Flashback — May 1999-2003

Telesource eyes Dynasty’s vessels[/B]

In what appears to be a move to strengthen its business interest in the Northern Marianas, Telesource CNMI Inc. is planning to acquire two ferry boats from Tinian Shipping Company Inc. amid deepening financial troubles gripping the shipping firm. The two ferry boats is owned by Tinian Shipping, a subsidiary of Hong Kong Entertainment (Overseas) Investment Ltd. which operates the cash-strapped Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino. The shipping company bought the ferry boats in 1997 for $10.8 million from Singapore with the help of a foreign financing firm. Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday flew to Tinian for talks brokered by leaders of the island municipality, but it was not clear if any agreement was reached.

Four Koreans were charged yesterday with violations of customs laws and bribery after they attempted to smuggle in cartons of cigarettes into the CNMI with the aid of a customs officer. Chan Ho Park, Hyun Chol Cho, Keun Ja Hwang and Moon Ho Kim were ordered by Superior Court Presiding Judge Timothy Bellas to each post a bail of $10,000. They were apprehended after surveillance officers of the Attorney General’s Investigation Unit found them bringing in close to 2,000 cartons of undeclared cigarettes.

Legal opinion backs abortion[/B]

The CNMI government is now faced with a dilemma on how to deal with the abortion issue on the island in light of a legal opinion issued by the Attorney General’s Office which says that any woman may legally obtain an abortion in the Northern Marianas. The legal opinion was crafted in 1995 but resurfaced after discussion on abortion was resurrected in the House of Representatives early this week that has drawn strong opposition from the Catholic church. Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday asked the AGO to review the constitutionality of abortion in the CNMI after meeting with religious leaders and members of the Legislature in a move to find a solution to the controversial issue which is now threatening to divide the predominantly Roman Catholic population.

Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan, who is eyeing the Republican nomination for next year’s gubernatorial elections, has underscored the need to keep the party’s unity after the GOP primary to ensure victory in the polls He pledged to throw his support behind whoever the party chooses as its standard bearer at the 2001 elections, saying that he also expects Republican opponents to back his candidacy if and when he wins in the primary. Mr. Sablan and running mate, Senate Vice President Thomas P. Villagomez, are facing the team of Representative to Washington Juan N. Babauta and Rep. Diego T. Benavente for the GOP’s endorsement in the primary which is scheduled to be held later this year or early next year.

PSS admits shortcomings on student performance[/B]

Public School System officials have admitted to the Legislature their shortcomings in adequately equipping high school students for a college education. “We raised the issue with PSS and they are aware of the situation and they themselves admitted that some of the students who graduate from high school are not as prepared as they would like them to be,” said Rep. Daniel Quitugua. Quitugua, who is chairman of the House Committee on Education, met with PSS administrators last Friday to discuss recent reports indicating that 80 percent of PSS graduates undergo remedial classes at the Northern Marianas College.

The World Health Organization has clarified that it does not recommend any travel restrictions to Manila even as the Philippine government has reportedly filed a formal protest with the Geneva-based organization for alleged misclassification of the country as having “medium level” SARS transmission—the same category as Canada and Singapore—as of Friday. In its latest advisory, WHO acknowledged that cluster of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome cases in Manila “have been well-contained.” “There appears to be no increased transmission risk in the Philippines. For this reason, WHO does not recommend any restrictions on travel to the Philippines,” it said.