FLASHBACK – Jan. 12, 2012

MVA, DOLI give China tourism plan a boost[/B]

The Marianas Visitors Authority and the Department of Labor and Immigration have agreed yesterday to finalize the guidelines this week in connection with the plan to entice tourists from China to visit the CNMI. When the guidelines are established, MVA will seek the approval of Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio to eventually allow the tourism officials to visit China, said Dave M. Sablan, board chair of MVA. “We outlined the steps that we have to take and the things that need to be clarified before we get the governor’s approval to go to China,” he said. The main objective of the trip is to convince officials from the People’s Republic of China to include the Northern Marianas on the list of authorized destinations of Chinese nationals.

Executives of the beleaguered Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino yesterday assured the government that it would settle its unpaid taxes under a proposed payment plan, as they inched closer to sealing a deal with a financial backer to bail out the resort complex. Chairman Michael Kwan, along with a hotel official, met with the governor and his financial advisers, to finalize the proposal to meet its cash obligation to the Northern Marianas. However, Dynasty executives and local officials refused to give details of the payment plan. According to the governor, the plan has been under discussion since last week. “They will try to pay those outstanding taxes,” he said.

NMHC inks housing loan pact with Bank of Guam[/B]

The Commonwealth may soon see a growth in the construction sector, following a residential financing arrangement reached between the government’s Northern Marianas Housing Corporation and the Bank of Guam. Under the agreement, Bank of Guam shall provide guaranteed loans to borrowers for purposes of home construction and renovation, as well as for the purchase of single family residential homes. The Guaranty Agreement and Loan Purchase Agreement were executed yesterday between NMHC Board Chair Juan S. Tenorio, Executive Director MaryLou S. Ada and Bank of Guam president Anthony Leon Guerrero.

A special board meeting is scheduled by the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation on Thursday to decide on the fate of the much delayed Saipan power project following the completion of an independent study on the island’s power load. CUC Board Chair Rosario M. Elameto yesterday said it’s all up to the policy-making body of the government corporation on which course to take—whether to re-bid the entire project or scale back the original 80-megawatt plant. She also refused to comment on the recommendation by Commonwealth Development Authority Board Chairman John S. Tenorio to split the initial plan and allow for future expansion.

Bill eyes leniency on holders of US visa[/B]

A bill has proposed a major change in the local immigration law to allow any visitor with a U.S. visa to enter the CNMI without going through the process of meeting the requirements set by the Department of Labor and Immigration. The House of Representatives set into motion what it described as appropriate measure to streamline the processing of visitors and reduce administrative costs, while helping the local economy attract more tourists. Sponsored by Speaker Benigno R. Fitial, HB 12-253 now heads to the Senate for action after the lower house overwhelmingly approved the proposal at the start of its regular session yesterday.

In the wake of their disagreement with the Senate on the budget, the lower house yesterday moved to grant full power to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio to manage cash resources of the government for the next nine months. This will supplant passing the FY 2001 budget by both houses, which has remained in deadlock following the failure to reach a compromise on how to divide the $221.66 million estimated revenues for this year. The House adopted HJR 12-17 at the start of its regular sessions yesterday that will provide full reprogramming authority to the governor to distribute the money among various departments and agencies, dashing hopes by the Senate to resume the budget talks.