FLASHBACK – December 5, 2011

Dec. 5, 2000

Rota earmarks funds for dialysis patients

Rota lawmakers have appropriated some $24,000 in revenues from pachinko and poker license fees to assist dialysis patients sent to Saipan for medical referral as well as to provide equipment for baseball activities on the island. House Vice Speaker Alejo M. Mendiola, the lone representative of the municipality to the lower house, said these funds will greatly help island residents who are in dire need of these assistance. Half of the money will go to paying house rent by patients from Rota who are undergoing dialysis treatment on Saipan, while the other half will be spent to purchase sporting equipment and other needs of the Luta Major League and the Rota Little League.

ABE steps up family literacy program

The Northern Marianas College Adult Basic Education recently graduated the first batch of its family literacy program students from Koblerville Elementary School, completing an intensive 12-week course that began last summer. After KES, ABE Director Fe Calixterio disclosed plans to extend ABE’s services to other public schools in the hopes of increasing the knowledge and know-how of parents with low literacy skills. The NMC ABE’s family literacy program is principally aimed at promoting parents’ more active involvement in their children’s learning.

Dec. 5, 2001

Cing to head Senate credentials panel

Senate leaders of the incoming 13th Legislature have chosen Sen. David M. Cing to chair the credentials committee that would be tasked to review all the qualifications of the incoming senators before they are sworn in. Senate Floor Leader-elect Sen. Joaquin G. Adriano said they chose Cing to head the credentials committee during a Senate caucus held in Rota last Saturday. “As you know the credentials committee will only become active during the swearing in and it will have the duty of screening the members before they are sworn in,” said Adriano. Only six senators were present during the caucus, including incoming Senator-elect Diego M. Songao. Senators Ramon S. Guerrero, Pedro P. Reyes and Thomas P. Villagomez were absent.

AT devices, services available for school kids

The CNMI Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities announced that there are ways to avail of assistive technology and devices and services for school-aged children with disabilities. According to AT Coordinator Celia B. Lamkin, parents of children with disabilities can request an evaluation by writing to the school principal. “Their letter should state why an assistive technology evaluation may be helpful and how the assistive technology may help the child reach his or her educational goals,” said Lamkin. In addition, the coordinator explained that it is helpful to obtain information about the assistive device requested to help parents discuss the options with school officials.

Dec. 5, 2002

Lawmaker backs port expansion

House Rep. Joseph Deleon Guerrero has rallied behind the Commonwealth Ports Authority’s efforts to cultivate the Saipan Seaport as a major transshipment hub for the entire Micronesia with the introduction of a bill that aims to spur seaport activities in the Commonwealth. Guerrero’s proposal-House Bill 13-223 or the Port of Saipan Expansion and Development Act of 2002-aims to transfer the title and ownership of specific public lands near the Saipan harbor to the CPA for port development and port-related support facilities. According to Guerrero, the Saipan port is one of the most important economic salvations of the CNMI but the size of the land under the jurisdiction of the ports authority is limited, hampering the port’s potential for growth and development.

$20K worth of foreign brand medicine seized

Some 400lbs of imported pharmaceutical items worth about $20,000 have been confiscated and are now due for incineration. Bureau of Environmental Health officials said the items came mostly from travelers from China, South Korea, and the Philippines in the last 30 days. “It was brought to our attention by the Division of Customs. We’re going to incinerate them now,” said BHE officer John M. Tagabuel. The medicines, mostly over-the-counter drugs, prescription medicines, and herbal products-are mislabeled or do not contain English or understandable labels, according to BHE acting officer Edward Dlc. Camacho.