FLASHBACK – Jun. 14, 2012

DLNR seeks dismissal of marina case[/B]

Assistant Attorney General Sally Pfund has asked the U.S. District Court to dismiss a case filed by the Marine Revitalization Corporation against the Department of Land and Natural Resources since no constitutional right was violated. According to Pfund, the case talks about a breach of contract between the two parties and a debate on the interpretation of the regulation concerning boat owners. Both contentions are not considered federal matters and can be heard at the Superior Court, not in the U.S. District Court, she added.

The U.S. District Court has ordered the transfer of five prisoners to the eepartments of Public Safety and Labor and Immigration after they served as witnesses against the leaders of the April prison takeover. The US District Court said Thursday said inmates Yan Chun, Shi Gong Wen, Wang Ting Hua, Cui Xing Hao and Zhou Bo should be returned to the custody of these departments to allow them serve their prison term. The five were placed temporarily under the custody of the US Marshal as material witnesses against the participants in the takeover of the Division of Corrections. They were kept by federal authorities while the investigation was going on.

Carrier upbeat on re-entry to Korean market[/B]

Continental Micronesia expressed confidence in the recovery of the South Korean economy as it began promotional campaigns in Seoul through an official announcement of its re-entry into the second largest tourism market in Asia. Airline president Bill Meehan and vice president of sales and promotions Walter Dias formally announced Continental Micronesia’s plans to resume flight services to Korea through a press briefing attended by members of the media, tourism officials and agents in Seoul. The carrier is poised at flying the route using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, a new state-of-the art airplane, which provides travelers latest technology on comfort and safety.

The Public Auditor yesterday stood pat on its recommendation to terminate the contract entered into by the government with a private security company due to serious violations of existing Commonwealth law on procurement and supply. In its decision on the appeal for reconsideration of its earlier decision, the Public Auditor’s Office also called for the issuance of a new solicitation for the project, as it guarantees reimbursement of all the expenses incurred by the company whose contract with the government has been ordered terminated. Earlier, Public Auditor Leo LaMotte ordered rebidding of the contract for the required security services in three tourist sites managed by the Marianas Visitors Authority that was given to The Wackenhut Corporation.

Pellegrino: Govt takeover of marina a buyout[/B]

Marine Revitalization Corp. president Anthony Pellegrino yesterday clarified the government’s proposed takeover of the Outer Cove Marina is a buyout. He issued this statement amid increasing arguments, describing the proposed transfer of the marina’s ownership to the Commonwealth as a bailout. Pellegrino’s reactions follow comments solicited by Representative Heinz S. Hofschneider’s House Bill 12-371 or the Marina Act. The MRC president said the proposed acquisition could only be justifiably called a bailout if the Outer Cove Marina project was a failure.

Local Ford dealer Joeten Motor Company is participating in the program recently launched by Ford Motor Company to replace all Firestone Wilderness AT tires on its vehicles. Earlier reports said Ford Motor Company plans to replace some 10 to 13 million Firestone tires in its vehicles. The tires have been linked to at least 174 traffic deaths in the United States. The program is the second to last year’s replacement of Firestone Radial ATX tires with the Firestone Wilderness AT tires in Ford vehicles. A recent study revealed that the tires “may exhibit an unacceptable risk of tread separation under certain condition”, according to a statement released by the Office of the Attorney General.