FLASHBACK – Jan 28, 2012

Jan 28, 1999

No funds yet for EIC, governor says

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday admitted that his administration has yet to identify funds to pay some $6 million in Earned Income Credit to taxpayers which have been held up since last year due lack of resources. The financially-troubled government owes taxpayers millions of dollars in EIC covering tax year 1997, but the governor assured the people that they will receive the credit once the money is available. “We are still identifying the funds,” Tenorio said, as he promised that his administration “will comply with the law to pay the EIC to those who are entitled to receive it.”

Prenatal care still unpopular in CNMI

Despite the importance of prenatal care in ensuring that babies are born healthy, the practice remains unpopular among many pregnant women in the Northern Marianas due to lack of proper education and high medical cost, according to Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez. He said the percentage of pregnant women who come to the Commonwealth Health Center and at various private clinics for prenatal care is still low. He did not provide exact figures though. “There are barriers that pregnant women face in this community that prevent them from coming in to seek prenatal care early and regularly. One is lack of information about the benefits of early prenatal care and medical problems that could be prevented when one receives such care,” Villagomez said.

Jan 28, 2000

Law designates Marpi as new public cemetery

With 103 deaths recorded each year on the island, the government will open a new cemetery in Marpi in efforts to ease overcrowding in existing burial sites as well as to provide “ecologically suitable and aesthetically fitting final resting place,” according to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio. Under the law he has signed, the site will encompass the lots surrounding the proposed Veterans Cemetery, with total land area equivalent to nearly 70,000 square meters. This will complement the three cemeteries-in Chalan Kanoa and Tanapag as well as Wireless Hill Public Cemetery in Capitol Hills-which are already full to capacity and pose an environmental hazard to underground water sources.

Rota mayor turns to FAA for airport expansion

Rota Mayor Benjamin Manglona is asking immediate assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration for the improvement and rehabilitation of the island’s international airport runway and facilities. In a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Acting Manager for Airports District Office Daniel Matsumoto, Mr. Manglona stressed the need to improve and upgrade runway and terminal facilities of the Rota International Airport. “The island of Rota is now ready to embark into a major tourist destination. However, the impediment of our success is because of the port and desperate condition of our airport runway and facilities,” he told Mr. Matsumoto.

Jan 28, 2002

CJPA has $500K in US grants

More than half-a-million dollars in federal grant funds are now available for application by agencies that are directly involved in the rehabilitation of crime victims, juvenile delinquents and drug users. The Criminal Justice Planning Agency disclosed that federal funds amo unting to $562,810 are now available for the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), Challenge Activity E and the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment. The CJPA is the Commonwealth’s state administering agency for these programs but the grants will be awarded by the NMI Commonwealth Supervisory Council for the Improvement of the Criminal justice System through a sub-grant process.

DPW seeks changes on manpower law

Saying that the department is not yet ready-financially and skills-wise-to replace its foreign workers holding technical positions this year, acting Public Works Secretary Juan S. Reyes asked the Legislature to amend a law that seeks to replace nonresidents with local workers by September. Public Law 12-34, also known as the Comprehensive Manpower Training and Education Act, has set a deadline for the Department of Public Works to phase out nonresident workers holding professional positions by September 30, 2002, according to Reyes. At present, there are six engineer and one architect positions at the DPW’s Technical Services Division-all held by Filipinos-that may be affected by the law. There are only five positions being held by US citizens and local residents in the division.