FLASHBACK – September 15, 2011

CDA gets new Microloan funds from SBA[/B]

Fresh cash for local business development is expected to flow from the Commonwealth Development Authority after the Guam-based United States Small Business Administration approved the agency’s request for additional funds under the Microloan Program. Executive Director Marylou S. Ada yesterday disclosed that SBA has okayed CDA’s request for $420,000 in supplemental funding that would facilitate the expansion of the highly-successful Microloan Program launched in the CNMI late last year. “We are pleased to hear of SBA’s favorable response as our initial funding has already been depleted and we continue to receive Microloan applications,” said Ms. Ada. She added that the approval for the release of the additional funds would facilitate the growth of the Microloan Program as it will allow the agency to replenish its depleting portfolio for small-scale investors in the Northern Marianas.

The Workforce Development Program, formerly known as the Human Resource Training Office, is a unit under the division of Continuing Education at Northern Marianas College. This department is charged with the responsibility of coordinating and providing various government training courses and offers a broad range of certificate and short-term career-related training programs. To ensure program effectiveness, evaluations and assessments of training needs are conducted throughout the year by collaborative efforts between various training personnel in the CNMI Government, Northern Marianas College and the feedback collected from program participants. The training course schedules of the Workforce Development Program are published three times annually during the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.

Bill filed to compel NMC to abide with court order[/B]

A lawmaker prefiled a bill Friday that aims to compel the Northern Marianas College to comply with a recent court order recognizing the inclusion of college employees under the Civil Service Act. House Bill 13-327, authored by Saipan Rep. Stanley Torres, asks the college to subscribe to the Sept. 3, 2003, ruling of the Superior Court, which “clarified” that NMC is not exempted from the Civil Service Act as provided in 1 CMC 8131 and 1 CMC 8101. In the bill, Torres said the college has not complied with the due process protections outlined in the CNMI constitution and the Civil Service Act as shown in the terminations of NMC employees without cause since Sept. 2002.

Instead of outright ownership, the Commonwealth Ports Authority has agreed to just use the public lands it needs in Puerto Rico for its expansion plan, according to the Marianas Public Lands Authority. MPLA commissioner Henry S. Hofschneider said in an interview that CPA executive director Carlos Salas agreed during a recent congressional meeting to the conditions set by the MPLA on the use of the properties identified by CPA under its expansion program. However, Hofschneider said that since that meeting, which took place four weeks ago, Salas “never got back to us.” “We’ve yet to receive anything from them. During that meeting [with Rep. Arnold Palacios], the CPA executive director said that CPA would agree to the conditions [of the MPLA],” said Hofschneider.

Groups raise funds through cleanup[/B]

More local organizations wanting to raise funds have chosen to do cleanup drives around the island. The Saipan Chamber of Commerce said that in the past couple of months alone, several groups of students, church members, and other club or organization representatives participated in its Cash for Trash program, cleaning up various roadsides and beaches islandwide. “It gives these groups the opportunity not only to provide community service and clean up the island’s beautiful beaches and parks but also to raise funds for the activities of their organizations,” said the chamber.

The Commonwealth Development Authority is now carefully reviewing the possible deferment of loan payments by borrowers who were affected by Supertyphoon Chaba. CDA can give up to 90 days payment deferment to eligible individuals, said CDA board member Tom Quitugua in an interview. “Considering the impact of recent typhoons, especially Chaba, CDA aims to give them a little break provided that they are able to supply us with needed documents or evidence [of the typhoon’s impact],” he said. The CDA earlier said it hopes to lift the moratorium on its loan program by the end of the year, citing beefed up collection efforts and positive financial projection.