Flashback — July 1999-July 2003

Teno to lobby vs federal takeover[/B]

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday vowed anew to fight any attempt that will take away CNMI’s control over its labor and immigration functions, as he leaves today for Washington D.C. to lead the local delegation that will testify in an oversight hearing in the US Congress next week. The governor leaves today along with Commonwealth officials and representatives of the business sector for the August 3 hearing in the US capital called by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The panel, which has oversight of the Northern Marianas and other U.S. territories, will tackle the proposed legislation seeking full extension of the Immigration and Nationality Act to the island.

The CNMI was among the U.S. territories chosen by the federal Office of Budget Management to receive Y2K funding assistance from the federal government, officials announced Friday. The Office of Insular Affairs said the CNMI will receive $1.3 million from the Clinton Administration’s $22 million computer upgrading program aimed at preventing system failures resulting from the so-called Y2K bug. This assistance is offered only to insular areas, and the funding will be limited to the replacement and repair of systems that were originally installed through federal grants.

MVA urged to hike tourism safety
[/B] Regardless of who has the authority over tourism safety in the Commonwealth, the government and industry players should address this issue as a team. Although only one businessman stood up to stress this point, he was widely applauded by the audience during Friday’s general membership meeting of the Marianas Visitors Authority at the Fiesta Hall of the Hafadai Beach Hotel. Gov. Juan N. Babauta himself said that, due to increasing security concerns raised by tourists and tourism-related businesses, his administration would address these concerns directly.

House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider insists that the House Ways and Means Committee submit its recommendations on the user fee increase by Friday this week, despite a request from apparel manufacturers to hold off until mid-August. Hofschneider said that Ways and Means chairman Rep. Stanley T. Torres still has to inform him as to when he intends to conduct a public hearing on the measure but he is adamant that the report on this should be in by Friday “so we could move on.” “This is also tied with the budget bill. That’s critically important to me. We need to pass the budget at once,” said the Speaker. He added that procrastination on the issue should be eliminated. “If they [garment manufacturers] are not ready now, they’ll never be ready. The original bill was introduced in April; everybody is well informed.”
[B] July 29, 2003

BOE split on governor’s MOU[/B]

Board of Education members remain divided on the governor’s proposed Memorandum of Understanding for the additional $1 million funding to the Public School System. BOE chairman Herman T. Guerrero told the House of Representatives yesterday that the board has not voted on the MOU yet and, therefore, has not accepted the $1 million funding. Meantime, BOE vice chairman Roman Benavente maintains that the majority of the board had voted to reconsider its earlier rejection of the MOU last month amid the serious financial condition of the PSS. In separate interviews, the two education officials defended their respective positions. “The board has not approved any MOU. If it was approved by the committee, it’s not final and has no effect,” Guerrero said.

The Northern Marianas College has canceled its solicitation for a marketing study for the Pacific Gateway project, saying it would rather spend on the actual marketing promotions overseas. The NMC earlier sought proposals for an independent marketing study following advice from some members of the House of Representatives. “We withdrew the RFP; instead, we’d focus on actual marketing,” said NMC Board of Regents member Galvin Guerrero. The NMC had sought the Legislature’s assistance for a $10 million start-up fund for the Pacific Gateway project. In return, the Legislature had required the college to submit a more comprehensive project proposal, including a credible marketing plan.