FLASHBACK – May 5, 2012

Landfill team delivers progress report to Legislature[/B]

With approximately 80,000 tons of waste created each year on Saipan, it is vitally important that the new Integrated Solid Waste Management System being designed for the Marpi Sanitary Landfill meet high standards for environmental quality. In fact, such a system for Saipan could become a model for other Pacific islands in the future. These were the recommendations made by the Department of Public Works (DPW) and its consultant Harding Lawson Associates (HLA) in a progress report to a joint session of the Commonwealth Legislature and Solid Waste Task Force. Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. Sablan, chair of the Solid Waste Task Force, stated that the landfill project is one of the Commonwealth’s most important projects.

The Commonwealth Development Authority is currently swamped with issues that need to be addressed but could not be acted upon due to the suspension of its scheduled Board of Directors meeting yesterday for lack of quorum. CDA Board Chair John S. Tenorio said they had to postpone the regular monthly meeting, scheduled for yesterday, because the board member from Rota could not make it to Saipan. The government’s prime lending arm has likewise suspended the regular board meeting for its Corporate Development Division Wednesday also due to lack of quorum.

High school cited for water violation[/B]

Saying that bacterial contamination is considered an “acute risk” to public health, the Division of Environmental Quality cited the Marianas High School for violating drinking water regulations, based on sampling tests conducted recently. DEQ acting director Pedro T. Palacios directed MHS principal James Denight to act swiftly on the matter, after sampling tests conducted on the school’s public water system last April showed coliform contamination. In a document released by DEQ public information officer Therese Hocog, the environmental agency wants the school to conduct a complete disinfection of its water source, storage tanks and distribution system.

The current administration has identified some $750,000 scholarship grant for part-time college students. According to CNMI Scholarship Advisory Board chairman Roman Benavente, the money is part of the administration’s $228 million proposed budget for 2004. “This is really the Governor and the Lt. Governor’s desire to help part-time students. It’s been their goal to provide such assistance to them,” he said. Currently, the CNMI scholarship program only extends financial assistance to full-time students.

CHC has no radiologist[/B]

The Commonwealth Health Center now lacks a radiologist following the recent departure of its lone radiology specialist, Dr. David Southcott. The DPH administration has denied this but CHC staff members confirmed the absence of Dr. Southcott, when asked. “We don’t have our radiologist here anymore,” said a staff who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity. DPH spokesman John Douglas, who was asked about the issue since last week, said Monday, “We’re not aware of that [radiologist leaving].” Douglas, who left for an off-island trip yesterday, said he has asked administrative officials, including Public Health Secretary James U. Hofschneider about the issue.

The Public School System believes it should get a share of the alien workers’ funds, even as it supports the holding of a feasibility study on converting Marianas High School into a technical school. “I don’t think that the Northern Marianas College should get all that [alien fees],” said Board of Education member Herman T. Guerrero in a meeting last week. The college is a major recipient of money coming from the fund, pursuant to public laws 5-32, 6-4, 7-21, Executive Order 94-3, and Public Law 10-66. Other recipients are the municipal governments and other government agencies. The Nonresident Workers Act is a major source of revenue for the government, which collects from employers $225 for each guest worker they have. The fee is collected each year.