Saipan Tribune

Sunday, May 19, 2013

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FLASHBACK - Sept. 22, 2012

Sept. 22, 1999

Scholarship program gets $1 million

Legislators will boost funding for the government scholarship program by about $1 million to try to deal with anticipated deficit that threatens to cut substantial financial assistance to off-island students as well as those attending the Northern Marianas College. Members of the House Ways and Means have decided to slash proposed appropriation for the purchase of new computer hardware to realign funds to the Scholarship's Office, according to its chair Rep. Karl T. Reyes. He said the committee has identified these money as possible source for much-needed funding for financial aid provided to local students, adding that at least a million dollars is expected to be generated from such move.

Inos’ expending power over CIP funds OK’d

Acting Gov. Jesus R. Sablan signed new three laws yesterday, including a measure granting expenditure authority to Commissioner of Education, Rita H. Inos, over close to $30 million in fresh funding for capital improvement projects of the Public School System. The two other laws, meanwhile, amend the statute that created the Board of Professional Licensing as well as the Fire Safety Code which the Legislature enacted recently. In Public Law 11-100 concerning the PSS funds, Sablan said giving spending power to Inos would avoid jeopardizing construction of the infrastructure projects that were part of an initial appropriation bill he approved last month.

Sept. 22, 2000

Airport revenues soar 11 percent

Deployment by Mandarin Airlines of nonstop flights from Taipei to Saipan pushed Commonwealth Ports Authority's revenues by 11 percent in August to over $950,000 from $865,000 posted during the same period last year. Mandarin Air's twice-per-week flights to Saipan also salvaged the otherwise negative growth in aircraft landing at the Saipan International Airport, according to a financial report prepared by CPA comptroller Dave S. Demapan. Aircraft landing at the Saipan air transport facility registered a single-digit growth despite the 17-percent reduction in Continental Micronesia flight services to the island, thanks to the 56 percent increase posted by Seoul-based carrier, Asiana Airlines. Mr. Demapan reported that total number of Northern Marianas-bound passengers during the same month jumped 19 percent with all CNMI signatory carriers, except for Japan Airlines.

PSS to institute after-school learning program

The Public School System has disclosed plans to institute an after-school learning program where students at the higher grade levels will be tapped to conduct a few hours of tutoring to younger students. Through a U.S. AmeriCorps grant, PSS is planning to establish the program by December of this year using public school campuses as community learning centers. According to Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos, although PSS has the responsibility to educate all students in the CNMI, much of the school system's effort is also designed to assist students who need the greatest help to reach minimum academic standards.

Sept. 22, 2002

NMC eyed as region’s hub of Internet-based learning

The Northern Marianas College is being eyed to become a regional provider of web-based conferencing and distance learning under the CNMI's Workforce Management Improvement Plan. The WMIP, which the Babauta administration has began implementing this year, says that the distance learning program will be handled by the NMC's School of Education. The NMC said it has obtained significant funding for this important technology. From its current grants, the NMC plans to contribute some $120,000 for the hardware/infrastructure, support for a new server, upgraded Internet capability and technical assistants for content development.

House panel supports Rota homestead developments

A Senate initiative seeking to identify two Rota public land areas as future sites for village homestead developments gained approval from the House Committee on Natural Resources. The committee, in a report, stated that Senate Bill 13-32's intent would benefit many Rota residents, especially those with pending homestead applications. The proposed measure seeks to reserve areas of public lands on Rota, particularly the Finafa and Ginalangan areas, for the purpose of developing village homesteads.