Flashback February 18, 1999-2002

[B][I]February 18, 1999[/I][/B] [B]2 escaped convicts give up[/B]

Barely 24 hours since they bolted out of the Division of Corrections, Joseph Bowei and Ryan Babauta turned themselves in Tuesday night. Bowei was convicted of first-degree murder. Babauta, who twice escaped from prison, is serving time for involuntary manslaughter. Both were accompanied by family members. The six convicts, who are still on the loose, are Luis Camacho, William Sablan, Edwin Blas, Vicente Aldan Jr., Arcel Busto and Jeffrey Celis. Camacho was convicted for sexual abuse; Sablan for several counts of assault, battery and robbery; Blas for attempted rape; Aldan for second-degree murder; Busto for second-degree murder; and Celis for robbery, burglary and theft.

[B]Young’s team arrives today[/B]

US Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), chairman of the House Resources Committee, along with 26 congressional members and spouses, arrives today on Saipan for a three-day visit considered crucial by CNMI in light of Washington’s fresh plans to introduce a legislation on takeover of local minimum wage and immigration. Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio leads commonwealth officials who will welcome Young and participants to the committee’s tour of the Pacific that already took them to American Samoa and Guam. The congressional members are to visit the Marshall Islands after Saipan Tenorio said he has high hopes the trip will persuade US lawmakers to go easy on a new proposal the White House plans to introduce to Congress for the application of federal immigration and minimum wage laws to the Northern Marianas.

[B][I]February 18, 2000[/I][/B] [B]$12 million now in rebate trust fund[/B]

All indications are pointing to the on-time release of tax rebate and refund checks this year with the government drawing near to fully replenishing the special rebate trust account, according to Finance Secretary Lucy Nielsen. Ms. Nielsen said the government has so far deposited at least $12 million in the special rebate trust account, which was almost empty when the administration of Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio assumed office in January 1998. When the Teno Administration assumed office in January last year, the Transition Committee had uncovered that the special trust fund has dipped to $2 million when it should have been at $31 million as of end-1997.

[B]CDA refutes OPA report on building renovation[/B]

Contrary to a preliminary report prepared by the Public Auditor, monthly rental at the building currently occupied by the Commonwealth Development Authority in Gualo Rai will be in status quo until 2007, Board Chair John S. Tenorio said yesterday. Mr. Tenorio was reacting on a report from OPA which claimed that renovation of the structure along Middle Road will eventually increase CDA’s monthly rental of the property by $5,000 to $19,212 per month. Mr. Tenorio said CDA currently pays its lessor $1.25 per square-foot for the building and will continue to pay the same amount for the next seven years.

[B][I]February 18, 2002[/I]

Garbage crisis looms[/B]

The Department of Public Works is bracing for a looming garbage crisis due to the unavailability of financial assurance that would warrant the issuance of a permit to operate the Marpi landfill. This, as ongoing work for the landfill remains limited to clearing operations as the contractors await the release of a revised federal permit concerning native birds inhabiting the project site. It follows that the Puerto Rico dumpsite, which is projected to be filled to maximum capacity before the year ends, may not be allowed closure, if a replacement landfill is not ready to accommodate Saipan’s tons of garbage daily. (See related story on p.3) The concern was raised by the Division of Environmental Quality’s Brian Bearden, an environmental engineer who administers the agency’s Solid Waste Permitting Program.

[B]Create new industry in NMI: Diego asks Chinese[/B]

To create a climate that will promote business growth in the CNMI, the Babauta administration will end the politics of confrontation with the United States, make the CNMI investor-friendly and implement a performance-based government. At the same time, Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente challenged members of the Chinese Association of Saipan, CNMI to use their ingenuity to create alternative industries in the Commonwealth, in the wake of the impending demise of the garment industry. Benavente is acting Governor as Gov. Juan N. Babauta is in Washington DC for a three-week visit.