Saipan Tribune

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Flashback - January 15, 1999-2002

Jan. 15, 1999

House to decide on shortened immunity

Members of the House of Representatives are to vote today on several measures, including a proposal to shorten the current amnesty period for illegal foreign workers as well as a bill to ensure payment of retirement bonus for recently retired government employees. Today's session, the first for this year, is also expected to tackle pending bills passed by the Senate last month before they called for recess during the Christmas holiday. House Majority Floor leader Ana Teregeyo said the bill seeking to change the effectivity of the limited immunity law from six months to three months is a priority in its agenda. "We will act on those passed by the Senate as well as other concerns such as resolutions," she told in an interview yesterday.

Saipan mayor gets $500K from poker fees

Saipan mayor's office yesterday received $500,000 in additional budget after local legislators voted to set aside part of revenues from license fees of poker and pachinko slot machines, becoming the first government agency to forego the recent 13.5 percent spending cut. With the new money, the office is in effect getting more than the amount reduced from its initial appropriation of $2.4 million, which reached to some $325,000, for FY 1999. The decision by the Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation, however, may trigger conflict with the Tenorio administration, which has identified the poker fees as source for matching millions of dollars in federal grants under the Capital Improvement Projects.

Jan. 15, 2001

House OKs special account for tobacco funds

Legislation creating a special account for millions of dollars in future payments received by the CNMI under the tobacco settlement agreement has passed the House of Representatives and is now awaiting action in the Senate. To determine how the funds will be spent, lawmakers will have to appropriate the money to departments or agencies of the government that have established spending plan, based on the measure. Sponsored by Health and Welfare Committee chair Rep. Malua T. Peter, HB 12-290 was drafted to ensure appropriation of the $30 million share of the Commonwealth in the $206 billion settlement reached by U.S. states and territories with tobacco companies.

House OKs special account for tobacco funds

Legislation creating a special account for millions of dollars in future payments received by the CNMI under the tobacco settlement agreement has passed the House of Representatives and is now awaiting action in the Senate. To determine how the funds will be spent, lawmakers will have to appropriate the money to departments or agencies of the government that have established spending plan, based on the measure. Sponsored by Health and Welfare Committee chair Rep. Malua T. Peter, HB 12-290 was drafted to ensure appropriation of the $30 million share of the Commonwealth in the $206 billion settlement reached by U.S. states and territories with tobacco companies.

Jan. 15, 2002

13th House talks economy

Hours into their inauguration, one of the new congressmen announced that he will be introducing a joint resolution declaring the CNMI as a disaster area. Rep. Daniel Quitugua said he will introduce the joint resolution today to enable the Commonwealth to obtain federal assistance as a means to help the economy bounce back from the crisis brought about by the continuing Asian contagion and the ripple effects of the 911 attack on New York and Washington DC. Yesterday inauguration ceremony for the 13th House of Representatives hewed to the tradition of solemnity and convention, unlike the Senate, which heralded the first day of business with an argument.

New mayor: Name on Saipan streets

There is a greater chance that Saipan's roads and thoroughfares would have street names this year, as Mayor Juan Borja Tudela vowed to make the project one of his administration’s top priorities. Tudela said he wanted to finally implement the street naming project, which has remained pending for several years. "My main priority as of now is trying to follow up the naming of the streets. That's top priority." Saipan Local Law No. 11-3, which is known as the Saipan Street Naming and Street Numbering Act of 1998, also requires the assigning of numbered addresses, aside from the naming of streets.