Flashback — April 2000-2004

‘Ex-CPA officials pad leave credits’[/B]

The previous administration of the Commonwealth Ports Authority are facing investigation by the Office of the Public Auditor for allegedly circumventing the NMI Retirement Fund Act to increase the retirement benefits of two former officials. A preliminary result of the OPA investigation disclosed that the previous CPA administration allowed the conversion of the officials’ unused compensatory time hours to sick leave for use as additional years of credited service in the computation of their retirement allotment. The ports authority also paid the former officials’ unused leave and salaries in advance to increase the average annual salaries used in the computation of their retirement apportionment, according to the public auditor’s report.

After almost five years of fierce legal battle, the qualified heir claimants and the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation have finally agreed to settle the remaining assets of the Hillblom estate, leading to the closure of the lengthy heirship case. Superior Court Judge Pro Tem Alexandro C. Castro is expected to approve today what the parties called the Global Settlement Agreement amounting to over $65 million which was a product of various meetings held in California, Hawaii and Guam. The agreement describes in detail how the assets, cash and non-cash, will be divided and provide payment for obligations of the estate. Once Judge Castro gives his seal of approval on the agreement, the money will be distributed on May 11, 2000.
[B] April 7, 2003

Alert up vs products, passengers from SARS areas[/B]

The CNMI authorities are said to be on high alert not only for passengers, but also for products coming from areas with cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS. This comes even as the Pacific Daily News in Guam reported that a 9-year-old girl suspected of having contracted SARS continues to be evaluated and treated at her home where she and her family have been quarantined. The Sunday PDN report quoted Navy spokeswoman Lt. Thurraya Kent as saying that Navy medical officials are still trying to determine whether the girl, who is the daughter of a Navy sailor stationed on Guam, actually has the illness.

Saying that the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. has been “left in the dark,” CUC board member Jack Borja has expressed dismay over the apparent lack of consultation on the proposed $50-million Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Plant on Saipan. “CUC has been left in the dark; I don’t know why but I won’t let it happen that CUC would still be in the dark,” he said, citing a recent signing of a memorandum of understanding between a private company and the Executive Branch, to which, he said, the CUC was not made privy to. Borja was referring to the agreement signed with Maryland-based Sea Solar Power International for the construction of a $50-million Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion plant, a pilot project which is seen to generate approximately 10 megawatts of net electrical power and three million gallons of fresh water a day.

Group: CNMI to get AD status[/B]

The Northern Mariana Islands will receive its Approved Destination Status next week when Gov. Juan N. Babauta meets with China National Tourism Administration officials in Beijing. This comes amid a visit by Chinese travel agents, airline representatives, and China-based travel magazines who paid a courtesy visit to the governor to express their support to the CNMI’s effort to lure more Chinese tourist to the Commonwealth. According to China Eastern Airlines travel manager Zhi Cheng, Saipan has been granted the Approved Destination Status and the governor would be in Beijing for the official signing of the agreement on April 16.

With the reported Chinese government’s approval of the CNMI’s application as an accredited tourist destination, the Commonwealth’s tourism industry sees brighter months ahead-good news on top of the 15-percent growth in visitor arrivals posted in March. Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Jonas Ogren said yesterday that preparations have been going on in anticipation of China’s approval to the CNMI’s request for Approved Destination Status. Officially, though, he said he has yet to receive information if the application has actually been approved. “If and when we do get ADS, it’s great news for Saipan, as well as Tinian and Rota,” Ogren said. He said the MVA has already been working on the CNMI’s marketing plan for the Chinese tourist market. Right now, he said the MVA is in the process of hiring public relations agencies in China to help market the islands to Chinese tourists. The target areas for the marketing campaign are Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.