Flashback – August 15, 2000-2002

CPA unveils $17.8 million budget for operations[/B]

The Commonwealth Ports Authority Board has approved a $17.8 million budget for the operations of the airport and seaport divisions for fiscal year 2001. However, the CPA Board is still studying the $1.68 million total budget for Capital Improvement Projects for both the airport and the seaport for next fiscal year. Total projected revenue from the airport is approximately $12.8 million but a big chunk of the money or 86 percent will be used to operate and maintain all the three airport facilities within the CNMI.

The Northern Marianas Housing Corp. has been awarded a $40,000 Housing Preservation Grant by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Office.

According to Marylou S. Ada, NMHC executive director, the money will allow successful applicants to carry out improvements in their homes such as construction of indoor toilet facilities, kitchen or additional bedroom. “Although the amount is quite small, we are happy that we have gotten back this program,” she said. NMHC has been trying to get back the rural development program for the past two years and efforts paid off when the federal program informed the housing office that it will be given a grant.
[B] Aug. 15, 2001

NMI hopes to do a Vieques in FDM[/B]

Since the Commonwealth cannot legally stop the bombing exercises being conducted by the US military on the Farallon de Medinilla island, the CNMI government might as well make some money out of it. This was the contention of Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero, as he disclosed plans yesterday to visit Puerto Rico in September to learn the issues and concerns surrounding Vieques Island- also being used by the US military for bombing runs. Besides the issue of money, however, Guerrero said that he wants to meet with Puerto Rico Gov. Sila Calderon and her officials to learn first-hand about the lawsuit that a US environmentalist group has filed against the US military for the bombing exercises on Vieques.

In the absence of a law that requires off-island investors to put up their businesses on the island in a given period after the issuance of their respective investment visa certificates, the Northern Marianas may soon witness an increase in the number of unused permits. While no government data pertaining to the official number of unused business licenses were immediately available, the Department of Commerce disclosed one banking company based in Guam had applied for and was issued a license to operate in the CNMI but is yet to put up a branch here. Citizens Security Bank has been issued a license to operate in the Northern Marianas since May 1996 but is yet to open a branch after having its permit sit idle for a little over four years now.
[B] Aug. 15, 2002

CUC cites preconditions in CUC-CDA deal[/B]

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. wants its stocks that would be transferred to the Commonwealth Development Authority to remain non-transferable. At the same time, it also wants that it continue to receive a waiver on the liquid fuel tax. These were the conditions raised by the utility firm during its Tuesday meeting with the Senate Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communication for it to abide by the Memorandum of Agreement that CUC had earlier signed with the CDA. The meeting arose after the CUC Board of Directors raised concerns and questions over some provisions of the MOA that the CUC’s former Board had signed with the CDA to settle the $102 million it owes the CDA.

A catering firm that ranked fourth in the competitive bid for the Public School System’s School Breakfast and Lunch Program sued the autonomous government agency Monday amid allegations that the bid evaluation process was “unfair and discriminatory.” Auntie Mag’s Food and Catering Services Inc., in a civil action filed before the Superior Court against PSS and Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos, asked that the agency reevaluate the bids and award the project contract to bidders in a process and manner that is “fair, equitable, unbiased and non-discriminatory.” But PSS Legal Counsel Tim Connor said that Auntie Mag’s, through its counsel James S. Sirok, initiated the suit without exhausting the administrative remedies. “We plan to work with Mr. Sirok, through this protest, and that calls for certain meetings,” said Connor.