Saipan Tribune

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Flashback - Sept. 2000-Sept. 2002

Sept. 5, 2000

Carriers get $181K from CPA's airline incentive program

The Commonwealth Ports Authority has granted CNMI signatory airlines close to $200,000 in total incentives under a program that gives substantial discount in airport charges to carriers that are able to increase their average monthly traffic count. CPA comptroller Dave S. Demapan disclosed that implementation of the ports authority's Airline Incentive Program has translated to about $149,000 in total savings to foreign carriers during the period that stretches between October 1, 1999 to July 31, 2000. Between May and September 1999, international airline companies servicing the Northern Marianas received an aggregated amount of $23,000 in total discount from the incentive program.

SGMA presses feds to settle Eurotex dispute

The Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association has appealed to federal labor officials to settle disputes with Eurotex in a bid to expedite payment of back wages owed to some 300 factory workers. SGMA Executive Director Richard A. Pierce asked assistance last week from David Boback, assistant district director of the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division's district office in Honolulu. “I understand that both U.S. Labor and Eurotex have deposited sums of money for distribution to the workers once a settlement is reached,” he wrote to Mr. Boback. “We find it unfair to the injured parties to have to wait until the battling entities reach some accord before they trust each other enough to pay the poor people. Please do something to take care of these people,” asked Mr. Pierce.

Sept. 5, 2001

Abramoff updates officials on NMI-related affairs in US

In what was described as an “informal” gathering, the CNMI government's lobbyist in Washington D.C. updated Commonwealth officials on the status of CNMI-related issues and bills now pending before the US Congress. According to Richard Pierce, president of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, Jack Abramoff of Greenberg & Traurig presented his federal legislative report and update at the Hyatt Hotel's Chinese Restaurant yesterday noon. Pierce said the special luncheon presentation was made possible with the consent of Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio and Abramoff.

Consortium confident in prison project

A business consortium is optimistic that the chances of its nearest competitor to get the multi-million dollar contract for the Saipan prison facility have perished for failure to file an appeal on time. Telesource CNMI, Inc. has not appealed the decision of Procurement and Supply Director Herman S. Sablan that effectively favored the chances of the joint venture of Western Equipment, Inc. and DRC Pacific, Inc. WEI-DRC counsel Stephen J. Nutting remained positive on the possibility that the Department of Public Works has been reviewing his client's bid offer so that an award of the project contract can eventually be made.

Sept. 5, 2002

Mayor claims majority's backing on project site

Rota Mayor Benjamin Manglona yesterday said he has the backing of some 800 people-about two-thirds of the island's voting population-in connection with the dispute over the location of CIP projects, threatening the Rota Legislative Delegation that their opposition would mean “political suicide.” The dispute has delayed the implementation of the projects, although federal funds have been made available, Manglona said. “Rota's Legislative Delegation holds up public works projects. They frustrate work badly needed to stimulate our local economy, provide jobs, and fuel private business,” Manglona said. “We have the money. We're ready to build. The architect and engineer bids are out. The Legislative Delegation creates a logjam.”

Probation officers are law enforcers

The offense of resisting arrest has just been expanded to apply also to those who resist arrest by probation officers of the Office of Adult Probation Supervision. Gov. Juan N. Babauta signed House Bill 13-31 into law Friday, effectively correcting an oversight in Public Law 11-46, which does not actually classify probation officers as law enforcement officers. Under Public Law 3-71, resisting arrest by law enforcement officers is considered an offense. It does not, however, specifically refer to adult probation officers.