FLASHBACKS – Jan. 14, 2012

CPA issues caution on casino-support infrastructure[/B]

The Commonwealth Ports Authority has cautioned the Tinian Legislative Delegation in carrying out infrastructure developments in support of the hotel casino on the island-municipality of Tinian. In a letter sent to the Tinian lawmakers, Carlos H. Salas, executive director, said gaming activity has the potential to stimulate the economy on the island as well as support its future development. However, unless Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino would be able to arrange regular air transportation for its clients, it is difficult to conclude that it would be successful in tapping the demand of the gaming industry.

A forum will be held next week by the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation to discuss the environmental impact and the financial cost of a proposed water desalination plant on Saipan. The town meeting is scheduled for Wednesday and will hear comments from residents of central Saipan whether they are willing to pay higher water rates to finance the multimillion dollar project. “We want the customers to zoom in on the financial question of higher rates and tell us either ’yes’ or ’no’,” CUC Executive Director Timothy P. Villagomez said in a statement.

NIELSEN TO LAWMAKERS: ‘No legislation, no reimbursement'[/B]

The Department of Finance will not process pending requests for payment left by former members of the House of Representatives until a legislation is passed accepting these questionable expenditures. Finance Sec. Lucy DLG. Nielsen said the only solution to the complaints brought by lawmakers in the past is if the present Legislature ratifies these expenditures. “Pass legislation. We will be waiting for that,” she told in a brief interview after meeting with members of the new House leadership yesterday. She refused to answer when asked for details.

House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial pledged to work closely with the administration in order to bring down the huge government deficit as well as to improve the financial condition of the Commonwealth. He made this commitment after meeting with finance officials, led by Finance Sec. Lucy DLG. Nielsen and Mike Sablan, the governor’s special advisor on finance and budget. Members of his coalition that assumed the House leadership last Monday also attended the meeting. According to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Antonio Camacho, the talked focused on general issues concerning financial affairs of the government, but did not tackle specific recommendations by the Tenorio administration.

Labor orders employer to pay over $18K in wages[/B]

The Department of Labor Hearing office recently ordered Saipan Lucky Corp. to pay a former employee over $18,000 in unpaid wages as well as reimbursement for medical treatment. In an administrative order issued Thursday, hearing officer Herbert D. Soll ordered the employer to pay $14,817.44 to former employee An Aizi for unpaid wages from May 21, 2002 to Feb. 25, 2003. Soll said that Aizi provided detailed records which showed that she worked a considerable amount of overtime hours; however, the employer failed to follow the provisions of the contract regarding hourly wages and overtime compensation. A pattern then developed in which the respondent would pay Aizi a fixed amount per pay period without regard to the actual work performed.

Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association board members met with Department of Commerce Secretary Andrew Salas to discuss the industry’s economic contributions to the general fund of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. SGMA’s Richard A. Pierce and the board informed Salas that restrictive and antiquated labor permitting laws have lessened CNMI tax and fee collections to 80-85 percent of potential earning power from the factories. SGMA contends that bureaucratic permitting delays, and a system not aligned with industry demands result in lost work hours in factories due to the lapse between workers being repatriated and new workers being allowed to enter the CNMI to replace them.