FLASHBACK – Mar. 29, 2012

SGMA, students talk garment, trade issues[/B]

The Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association is inviting students of the Northern Marianas College to participate in a movement growing in the United States toward assuring consumers that apparel from Saipan, and other places around the world, is made by workers who are treated fairly. In a letter sent by the Current Affairs Class at NMC, United International Corporation president James Lin, SGMA executive director Richard A. Pierce and William Stewart have been requested to speak to the class, and address general headnote 3(a) and the World Trade Organization issues surrounding the CNMI garment industry. Pierce responded to the NMC students by accepting the invitation to speak, and explaining that university and college students in the United States are insisting that all apparel sold in the U.S., and especially on college campuses, are manufactured in factories that respect their workers’ rights.

The chair of the House committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications urged the Department of Public Safety to investigate a government-sanctioned vehicle inspector for possible violations of its mandate. Rep. David M. Apatang alleged Kim’s Auto Shop in Lower Base has allowed vehicles with safety deficiencies to pass the inspection without requiring owners to correct the problems. “Some of these vehicles leave Kim’s Auto Shop with head and tail lights missing, uneven tires, signal lights unrepaired, bumpers hanging loosely off the bed of pick-up trucks, just to mention a few,” he said in a letter to Public Safety Commissioner Charles Ingram.

Federal agencies vow to assist in PCB woes[/B]

Various federal agencies have pledged to pool together the much-needed resources to assist the Department of Public Health in conducting the medical evaluation of Tanapag residents which would determine their level of exposure to polychlorinated byphenils (PCBs). The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry will send a group of health educators and medical professionals to help train the local people. Likewise, the Center for Disease Control, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer have also promised to assist DPH. “Finally, we are pooling all the resources available together and we’ve started communicating,” said Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez.

The FY 2000 budget bill will face tougher review in the Senate despite unanimous approval in the lower house — a move that could further delay its passage, according to lawmakers. Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes said they expect to scrutinize each item in the proposed spending package for the current fiscal year to find out where most of the money have been appropriated. “We are going to look at it and at the same time, try to facilitate the passage of the budget bill,” he said.

9th Circuit Court of Appeals upholds local court decision[/B]

US Attorney for the NMI District Frederick A. Black yesterday announced that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the decision of Federal Judge Alex R. Munson to revoke the supervised release of Julie Sablan. Sablan was originally sentenced to six months imprisonment following a 1998 conviction for “distribution of methamphetamine” in violation of Title 21 United States Code 841 (a)(1). Following her release from federal custody, Ms. Sablan was placed under court-imposed supervised release conditions. Her release was revoked by Chief Judge Alex R. Munson following a determination that she failed to meet all the conditions of release, chiefly testing positive for methamphetamine.

SGMA Chairman Gonzalo Q. Santos reacted to the latest pedestrian fatality on March 25, where three Chinese workers from Mirage Saipan, Inc. were struck by a speeding vehicle in upper Garapan, by calling on all that are involved for more information. With SGMA Board concurrence at a meeting held March 28, Santos has instructed to have all factories mandated to receive pedestrian safety training courses from the CNMI Department of Public Safety.