FLASHBACK – Mar. 13, 2012

Manglona gets Senate nod to CUC board[/B]

The Senate, holding its session on Rota last Friday, passed a slew of bills, including a measure seeking mandatory health insurance coverage for people with diabetes, and approved the appointment of a board member of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation. Laura I. Manglona, recently named by the governor to the board representing Rota, got Senate confirmation for the second time in less than 10 months. She had resigned from her teaching job at Rota High School in exchange for her CUC appointment as the Constitution forbids government employees to be a member of the utility board.

The Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association on Friday questioned recent statements made by Office of Insular Affairs official Richard W. Miller refuting SGMA’s claims that revenues from the sector declined in 1999 from year ago. SGMA earlier projected that sales for 1999 will drop by 30-40 percent compared to 1998 figures. The association’s projected loss is way higher than figures from the U.S. Department of Commerce which indicated that actual shipments into the mainland from Saipan dipped by no more than three percent. SGMA executive director Richard A. Pierce said he could not see a logical reason why Mr. Miller would refute the Saipan garment manufacturers’ projected revenue losses, adding that the criticism was expected from an OIA official.

OPA wants salary hike for all govt employees[/B]

Ignoring what seems to be for the best interest of his office, Public Auditor Michael Sablan is favoring the implementation of a salary cap increase across all agencies of government. “Exempting the OPA from the salary cap would be unfair. I know it would benefit the OPA if the Senate allows the exemption, but I’m looking at the overall picture here,” Mr. Sablan said. The Public Auditor said he agrees with positions held by the Office of Personnel Management and the Attorney General’s Office which both opposed the exemption.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has invited newly-installed Interior Affairs Secretary Gale Norton to visit the Northern Marianas to get a first hand evaluation of local issues that need to be addressed. In his recent visit to Washington DC, Mr. Tenorio paid Ms. Norton a courtesy call to brief her on the current status of the Commonwealth, as well as other concerns at hand. The governor said various issues that affect the CNMI were briefly discussed during the meeting with Ms. Norton who reiterated DOI’s strong commitment in helping the Commonwealth achieve its economic and political goals. “The meeting turned out positively and she made a note on several occasions as I briefed her on current status of the CNMI,” Mr. Tenorio told reporters in an interview yesterday.

Ban on fuel stocks at beaches mulled[/B]

To protect tourists from the hazards of fuel, the Coastal Resources Management Office said it is thinking of revising its permit for jetski operations to prohibit the stockpiling of gasoline refills on beach concessions. CRMO acting administrator Joaquin Salas said he realized the need for the prohibition after joining enforcement teams in conducting inspections, where he noticed tourists lighting cigarettes at the beach, exposing them to a risk of a possible fire if fuel stocks are accidentally ignited. “That’s a safety concern-the proximity of the cigarettes with the gas containers,” Salas said. He then met with jetski operators and discussed the problem. At present, the conditions of the permit issued to jetski operators allow them to store containers of gasoline at least 25 feet from the shoreline, said Salas.

The Children’s Developmental Assistance Center opens its doors today to all parents and guardians of children-both healthy and suffering from developmental assistance-to raise public awareness of services and programs available on the island. Early Intervention teacher Robin Palacios and physical therapist Jocelyn Taitano said all CDAC staff, together with officials from the Department of Public Health and the Public School System, will be on hand to answer questions regarding developmental stages of kids from birth to three years old. The CDAC Open House will start at 8am and will run through 4pm. Materials on infants and toddlers’ developmental stages, developmental disabilities, and programs and services will be given out.