Flashback – Dec. 2002-Dec. 2004

Dec. 9, 2002

APIL backs funding for charitable cargo

The Association of Pacific Island Legislatures adopted Friday a resolution requesting its member entities to earmark a portion of their annual budgets to fund the costs of transporting humanitarian cargo to Pacific areas in need. This came following a request from the Ayuda Foundation, the organization that provides humanitarian aid to Micronesia through medical missions and urgent relief efforts. Carlotta A. Leon-Guerrero, the foundation’s executive director, said that shipping cost was one of the stumbling blocks in their efforts to ensure the continuous traffic of medicine, medical equipment and health services to island recipients.

CHC doctors to see patients on Rota and Tinian

The Department of Public Health will send its medical specialists to Rota and Tinian on a regular basis to lessen the travel costs for referral patients. This comes soon after findings showed that this year alone, 1,450 patients were flown from Rota and Tinian to seek treatment at the Commonwealth Health Center on Saipan. “I asked CHC specialists and our different departments to schedule their [doctors] trips to Rota and Tinian,” DPH Secretary James U. Hofschneider said. Relatedly, records showed that, of the 2,515 medical referral patients since 1999, majority of patients-1,321-were sent to Guam.

Dec. 9, 2003

Over $1.2M in mitigation projects OK’d

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that it has approved the release of mitigation grants totaling $1.255 million for Guam for projects following recent typhoons. “These nine projects encompass a wide variety of efforts to make Guam most disaster-resistant,” said FEMA Region IX Director Jeff Griffin. “FEMA considers these mitigation grants a cornerstone of its mission to prevent future damage from the typhoons and earthquake that regularly visit this beautiful Pacific island.” Guam was struck last year by two typhoons that caused more than $278 million in damage to the island. Loss of electrical power and shattered buildings across much of the island jeopardized lives, destroyed homes and important facilities. The typhoons created serious losses for many businesses in the area.

‘Teaching adults saves on educational costs’

Giving emphasis on adult education will result in “large inter-generational payoff” and significant savings for the government, according to visiting international consultant Thomas Sticht. “It’s what I call ‘double duty dollars’ because every dollar you spend on adult education, say a mother, will double or more than double in value because she will certainly educate her children,” said Sticht, a widely-recognized educational consultant, researcher, author, and professor. Sticht is currently holding a two-day workshop for teachers at the Pacific Islands Club. It is sponsored by the Northern Marianas College-Adult Basic Education.

Dec. 9, 2004

Labor fines firm for negligent administration

The Department of Labor has fined a garment factory for allowing a nonresident employee to continue working without renewing his contract or permit for three months. Hearing officer Jery Cody ordered Rifu Apparel Corp. to pay $250 within 10 days. He said the Division of Labor will resume processing the application submitted by the company for worker Yang Jisheng provided that the company complies with the order. Rifu Apparel filed the renewal application for Yang on March 3, 2004, three months after the maintenance worker’s permit expired. The Division of Labor denied the application on grounds of untimely filing and the company appealed.

Americorps funding for 2005 remains uncertain

The AmeriCorps program, which has successfully implemented a tutoring program here in the CNMI, may be in jeopardy as funds available for the program will last only up to March of next year. AmeriCorps coordinator John Guerrero said yesterday that, unless new funding comes in, the program may be discontinued. “This is a very successful program, according to testimonies from parents, the community, and site coordinators, but I hope President Bush would endorse it so that it may continue,” Guerrero said. “We’re still waiting for word from the federal government.” He declined to provide more details on the financial status of the program.