FLASHBACK – Apr. 13, 2012

Governor shrugs off diatribes vs Sablan[/B]

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday defended Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan against criticisms leveled by former governor Froilan C. Tenorio that he has failed to help the CNMI leader in solving woes confronting the Northern Marianas. The ex-governor, who is eyeing a political comeback in the 2001 general elections, made the comments at the launching of his Reform Party, in what could be prelude to a series of attacks to potential rivals in preparation for the polls. Froilan dismissed Sablan and Juan N. Babauta, CNMI’s representative to Washington, two Republicans who are expected to join the gubernatorial race, as political lightweight.

Saipan legislators are forging ahead with a plan to bail out the Mayor’s Office from its worsening cash-flow problems which have reportedly forced the layoff of 12 employees as well as a 10 percent salary rollback this coming May for its personnel. In a local bill sponsored by Vice Speaker Jesus T. Attao, the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation is looking at appropriating some $500,000 from the poker license fees to the Mayor’s Office in efforts to deal with the financial difficulties. At least $240,000 will cover the salary of 12 full-time employees for another year after their contracts expired last January without hopes of getting renewed due to lack of funds.

DOT to help NMI in luring airlines[/B]

The Philippine government will have to negotiate with the United States to allow the Armenian Airlines to establish direct service between Saipan and Clark Air Base in Pampanga province, just north of Manila. Rep. Rosiky Camacho, chair of the House Public Utilities, Transportation and Telecommunications Committee, disclosed from Washington D.C. that the U.S. Department of Transportation is willing to help the CNMI facilitate the entry of the carrier in order to improve air service on the island. But before the application is approved by DOT, the U.S. government must secure authority from Philippine officials on behalf of Armenian Airlines to operate the charter flights to Saipan, he said.

Tinian—It was a public hearing that some people thought was intended to put the Tinian Casino Gaming Control Commission in a bad light, but it turned out to be an information campaign on efforts made by the TCGCC to boost the image of the agency. “I am impressed with the efforts that they have undertaken. The changes may be slow but at least they have done something,” said Tinian Municipal Council chair Juanita M. Mendiola. She called for the public hearing because she felt that the people on the island have been kept in the dark on what the TCGCC has done so far. She said it would have been a great opportunity for the Commission to inform the people about their accomplishments.

Camacho says ‘CUC should pay for travel expenses'[/B]

The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation is virtually responsible for all the off-island travel damages incurred during the whole-year transaction with Enron thus moves to collect payments will be futile. Even during the early part of the negotiations, Enron made it clear beforehand that the negotiation is for the pending forging of agreement. CUC did not directly award the project to Enron and the off-island travels are for the ultimate agreement for the construction of the 60 megawatt Saipan power plant. House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communication chair Rosiky Camacho disclosed yesterday that all the travel tabs and off-island expenses during the negotiations will be closely scrutinized when the Legislature holds a joint inquiry on April 25.

Instead of transferring its operations to the Governor’s Office, the Legislature should identify funding sources to fuel the operation of the Group Health and Life Insurance Trust Fund. NMI Retirement Fund Board Chair Vicente Camacho called on to the Legislature to scrap moves that will displace the GHLI Trust Fund from its current status and be relegated under the purview of the Office of the Governor. What the government needs to do is to allocate the needed supplemental budget to retire its outstanding debts. Once funds are sourced out, debts will be paid off thus the GHLI Branch can effectively operate the program, said Mr. Camacho.