Flashback – June 1999-June 2004

Jun. 22, 1999

DOLI sues illegal recruiter

The Department of Labor and Immigration yesterday filed a civil action against a job recruiter who allegedly scammed 16 Bangladeshi workers into non-existing jobs on Saipan. DOLI filed the lawsuit against Dina T. Gonzalez of RJ Ent. who has a standing department order to pay her recruits more than $53,000 in unpaid wages, civil penalties, fines and other damages. The department filed the civil suit in the Superior Court, seeking enforcement of DOLI’S administrative order issued on March 14, 1996 by hearing officer Herbert Soll.

People must pressure govt to solve garbage problem

With proper planning and strong political will, the Northern Marianas will be able to solve its solid waste problem that is threatening to destroy its pristine environment and the island’s tourism economy. According to Norman Lovelace, manager for Pacific Insular Area Program of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the local people must pressure political leaders to force them to take concrete steps in saving the environment. “There has to be a plan but there must also be political action to implement it. You may have the best ideas in the world but if it is just on paper, it would not do anybody any good,” said Lovelace.

Jun. 22, 2000

NMIRF asks Teno to ax bill

Northern Marianas Retirement Fund Administrator Juan S. Torres has asked Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio’s not to sign a proposed measure that will provide one year vested service credit in the NMIRF for every two years of service on CNMI boards, commissions and municipal councils. In a letter to the governor, Mr. Torres said Senate Bill 12-40 failed to identify adequate source of funding to pay for the improvement in pension benefits. The bill is now back in the Senate for action on the House amendment to the proposed measure. The bill does not specify how the annuity level will be determined knowing that, by law, members of the boards or commissions are not compensated. Secondly, there is no provision that identifies any funding source to pay for the proposed improvement in benefits.

BOE exceeds travel budget

Members of the State Board of Education yesterday agreed to expedite efforts at reviewing its current travel plan policies after it was ascertained that the board exceeded its $8,000 travel budget travel budget. The board roughly overspent over $14,000 for official off-island meetings and conferences, it was disclosed. But the amount, which came BOE’s own accounts, has not affected Public School System allotments, according to PSS.

Jun. 22, 2004

Conference on coastal protection begins

Scores of environmental officials and representatives from Pacific islands and federal agencies yesterday convened at the Pacific Islands Club to develop a regional strategy to address the degradation of coral reef ecosystems, fisheries and marine water quality. Participating federal agencies include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Marina A. Picolish, PhD., of the Hawaii-based MAPping Change, LLC, the consulting firm that designed the meeting’s agenda, said the conference aims to develop a regional strategy that would strengthen the voice of Pacific and Carribean islands at the federal government, especially in procuring financial support to address environmental concerns.

‘Bill banning same-sex marriage unconstitutional’

The Attorney General’s Office raised constitutional issues on the proposed same-sex marriage initiative, noting that the measure would impede several constitutional rights under Commonwealth law. Acting attorney general Clyde Lemons said the issue of proposed House Legislative Initiative 14-3 embraces more than one article of the CNMI Constitution and does not merely amend Article 2 directly. Lemons stressed that the measure also aims to amend rights allowed under Article I by denying equal protection of the law to certain persons in the area of marriage, prevent the Legislature from enacting laws that would outlaw discrimination based on sex in the area of marriage and by creating a constitutional public policy in favor of sex-based classifications in the area of marriage.