Flashback – July 2001-July 2005

July 13, 2001

House approves $74M for CIP

A proposed measure appropriating a total of $73.56 million for Capital Improvement Projects now heads to the Senate after the House of Representatives passed the bill during Wednesday’s regular session. As adopted by the lower chamber, House Bill 12-374 provides $18.45 million for Rota, $11.94 million for Tinian, and $19.79 million for Saipan and the Northern Islands, totaling $50.19 million. Funding for these projects will come from Commonwealth Development Authority bond proceeds amounting to $24.02 million, bond interest amounting to $1.2 million, and Covenant Section 702 funding in the amount of $24.97 million.

Retention of vocational program at NMC urged

Education officials have expressed opposition to the proposed separation of vocational education from the jurisdiction of the Northern Marianas College during yesterday’s public hearing on a legislative initiative proposing to do so. In a letter sent to the House of Representatives’ Standing Committee On Education, Kagman Elementary School principal Ignacia T. Demapan said the NMC must continue with its mission and responsibility of providing vocational and technical education, which she says is critical to the development of skills necessary for satisfying careers. “I believe that the underlying foundation for all academic courses should be the relationship of class concepts to practical job application.

July 13, 2003

Aldan backs more funds to promote NMI

House Tourism Committee Chairman Frank Dlg. Aldan is supporting moves to appropriate an additional $800,000 on top of the Marianas Visitors Authority’s proposed $7.01 million budget for fiscal year 2004. Aldan said the extra funding would boost MVA’s efforts to promote the CNMI as a tourist destination, especially in the wake of reports that other destinations like Singapore, Hawaii and Thailand will be coming out with impressive promotions next year. “MVA is asking for $800,000 more. And according to the Speaker, we should be able to fund that, in addition to their budget,” said Aldan. Aldan said the House would have to work out the details on where the additional money will come from.

OIA awards over $1.1M to Guam

The Office of Interior Affairs has awarded more than $1.1 million to Guam comprising four grants that are intended to infuse needed money into the island’s recovery effort and to support the operation of the Attorney General’s Office. Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior David Cohen turned over the grants to Gov. Felix Camacho Friday. The four grants include a grant of almost $600,000 to jump-start Camacho’s economic recovery program, and a grant of $215,000 for the AGO. “Governor Camacho has done a very good job of explaining to us how Interior’s funds could be put to good use to help Guam overcome its current financial challenges,” said Cohen.

July 13, 2005

New budget needed to avoid deficit in ’06

The Senate is asking the House of Representative to fast track the budget process, warning that the absence of a new budget for fiscal year 2006 would result in a deficit of at least $7 million. Sen. Joseph Mendiola, chair of the Senate Committee on Fiscal Affairs, warned that there may not be a budget passed by September because the House “has not taken any formal discussion” on the proposed $226 million for FY 2006. “I’m very concerned. I’m afraid that we may end up doing a new budget by end of the calendar year. Everybody knows it’s a political year, but we owe it to the government to pass a new spending plan,” said Mendiola in yesterday’s session.

USDE stresses improving teacher quality in CNMI

To achieve academic excellence among children in the CNMI, the U.S. Department of Education stressed several strategies to improve teacher quality, including recruitment processes and continued training. Toward this end, U.S. Department of Education Academic Improvement and Teacher Quality Programs officer Elizabeth Ann Witt held a workshop last month for public school officials from the CNMI and the Pacific region. Public School System Commissioner of Education Rita H. Inos and board member Herman T. Guerrero attended the workshop.