FLASHBACK – August 2, 2011

Construction firm fined $93K for hazardous trench project[/B]

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations for willful and serious violations against Sablan Construction Company, Ltd. for allowing its employees to work in a trench as much as 12 feet deep without adequate protections against cave-ins. Following up on a report received in January, OSHA conducted an inspection and issued citations for two willful violations, which include penalties of $80,000, and three serious violations, with penalties of $12,600, to the construction company because of the hazardous conditions at the Marpi Road Expansion Project. The willful violations include allowing employees to work in conditions where cave-ins could occur without providing adequate cave‑in protection; and for falsifying the records of occupational injuries and illnesses.

A decision by the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation to lower the current electricity charges for the government is a fair move, according to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio. He said the government has provided CUC waiver in the payment of fuel tax, adding that this is another form of public subsidy that only boosts savings for the utility corporation. “It’s only fair because the government is the major customer of CUC,” the governor told reporters. Last week, the Board of Directors of the government-owned corporation voted to lower its power rate from the present 20 cents per kilowatt-hour to 16 cents, which is the same rate offered to commercial users.

NMI to develop subsistence livelihood[/B]

Only about five years before the anticipated pullout of the apparel manufacturing sector and still without an alternative industry on Saipan, the CNMI government is now considering the development of the islands’ agriculture and fisheries potentials to mitigate possible economic impact of the garment sector’s departure. However, special consultant for budget and finance Mike Sablan said any economic development in the Northern Marianas will continue to be spurred by the very volatile tourism industry, which has been the CNMI’s biggest revenue-generating sector after garment manufacturing.

The Marianas Visitors Authority is seeking an $8 million appropriation for Fiscal Year 2001, or an increase of $2 million from what the Office of Management and Budget has allotted for the tourism agency. Board Chair Dave M. Sablan said MVA officials have sought an increase in funding during a meeting with members of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee so that it can effectively carry out its promotional campaign. On top of this, MVA needs $8 million to implement a number of Capital Improvement Projects in the island municipalities of Saipan, Tinian and Rota. In a move to diversify its market, MVA has set aside $3.7 million in advertising for Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, United States and to a certain extent, the People’s Republic of China.

DPH to begin new PCB tests[/B]

The Department of Public Health will begin within two weeks a new round of medical testing on 20 hand-picked Tanapag villagers to re-evaluate results of a similar test initiated by federal authorities last year. Public Health Medical Director Dr. Richard Brostrom said blood samples will be taken from ten people detected with high PCB concentration in their blood streams. In addition, samples will also be taken from ten other Tanapag residents who have been determined afflicted with PCB-related diseases. Known as congineer testing, the second round of medical evaluation is expected to finally determine the type of PCB contaminant Tanapag villagers were exposed to.

Japanese travelers are discouraged to visit the Northern Marianas due to bad reviews presented by those who previously visited Saipan. According to a report submitted by the JAL Sales Network Co., Ltd. to the Marianas Visitors Authority, bad reviews have influenced inclinations of other Japanese travelers to visit the Northern Marianas in recent months. The report cited the prostitution activities in Western Garapan and the Puerto Rico dumpsite as main reasons why most travelers visit other resort destinations instead. Aside from prostitution activities, the report also mentioned bad reviews about what it claimed were polluted beaches on Saipan, particularly Micro Beach.