Flashback Feb. 1, 1999-2001

Sablan: Hiked fees a damper on tourism[/B]

The expected influx of tourist arrivals on the island may not happen this year after the Commonwealth Ports Authority junked the proposal of the Aviation Task Force and the Marianas Visitors Authority to reduce by 50 percent the landing fees to lure new airlines provide service to the commonwealth. “It is our best chance to convince the airlines to come here but we may just witness the death of our tourism economy,” said MVA board chairman Dave M. Sablan. In fact, he said airlines have threatened to downsize operations by using smaller type of aircraft once the ports authority pushes through with the planned rate increase of airport fees.

The National Health Service Corps will deploy four more doctors and three nurse practitioners on the island to ease the shortage of medical professionals in the Northern Marianas, according to Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez. The NHSC will shoulder the salaries of the doctors—two obstetrician/gynecologists, a pediatrician and a family practitioner—and nurses. It will also pay for the cost of relocation of the person and his family members. The NHSC is a program under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We put out an application and they [NHSC] gave us a list of physicians that we can contact and see if they are still available to come up here. NHSC will pay for their site visit here,” Villagomez said.

Fed money eyed to fund street-naming project[/B]

The CNMI government is eyeing federal money to fund the setting up of street signs in Saipan’s major thoroughfares and secondary roads which has been derailed for several years due to financial constraints and controversy surrounding the use of Chamorro and Carolinian names. Saipan Mayor Jose Sablan said the CNMI Department of Public Works is already gathering necessary documents to finalize the local government’s application for a grant under the Federal Highway Administration. “We have been told that there are some federal money that will be made available [for the street-naming project] by the Federal Highway Administration. They are working on that right now with DPW,” Mr. Sablan told reporters.
[B] Govt anticipates more cuts in spending[/B]

The CNMI government is anticipating its total expenditures to be lower in 1999 compared to previous years, as finance managers finalize reports on reduction in the Commonwealth’s bureaucracy which had grown so big during the previous administration. The Department of Finance earlier disclosed that the government slashed expenses on leased vehicle by $600,000, from $2 million in FY 1998 to $1.4 million in FY 1999, representing a 28 percent reduction in government spending on leased vehicles. Finance officials said it will monitor strict compliance on the governor’s call to further trim government expenses in light of declining revenues.

Doctor shortage hinders operation of public clinic[/B]

The Department of Public Health has suspended indefinitely the operation of a community clinic in San Antonio village until it is able to address problems on the apparent shortage of medical practitioners on the island. A media statement signed by Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin P. Villagomez disclosed that all public health services at the South Community Health clinic in San Antonio was suspended effective Jan. 29, 2001. Mr. Villagomez claimed that the absence of a full time physician to attend to ailing residents triggered the suspension of the clinic’s operation.

The NMI Retirement Fund has implemented a stricter measure to prevent possible recurrence of fraudulent health claims following the controversial Megaplus International CNMI, Inc. case in 1999. Group Health and Life Insurance Program manager Dolores Moore ordered all government health insurance subscribers to submit pertinent requirements when applying for a reimbursement. In a memorandum, Ms. Moore instructed program subscribers and GHLIP personnel to consistently check submitted claims and bills filed by their clients in efforts to prevent cases of mishandled payments of medical bills.