FLASHBACK – September 23, 2011

US gives back Tinian land to CNMI[/B]

The U.S. Navy turns over today to the CNMI government more than 5.2-million square meters of land on Tinian which will be used for the expansion of its airport. A brief turnover ceremony will be held on Tinian in the presence of Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan and Commonwealth Ports Authority officials. The Division of Public Lands earlier approved a conditional conveyance of certain U.S. military lands to the ports authority for the expansion of West Tinian Airport. Under the turnover agreement, CPA would allow the US military to use the airport and give it landing rights.

Although the CNMI was able to drum up support in its campaign against federal takeover during the recent U.S. Congressional hearing in Washington, Hotel Association of Northern Mariana Islands president Ron Sablan said it is still too early to declare victory. “However, I do believe we did our best and we told our side of the story in a convincing way,” he said. According to Sablan, the CNMI government and the business community presented a united stand built on solid facts to back up all the arguments against the federalization of local labor and immigration.

CUC offers water training to community[/B]

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. is willing to hold water training sessions for both public and private groups as part of its mandate to promote water education in the CNMI. CUC, according to its corporate communications special advisor, Pamela Mathis, can hold trainings for adults and children from different groups such as churches, clubs and associations. “Facilitators conduct trainings, whether it’s a church group, teachers, staff, boy scouts, girl scouts,” she said. She said facilitators use Project WET materials, which include a set of reference workbooks that show the relevance of water to everyday life. A session normally lasts up to six hours.

Atalanta/Sosnoff Capital Corp. again showed its strong support of the Northern Mariana Island Chapter of the American Red Cross this year by contributing $5,000 to the Club 200 event. Atalanta/Sosnoff is one of the major financial investment managers for the NMI Retirement Fund, as well as other accounts in Guam and Micronesia. It handles the Fund’s investments in the Asian markets. “We are impressed by the meaningful services provided by the ARC NMI Chapter in their efforts to benefit the people of the Northern Mariana Islands,” said Atalanta/ Sosnoff senior vice president Jim Staub. He also stated that his company feels it is important to give back to the communities where they do business.

NMIRF asks House for $76.3M funding[/B]

As the House of Representatives got down to work on the Fiscal Year 2004 budget, the NMI Retirement Fund bore down on the Legislature yesterday afternoon to appeal to lawmakers to provide for some $76.33 million that is owed by the CNMI government to the Fund. Fund officials led by Fund administrator Karl T. Reyes told lower chamber lawmakers that the Fund’s Board of Trustees are beginning to be alarmed over the unresolved situation of unpaid payments as this could have a significant impact on the capacity of the Fund to become self-sustaining by 2020. The House passed the proposed $213.95 million budget late afternoon yesterday but details were not immediately available if the lower chamber accommodated the request of Fund officials.

The budget ball now goes to the Senate’s court after the House of Representatives passed the proposed $213.95 million budget for Fiscal Year 2004 in a session late afternoon yesterday. Of the 18 lower chamber members, 16 voted to pass House Bill 13-335, while two—Tinian Rep. Norman Palacios and Rota Rep. Daniel Quitugua—voted against it. As of 8:30 last night, the House was still in session, tackling other bills on the calendar so details of the budget that the lower chamber passed were not immediately available. It was reported, though, by House insiders that both Quitugua and Palacios voted against the proposed spending plan as it slashed some $1 million from Rota and Tinian’s last fiscal year’s budget.