Flashback – June 2006-June 2008

June 18, 2006

‘Very disappointing’

That is how an NMI Retirement Fund official described yesterday the Fitial administration’s enactment of three bills that suspends the government’s retirement payment, extends the payment term for additional 25 years, and creates the defined contribution plan. To begin with, Fund board chair Joseph Reyes said that the bills were passed and enacted without a public hearing. “Why didn’t they hold public hearings? Why rush the passage? It’s so darn fast. It’s just so disappointing because there were many questions that were left unanswered. We’re trying to cooperate with them, discussing and brainstorming with them. This is backstabbing already,” said Reyes in an interview.

Troops, wives undergo marriage skills workshop
The troops who were deployed to Iraq and their wives are undergoing a four-day “strong bonds marriage skills” workshop at the Aqua Resort Club in Achugao. Thirteen members of the U.S. Army Reserve and their spouses are currently participating in the 12-hour instruction workshop prepared by the U.S. Army 9th Regional Readiness Command. The Honolulu-based Chaplain Maj. Daniel White and Chaplain Assistant Sgt. First Class Steven Ferguson are conducting the seminar under the Command’s Deployment Cycle Support plan. The session will end today.

June 18, 2007

CNMI immigration bill introduced in US Senate
A bipartisan bill federalizing the Commonwealth’s immigration was introduced in the U.S. Senate on Friday. Hawaii Sen. Daniel K. Akaka sponsored the legislation as it was drafted by the U.S. Office of Insular Affairs. Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, Hawaii Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski signed on as co-sponsors. All of the sponsors, except Murkowski, are members of the ruling Democratic Party.

US, Japan contractors visit Saipan, Tinian
Ten U.S. and Japanese construction officials visited Saipan and Tinian on Saturday to meet with local businesspersons and inspect facilities that might be used to support the planned transfer of some 8,000 U.S. Marines to Guam. The group made the one-day visit to Saipan and Tinian in an effort to see the islands’ potential as a warehousing and staging area for the Guam military buildup. John E. Baggott of Bechtel National Inc., a Maryland-based military contractor, led the group.

June 18, 2008

CUC privatization bill hurdles House
The House of Representatives rushed to passage yesterday a bill requiring the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. to issue a privatization bid within 45 days of the bill becoming law. The House voted 16-3 to approve the bill. Representatives Francisco Dela Cruz, Tina Sablan, and Edward Salas voted against the bill, and Rep. Justo Quitugua was absent. The House-approved bill would allow CUC to sell its power system for at least $250 million, half the minimum value proposed in the original version of the bill. The bill calls for a bid process, a departure from the request-for-proposals procedure CUC had used in its previous privatization efforts.

WIA program lures more participants this year
The Workforce Investment Agency says this year’s participation in the summer program exceeded last year’s for all three islands combined by more than 60 percent. Executive director Edith Deleon Guerrero said the agency expects the numbers to continue rising and that “the trend in school enrollments tell of the increasing numbers in the CNMI’s youth population, thus the greater need and urgency to focus on youth programs that are proven successes throughout the country.” Deleon Guerrero said the increased participation in the WIA summer program happened because she has taken the initiative to “allow and embrace applicants as young as 14 years old to participate in the summer employment program.” She said this is allowable under the WIA Act of 1998 for the youth funding program, of which the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program is considered one of the required 10 youth elements.