Flashback – June 2006 – June 2008

June 26, 2006

Unpaid tax rebates total $8M
The CNMI government is behind by at least $8 million in the payment of fiscal year 2004 tax rebates, according to Finance Secretary Eloy S. Inos. In the governor’s weekly press conference Friday, Inos reported that the amount was down from the estimated $15 million of unpaid rebates that were unpaid when the Fitial administration stepped in almost half a year ago. He expressed hope that the Finance Department would be able to catch up and get the rest of the FY2004 rebates released before the end of the fiscal year.

Govt funding to be issued on piecemeal basis
Owing to the government’s $32 million budget shortfall projection, funding for public programs would be issued on a piecemeal basis during the last quarter of the fiscal year, Gov. Benigno R. Fitial announced Friday. The governor said he had instructed the Office of Management and Budget to issue allotment notice to each government agency on a monthly basis, rather than on the usual quarterly basis, from July to September 2006. “We can’t issue a quarterly allotment advice if we don’t have the money to cover the entire quarter,” Fitial said. Antonio Muna, the governor’s special assistant for management and budget, said that the monthly allotment advice was expected to affect government operations within and outside of the Executive Branch.

June 26, 2007

Renewal of lobbyist contract hangs fire
The Fitial administration’s contract with its D.C. consultant is nearing its end, but it remains unclear whether the firm will remain on the local government’s payroll. Oldaker, Biden & Belair was hired to block U.S. legislation federalizing the local minimum wage and immigration. It is paid $90,000, plus approved expenses, for a six-month period ending on Monday, July 9, 2007. However, press secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said yesterday he was not sure whether the governor intends to renew the contract. “I think it’s safe to say that it will be reasonable for the CNMI to continue having a D.C. consultant. We need a link to Washington, D.C. to keep us informed about what’s going on. It is essential for us to have somebody on the ground, in addition to the resident representative’s office.

CNMI students are still interested in health career
Students in the CNMI are still interested in pursuing careers in the health care industry, according to Area Health Education Center Program director Dr. Faye Untalan. Untalan led the 2007 Summer Health Career Program presentation of certificates to this year’s participants Friday afternoon at the Pacific Islands Club Charley’s Cabaret. There were 21 high school students who participated in the summer program, a slight drop from the 23 who participated last year. Still, Untalan said this is an excellent turnout. The training was held from June 11 to 22.

June 26, 2008

Major economic disruption seen
Federal authority over the Commonwealth’s immigration laws will prove a “major economic disruption” as foreign workers are forced to leave and businesses are driven to compete for available labor, according to excerpts of a pending economic report and a key adviser to Gov. Benigno Fitial. President Bush earlier this year signed legislation federalizing the Commonwealth’s immigration rules in a move that many local business leaders say will devastate the economy. In response, Fitial on Tuesday disclosed he might file suit against the federal government in a bid to overturn the new law.

Subway donates meal vouchers to Oceania volunteers
Subway Investments Corp. has donated 50 meal vouchers to volunteers of this year’s Oceania Championships and Oceania Grand Prix. The donation was handed over by Stella Fong, Subway Investments Corp. vice president, to Rep. Ramon A. Tebuteb, chairman of the Oceania local organizing committee, in the Subway office at Transpacific Business Center in Gualo Rai on June 19. Fong said the donation, given upon the organizing committee’s request, was a token of S Subway’s support for the volunteers and the event itself, while keeping in line with efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle.