Flashback — Nov. 1999-Nov. 2001

Teno slams use of NMI waters to transship radioactive waste[/B]

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has assailed the practice of using the CNMI waters for transshipment of nuclear waste without informing the island government because it endangers the people and the environment of the Northern Marianas. In expressing concern to the devastating effects of an accident while the vessels are passing the CNMI waters, Tenorio urged the Legislature to pass appropriate measures to protect the people’s health and the environment. “We have always maintained that we should be informed whenever vessels carrying nuclear waste travel close to the CNMI because we want to be prepared in case anything happens,” he said.

Commonwealth Ports Authority Executive Director Carlos H. Salas has expressed hope that the Board of Public Lands would decide favorably on the agency’s request to transfer to CPA some 39 acres of land at Tanapag Harbor for the expansion of its seaport property. The additional land area will be used to accommodate larger volume of cargo and materials as well as support future growth activities in the port. Salas said the transfer would allow the ports authority maintain a cohesive and orderly plan for its future expansion. Three years ago, the United States released to the CNMI government the leasehold interest in 39 acres of the 44-acre Covenant leaseback land at Tanapag Harbor.
[B] Nov. 9, 2000

DPS seeks stronger ties with the community[/B]

Business owners and residents in Garapan yesterday held a dialogue with the police yesterday in a move to reduce the crime rate in the tourist district. According to Maj. Clyde Norita and Police Officer Jason Tarkong, the meeting served as a venue to launch the program dubbed as Community Oriented Policing (COP). “We would like the community to become partners of the police in identifying concerns instead of just calling 911 and leaving everything to the police,” said Mr. Tarkong, who is the officer-in-charge of the bike patrol program.

The Public School System expects to partially complete this January a phase of its proposed system-wide network infrastructure with the installation of a telecommunications server equivalent to the formidable system used by the United States Airforce and the Navy. In the entire Pacific region, American Samoa’s public education sector is the sole entity equipped with such facility funded through an E-rate telecommunications discount. The CNMI may soon be comparable with American Samoa once the $10,000 server is put in place next year. Technology Coordinator Mark B. Savares said the school system was supposed to tap two of the HPLC3 model servers under its original E-rate application package which could have doubled PSS’ capacity to obtain direct access to speedy telecommunication services.

TANO Group gets contract for CUC sewerage project[/B]

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. has conditionally expressed its intent to award the $115,800 Gualo Rai sewer system expansion project to the TANO Group Inc. Rep. William S. Torres clarified, though, that due to the limited funds, the CUC has decided to split the project into two phases, citing a letter by CUC executive director Timothy P. Villagomez to TANO Group Inc. vice-president Robert J. Bracken. “According to Villagomez, the initial stage of the project-Phase I-will cost $65,696, while Phase II will cost $50,104,” said Torres. In his letter to Bracken, Villagomez reminded the construction firm about the decision to split the project into two during its earlier discussion with CUC Wastewater Division officials.

Despite being characterized as a lame duck Legislature, Senate President Paul A. Manglona expressed confidence that the 12th Legislature can still pass some bills, including the budget measure, two months before the new lawmakers come in. Manglona said he plans to communicate with House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial to suggest that they sit down in a conference committee to tackle the bills that can still be passed. “Like I said, we’re going to have a leadership meeting, maybe next week or the following week, to look at all our legislative calendar and work with the Senate and House leadership and get those bill that we can agree on over to the Governor’s desk,” he said.