Flashback Aug. 31, 2000-2002

Bill offers $10K incentive for construction of water catchment
[/B] In a move to encourage residents and businesses to build water catchment system, the government will offer tax incentives of up to $10,000 under a piece of legislation cleared yesterday by the House of Representatives. These tanks—to be built to catch rainwater—will help in the efforts to conserve groundwater resources, particularly on Saipan where residents are perennially hit with shortage during the dry months, according to lawmakers. Three government agencies had backed the measure sponsored by Rep. Rosiky F. Camacho.
[B] OPA: $31K worth Hopwood equipment missing[/B]

Over $31,000 worth of electronic assets listed for the Hopwood Junior High School has become unaccounted for and is now missing from the school premises, according to a report from the Office of the Public Auditor. Public Auditor Leo L. LaMotte blamed the incident to the failure by the Public School System to institute policies and procedures that would have established a complete system of property management accountability. LaMotte said the System also failed to conduct an annual physical inventory of property at PSS schools. “PSS Procurement officials disregarded applicable CNMI policies and procedures. Some PSS facilities are not physically secure.”

DFW hikes hunting fees[/B]

September signals the kick-off for another hunting season. But aside from the usual preparations for the season’s most anticipated outdoor activity, hunters are also bracing for new amendments to Hunting Regulations, particularly on hunting license fee hikes for certain types of wildlife. The Division of Fish and Wildlife is forewarning hunters of some changes in the license fee structure which, for some species, has increased to as much as a hundred percent. License permits for Sambar deer and Philippine turtle doves, for example, increased by $5, making the current fee rate for resident hunters $10 per permit. DFW Conservation Officer III John M. Manglona explained that the hike in license fees is in tune with laws that mandate the Fish and Wildlife to set aside funds for educational materials and equipment related to fishing and hunting.
[B] Education advocate endorses Fitial[/B]

US Rep. Bob Schaffer, Colorado’s “Champion of Education Reform”, said Speaker Benigno R. Fitial’s vision of providing quality education to Commonwealth children will prepare them to the challenges of the 21st century. Rep. Schaffer supports Fitial’s bid to become the CNMI governor because he cares about the issue of education, which he said, is “Ben’s most important issue, too.” Fitial and running mate Education Commissioner Rita Inos believe that the availability of quality education for people of all ages is the key to good paying jobs and higher standard of living. The Covenant Party standard bearers also believe that, in order to provide better educational opportunities, local leaders should aim at developing a stable economy for the Commonwealth.

NMC gets no $10M proposers for Gateway[/B]

No financing firm responded to the $10 million loan solicitation of the Northern Marianas College for its Pacific Gateway project. Outgoing NMC Board chairman Vince Seman said Friday that the Request for Proposal for the loan had closed and that the college received no proposals from any financial group. “Nobody responded,” he said, adding that the college was not actually looking for a loan but for financing such as a grant. The NMC published its RFP for the $10 million loan on July 11 without specifying the purpose for it. The public notice originally set an August 1 submission deadline, but this was extended for about two weeks.

The Department of Finance is running after a Korean construction firm for unpaid tax liabilities totaling over $160,000. Assistant Attorney General James Livingstone and Deborah Covington yesterday filed with the Superior Court a civil action against Woosung Construction Co., Ltd., a general contractor that performed construction work in the Commonwealth in 1997 and 1998. “Defendant Woosung accrued tax liabilities for the years 1997 and 1998 because of the income it earned and the employees it employed in the Commonwealth,” Livingstone said.