Flashback — March 2006-March 2008

March 28, 2006

Work-hour cuts junked

Difficulty of implementation and allegations of inequity have prompted the Fitial administration to junk its work-hour reduction plan and push instead for a legislated salary cut. Press secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said yesterday that the governor’s legal counsel is now working with the Legislature’s lawyers to draft a bill that would implement a 10-percent salary cut across the board. A work-hour reduction would have meant smaller paychecks for government workers, but more time off. On the other hand, a salary reduction would simply mean smaller paychecks for the same amount of time at work.

CUC now a division under DPW

Beginning today, the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. ceases to be an autonomous agency and is now integrated as a division under the Department of Public Works. Gov. Benigno Fitial’s first executive order that sought to reorganize the CUC takes effect today, 60 days after promulgation and transmission to the Legislature. The administration-controlled Legislature did not act on the governor’s executive order, effectively giving its implied approval to the directive, explained CNMI press secretary Charles Reyes, Jr. With the integration of CUC into the Public Works Department, the administration sees no need to extend the governor’s declaration that placed CUC under a state of emergency, which resulted in the suspension of the CUC board’s powers.

March 28, 2007

CHC is fined $8K for waste violations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has sanctioned the Commonwealth Health Center with an $8,000 fine as part of a recent settlement over federal waste violations. In addition to the fine, EPA said that CHC will now fund an environmental project valued at $17,000 for a mercury thermometer exchange program. Under the program, the hospital will purchase mercury-free thermometers, provide information to clinics and households in the CNMI about the mercury exchange program, and make mercury-free thermometers available at no cost to residents. Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin P. Villagomez said the infraction was discovered following inspections conducted several years ago.

OPA swamped with lawmakers’ requests

The Office of the Public Auditor is being swamped with lawmakers’ requests, including some that are not related to OPA’s duties and responsibilities. Public Auditor Michael Sablan said yesterday that his office had received at least 12 requests from members of the Legislature since the year started. While some of the requests are for audits, many “do not appear to be within OPA’s jurisdiction, area of responsibility and expertise,” he said. OPA’s main duty is to audit how public funds are received, managed, and disbursed.

March 28, 2008

Survey: Underage drinking up

More than a quarter of children in the CNMI from grades sixth to twelfth have had their first drink of alcohol before the age of 13, according to the results of a survey conducted by the Public School System. The 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey results, released recently, showed that 27.4 percent of CNMI youth have had their first drink of alcohol other than a few sips before reaching 13 years old. This is an increase over the findings in a similar survey done in 2005, when it was found out that 26.1 percent of students from grades sixth to twelfth have had their first alcoholic drink before the age of 13.

Admin, Stanley cast wary eye on Telesource offer

The Fitial administration expressed caution yesterday on an offer by Telesource CNMI Inc. to help solve the power crisis on Saipan. In the House of Representatives, a lawmaker urged his colleagues to be wary of the proposal. Press secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said the proposal would be reviewed closely. But he underlined that the administration will make sure it does not become indebted to any particular firm with interest in a future privatization program. “We want to get away from any possible conflict of interest. We will consider all situations,” said Reyes. He recalled that the administration failed in its previous attempt at privatizing the Saipan power system because of perceived favoritism.