Flashback – Nov. 2000-Nov. 2003

Nov. 7, 2000

Govt still undecided on PCB lawsuit

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday said the CNMI government has yet to decide whether to seek legal action following disclosure that some residents of Tanapag have high levels of polychlorinated biphenyl contamination in their body. He said he is more concerned over the safety and health of the people, which both local and federal agencies must address to ensure that the villagers are protected from harmful effects of the contamination. “I don’t know whether [legal action] will come later, but what we are concerned of is the health of our people,” Tenorio told reporters.

House halts action on driver’s license bill

Due to serious policy questions, the House of Representatives yesterday deferred action on a bill that will bar police from seizing the license of drivers who have violated traffic rules in the CNMI. The House Committee on Judicial and Government Operations is expected to re-assess HB 12-270 after some members of the lower house questioned provisions of the proposal, particularly the new policy it will set out if it becomes law. Sponsored by Rep. Dino M. Jones, who chairs JGO, the measure seeks to amend existing law to prohibit the seizure of drivers license prior to conviction for a crime or infraction. Such practice raises constitutional concerns, according to a committee report endorsing the legislation.

Nov. 7, 2002

OPA: DOLI-Tinian misused $32K in public funds

The Office of the Public Auditor yesterday disclosed that the Department of Labor and Immigration’s Tinian office had misused a total of $32,522 in government money for improper telephone charges in three occasions. Public Auditor Michael Sablan said the audit involved telephone charges and long distance calls made by the DOLI-Tinian from January 1998 to June 2000, in response to a complaint filed with the OPA on March 16,2000. “It was determined that misuse of government funds may have occurred and that a more comprehensive audit should be conducted. An employee was subsequently charged and convicted, resulting in a delay in the issuance of this report,” Sablan added.

Govt scrambles for money to pay HPMR

As of yesterday, the government was still scrambling to identify funds to complete the outstanding debt owed to the government health insurance’s third party administrator, the Hawaii Pacific Medical Referrals Inc. Gov. Juan N. Babauta told reporters yesterday morning that if the government fails to meet the payment deadline, HPMR’s decision to permanently relinquish its ties with the state-run Group Health and Life Insurance Inc. would have to be respected. “Obviously, if we cannot meet the deadline, we will respect the decision from HPMR to terminate the services. And we go from there,” said the Governor. In such case, Babauta said that the Department of Public Health would have to step forward and deal directly with healthcare providers in Honolulu or other offshore clinics or hospitals.

Nov. 7, 2003

’Political disputes seal defeat of Rota casino plan’

Bickering among political parties on Rota was blamed for the failure of the Rota Popular Initiative to garner the necessary votes for acceptance. Senator Paul A. Manglona acknowledged that Rota Mayor Benjamin Manglona was the main force behind the initiative to establish a casino industry on the island, which apparently became a contentious issue among political rivals. “Somehow, it got sidetracked by the political disputes between the various parties. And it became a political issue. So for that reason, I believe it did not garner the necessary two-thirds votes,” said Manglona.

CUC to keep own procurement rules

Despite a warning from the Attorney General’s Office, the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. board aims to continue to use its own procurement rules and regulations pending the implementation of a uniformed fiscal management system for the entire CNMI government. CUC board chairman Herman Sablan said the CUC has several projects that may be compromised if it decides to wait on the new procedures, which have yet to be drafted. “We have lots of projects to do. And we need to make sure that we have a system in place to assist us in handling these projects,” said Sablan.