just one of those parasailing trips with Japanese tourists which Kaily joined for his company at around 2pm. Kaily assured Kohei and Takako that they will enjoy the trip and they have nothing to worry about.

[B]Entry of new Tinian casino nears[/B]

TINIAN—The Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission is wrapping up its financial and background investigation of Tokyo-based Kirino Consultants, the Japanese firm which has expressed interest in establishing another casino on the island. TCGCC Executive Director Esther H. Barr said a licensing hearing will also be conducted to determine the suitability of the project. Commission investigators recently went to Japan to gather all the documents needed in the background investigation. Kirino Consultants already paid the $350,000 application and investigation fee to TCGCC last year so that work can begin immediately on the planned investment. The Japanese firm is planning to set up a domestic and international airline company to be based in Tinian to specifically service its casino customers as well as the local market on the two other islands.

[B][U]January 23, 2002[/U][/B] [B]Saipan residents celebrate life[/B]

Gov. Juan N. Babauta and Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente led more than 200 Saipan residents, teachers, healthcare workers and students in a march along Beach Road to the American Memorial Park to stress the community’s position against abortion practices in the Northern Marianas. The rally was also held in conjunction with the official opening of the Crisis Pregnancy Center and Hotline, which was established to provide assistance and hope to women and teenagers who are unprepared for motherhood. The advocates of life-Grace Christian Academy students, parents, religious leaders, government officials, business leaders and others-marched from the American Memorial Park to the DFS Galleria in Garapan and back to the park.

[B]Gaming industry may fuel economic growth[/B]

With the impending phase-out of the garment industry in the Commonwealth in 2004, the government should consider the gaming industry on Tinian as an alternate source of revenue that would keep the CNMI’s economic engine going. Tinian Sen. Jose Dela Cruz said he suggested this idea to Gov. Juan N. Babauta during a meeting where they discussed the projected shortfall in revenues brought on by the continuing decline in the local economy. “Since the garment industry will be phasing out eventually, I suggested to the Governor that we should look at the gaming industry on Tinian and try to nurture that so that, hopefully, we can realize a good return on that particular industry,” the senator said.

[B][U]January 23, 2004[/U][/B] [B]Tinian to get own screeners[/B]

Hiring of federal screeners for Tinian airport may begin in MarchThe West Tinian International Airport is expected to have its own federal screeners soon as the Department of Homeland Security hinted that hiring of Transportation Security Administration airport inspectors may start in March this year. The TSA-Saipan Office disclosed plans to tap the services of a recruitment agency to handle the screening of prospective airport inspectors for Tinian. TSA-Saipan Office director John T. Peoples said a team from the recruitment firm, which handled the applications of all screeners throughout the United States, is scheduled to arrive on Tinian “in the next two months.”

[B]Atalig: Latest Compact report in draft form[/B]

Commerce Secretary Fermin Atalig clarified yesterday that the figures detailed in the 2003 Impact of the Compact Report submitted to the Governor’s Office this week is still a work in progress, although he affirmed the estimated $9.2 million that the CNMI government spent for Micronesian migrants in fiscal year 2002. He said the numbers provided by affected agencies-namely Division of Youth Services, Office of the Public Defender, Public School System, Department of Public Health and Department of Public Safety-on the costs of providing services to citizens of the Freely Associated States could still change. “The report is a draft. The figures could still change. When we checked with Finance Department, the numbers that we obtained and the numbers that they have are not jiving so we’re just fine-tuning it because there may be certain things that have to be taken out,” Atalig told reporters yesterday.