FLASHBACK – September 24, 2011

Sept. 24, 1999

Gov’t overtime pay down 67 percent

The Tenorio administration has pared down overtime pay for government personnel by some 67 percent over the past two years that translated to savings of more than $8 million. In a report released yesterday as part of a series of analysis on public spending, the Department of Finance said departments and agencies forced between 33 percent to 100 percent reduction in overtime costs in line with the austerity measures. Finance officials used the last year of the previous administration to compare current expenditures, based on the review drawn up in the transition prior to the installation into office of Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio in January 1998.

Manglona’s indictment shocks Tinian

TINIAN-Officials here have expressed sympathy for Sen. Herman Manglona who resigned from his post after pleading guilty to charges of bribe-taking, mail fraud and jury tampering. “We are saddened by what has happened to him but every person must be responsible for his action and he has accepted that,” said Mayor Francisco Borja. He expressed hope that some leniency would at least be given to Manglona, who pled guilty to bribery charges. Reports of Manglona’s admission shocked local residents of this tiny island-municipality, where he served as mayor for four years.

Sept. 24, 2001

PSS told to fix fiscal house

“Fix your internal affairs first, then come and ask me for money.” So said Sen. Ricardo S. Atalig to officials of the Public School System, in reference to his continuing investigation on the travel expenditures of public-school officials. Atalig, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Welfare and Programs, said he is particularly disturbed when PSS officials approach him asking for more funding. “When the PSS comes here and ask me for more money, I tell them, ’How can you convince me to give you more money when your accountability of public funds is not in place yet or is messed up?’” he said. “Convince me first. Your internal accountability of public funds should be in place and in order for me to give you more money.”

Continental Micronesia cuts 250 jobs

Continental Airlines furloughed 250 employees from its Micronesian operations due to the sharp decline in air travel as a result of the September 11 attacks on New York and the Pentagon. The Houston-based airline company said official notices of termination will be handed down this week to about 12,000 employees, including the 250 Continental Micronesia employees. Days after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon early this month, US-based carriers announced massive reduction in operations in anticipation of the slump in air travel demands.

Sept. 24, 2002

Babauta: Lawsuit won’t solve PL 13-1 problems

Gov. Juan N. Babauta has rejected suggestions that government personnel affected by the recent advance termination notices issued by the Office of Personnel Management bring the matter to court, saying a lawsuit would not solve the problem. Babauta stressed that the issue is a simple matter that does not necessitate a lawsuit on the part of the affected personnel. “We can just sit down, do the work, get it done and accomplish it. It’s so simple. We don’t need a lawsuit; that’s the last thing we want to have,” said Babauta. The Governor pointed out that the CNMI government has been fending off lawsuits and protests “and it’s delaying things and it’s delaying us and it’s just so counter-productive.”

CPA’s firefighting unit gets $250K

The United States Fire Department authorized the release of $250,000 to the Commonwealth Ports Authority for the procurement of a new water tanker. The new equipment is expected to help the emergency response capacity of the ports authority’s Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Unit. Fire Chief Stanley C. Torres Jr. said the U.S. Fire Department, which is under the Federal Emergency Management Agency, issued the grant to the CPA-ARFF, along with 5,000 other applicants across the United States. Torres explained that the funding assistance will finance the purchase of a tanker that has a capacity to hold 3,000 gallons of water. The equipment, he said, would improve the ARFF’s emergency preparedness program.