Flashback — April 2000-April 2002

Fitial chairs GWB for President Committee[/B]

House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial has been appointed chair of the George W. Bush for President Committee for the Northern Marianas. The appointment was made last week during the Washington D.C. visit of the delegation from the CNMI House of Representatives. The local committee has scheduled its first fundraising here for the Republican candidate on June 9 where a cousin of Mr. Bush is expected to attend, according to Mr. Fitial. Mr. Bush, son of the former U.S. president, is facing Vice President Al Gore, the Democrats’ bet for the White House during the elections on November.

The Commonwealth Development Authority may have to require borrowers to undergo loan counseling soon if only to make sure they will not remiss on their monthly payment obligations once their credit applications are approved. CDA Board Chair John S. Tenorio said completion of a series of loan counseling sessions is one of the new requirements being looked at by the government’s lending arm in its efforts to address problems on swelling delinquency rate. Mr. Tenorio said the move may also be taken to untangle numerous loan applications now pending before the development authority because of the ever growing demand for fresh money by the business sector due to economic slowdown.

CNMI, Guam violate US laws on betel nut[/B]

Both the Northern Marianas and Guam violate existing statute of the federal government strictly banning the entry of betel nut into the mainland United States and other territories. The updated policy on importation of betel nut into the U.S., including Guam and the CNMI, allows the Food and Drug Administration to refuse the commercial entry of these popular fruit. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Director Mitchell G. Nelson, Guam and the CNMI continuously ignore the federal law that changes had already been made to include the two territories.

The Board of Election will require all candidates running for public offices in November to file accurate financial reports including assets, liabilities and election campaign kitty. In a joint effort with the Office of Public Auditor, BOE will hold a financial reporting workshop for all candidates next month to educate them on BOE-amended regulations. BOE Executive Director Greg Sablan said there are changes in existing election rules and policies, which candidates should be aware of particularly on financial reporting.

$2M for tourism plan backed[/B]

The Legislature has agreed to support the Governor’s initiative to bring in an additional 100,000 Japanese tourists to the CNMI by ensuring the passage of legislation that would appropriate over $2 million that would fund the additional promotional activities needed. Senate President Paul A. Manglona assured that both the House of Representatives and the Senate would support the passage of appropriation that would set aside money to fund the additional advertising and promotional activities of the project. “Of course, our support will be translated into dollars because they would need more money for advertising and promotion, especially in the Tokyo and Osaka areas, which are our strongest base. We would support legislation that would provide this additional funding,” he said.
[B] ‘PMC-GHLI standoff is No.1 priority’[/B]

Calling it the biggest issue facing him, newly hired Northern Mariana Islands Retirement Fund Administrator Karl T. Reyes yesterday said he plans to immediately address the standoff between the local health providers and Group Health and Life Insurance program, which the Fund administers. “It is necessary to address this at once because it involves the welfare of the members of the plan. Local health providers are very important to our community and there are maybe as many as 5,000 government workers who could be placed at a disadvantage if this thing is not resolved,” he said. Reyes stressed, however, that there are industry standards and rates that the local providers have to follow “and this is where the differences come in.”