Flashback Mar. 19, 1999-2002

CPA, contractor deal theirs alone: CUC[/B]

The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation will not assist the Commonwealth Ports Authority in settling the claims of a contractor on the long-delayed sewer line system despite forging an earlier agreement to complete the project. CUC Executive Director Timothy P. Villagomez said the government-owned utility firm would stick with the initial deal and not intervene on the problems with contractor Pacific Drilling Ltd. “We are outside of that. We have nothing to do with the stop order and that’s between them and the contractor,” he said. Villagomez previously had raised the issue with CUC board directors, but it was decided that they would not raise their share of the project’s costs above what they signed with the ports authority.
[B] Politicians in spend-and-define trap[/B]

What is public purpose? Can members of the legislature spend their accounts for community events? These were the questions deliberated by the House of Representatives during its recent session in what appeared to be a step to force the Department of Finance to reimburse expenditures for activities such as funeral. Members have passed a legislation defining the provision of the CNMI Constitution on matters related to public purpose to clarify different interpretations on the issue by other government officials. The bill, sponsored by Senate Floor leader Pete P. Reyes, heads back to the upper house to vote on amendment made by representatives.

First Lady donates $1,000 for beauty tilt[/B]

First Lady Sophia P. Tenorio has graciously donated $1,000 to the Northern Marianas Beauty Pageant Association which is slated to crown the islands’ representative to the Miss Universe beauty tilt on March 31. Ms. Tenorio is shelling out the money from her First Lady’s Vision, according to Gerard B. Salas, president of the NMBPA. The First Lady over the weekend also hosted a luncheon and merrienda to the seven candidates vying for the honor and prestige to be named Northern Marianas-Miss Universe 2001.

Starting March 22, CSX Lines will start assessing a $75 Hazardous Cargo Surcharge on hazardous materials or dangerous goods on a per container basis. The decision was made as a result of an operational review by the company which was conducted to improve the stowage on “ship right” to insure all containers are loaded to the vessels. In a letter by Marvin R. Buchanan to clients, company Director for Marketing for its Hawaii-Guam operations, CSX Lines put to light the growth of cargo containing hazardous materials and the difficulty the company has experienced in managing them.
[B] Mar. 19, 2002

‘Immunity to illegal aliens could be beneficial’[/B]

The Philippine Consulate General has said it would support a measure seeking to grant immunity to illegal aliens in the Commonwealth because this will, in effect, benefit a segment of the Filipino community. But consul Marcus Punsalang stressed that the consulate would not request the Department of Labor and Immigration to come up with a proposal for immunity, saying the matter is better left to employers. “While [the] Philippine consulate respects the prerogative of the CNMI government to enact and enforce its own laws, normally, a proposal for an amnesty for illegal workers should come from the employers,” said Punsalang. He explained that, if an amnesty program similar to the Limited Immunity Act implemented several years ago would be enacted, the measure would benefit not just the workers who would be legalized, but also the employers who would not need to pay excessive fines.
[B] Rota negotiates $50-M retirement houses[/B]

Citing its economic strategy to help Rota Island maximize its potentials, the local government has started negotiations for the construction of $50 million worth of retirement houses. Rota Mayor Benjamin Manglona said that, as part of the island’s economic program, the local government has been negotiating with Karo Formation Company, a Taipei-Japan investment firm, which expressed plans to construct 500 units of retirement houses on the island. Manglona said the firm will infuse a capital of $50 to $60 million to start up the construction of these housing units.