Flashback Sept. 10, 1999-2002

Sept. 10, 1999

Leg. reviews $60 million bond for CIP projects

The proposed $60 million bond now moving forward in the Legislature is intended to boost the local economy and lawmakers are hopeful it would be finalized by the end of this year. According to Rep. Karl T. Reyes, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, the proposed allocation of the funds should be similar to the spending plan implemented by the Governor’s 702 Multi-Agency CIP Task Force. That spending plan required projects to be selected for funding through a prioritizing process where certain criteria would be met for each specific project.

Teno vetoes amendment on garment workers

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday disapproved a proposed amendment to a law that sets the cap on the number of guest workers in the garment industry in fear that it could open up a loophole to increase, instead of reduce, the sector’s foreign labor pool. The veto came on the day of his departure for Washington D.C. to attend next week’s congressional hearings tackling local labor and immigration reforms. “I am concerned it would undermine the intentions of Public Law 11-76 and potentially create an environment in which the total number of alien workers in the garment industry will never be reduced,” the governor said in his veto message.

Sept. 10, 2001

CDA may seize CUC assets

The Commonwealth Development Authority may seize the assets of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation if it fails to comply with a court ruling, ordering it to settle $102 million in delinquent loans. CDA counsel F. Matthew Smith said that his client may resort to the regular course of collecting loans if the utility company does not voluntarily pay the relief granted by the CNMI Superior Court. This, even as he stressed that he believes the CUC has the capability to pay its obligations to the government-owned lending agency.

New funding eyed for Tinian school

The Tinian Elementary School may soon receive additional funding amounting to $1.2 million, courtesy of a bill passed by the House of Representatives during Friday’s session. The lower chamber passed on first and final reading House Bill 12-411 reappropriating $1.2 million from the $2.79 that was originally set aside for the new 7th and 8th grade classrooms of the elementary school. The measure now heads to the Senate for adoption. According to Rep. Norman Palacios, the measure’s author, the Tinian Legislative Delegation has found that, due to changing priorities and requirements of the school, it has become necessary for certain capital improvement projects appropriated under Public Law 11-89 to be reprioritized.

Sept. 10, 2002

HR society tackles OSHA issues

The Commonwealth’s chapter of the Society of Human Resource Management, the CNMI’s professional personnel organization, will hold its monthly membership meeting on Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Hyatt Regency’s Giovanni’s Restaurant. Guest speaker is Bob Scruggs of Scruggs Consultant Services who will discuss how to handle OSHA inspections, new OSHA record-keeping requirements, and OSHA rules for barracks and offices. Non-members in the business community, whether owners, managers or human resource professionals, are invited to learn more about the Society and improve their human resource knowledge through the presentation and discussion.

Saipan airport improvements on the go

Work is underway to make the Saipan International Airport one of the world’s finest, as the Commonwealth Ports Authority sets its sight to wider range of activities at the island’s air transport facility. Ports Authority Executive Director Carlos H. Salas disclosed plans to discuss with CPA’s two major concession operators-Duty Free Shoppers and LSG-on the possibility of bringing new products and services to their respective airport operations. Salas described the proposed discussion as a way to encourage both the DFS and the LSG to make a wider range of items available for visitors, thus enticing departing passengers to spend a little more on the island before they finally leave.