Saipan Tribune

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Flashback - Feb. 2001-Feb. 2003

Feb. 5, 2001

Camacho slams CUC for overspending

Depleting coffers of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation should not be blamed on the government's $12.3 million overdue bills but on CUC's overspending, Rep. Rosiky Camacho told reporters in an interview over the weekend. Mr. Camacho, who chairs the House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications, branded CUC's decision to cut the power and water supply of government offices as a very irresponsible act. “I am telling the CUC chairman that it is irresponsible to disconnect public offices,” he said, advising utility corporation officials to review the agency's finances before it should even decide to pass the buck on the government's failure to settle its outstanding bills.

Private firm donates to OVR-SILC

In a bid to extend assistance to hundreds of vocational rehabilitation consumers, a private company on Friday donated cash money to State Independent Living Council and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. US-CNMI Development Corporation officials William Fong and Bill Jones presented a cash donation to OVR Director Felicitas Abraham, SILC Chair Brian Farley and Vice Chair Ben Sablan. Ms. Abraham said the donation is part of the goal of US-CNMI Development Corp. to assist consumers who need technical and rehabilitation assistance such as assistive devices and employment referrals. For the past years, OVR has been actively promoting the lives of individuals with disabilities by providing them employment and other forms of support.

Feb. 5, 2002

Bill to realign $280K vetoed

A technical oversight has resulted in a gubernatorial veto on a reappropriation bill that would have set aside $280,000 from fund balances available under Public Law 10-41. In his transmittal letter to legislative leaders, Gov. Juan N. Babauta said he is returning House Bill 12-401 to the Legislature to be reenacted with the appropriate identification of funding sources. The measure, which was passed by the 12th Legislature, originally sought to re-align and authorize the use of $280,000 from certain fund balances remaining from appropriations that were authorized under an expired annual appropriation law, Public Law 10-41.

McDonald's helps ease jobless woes

In his desire to help ease local unemployment rate, businessman Joe C. Ayuyu is making an effort to hire more resident workers into his pool of McDonald's Restaurant staff. Ayuyu recently welcomed six new local employees, the biggest number of applicants the fast-food franchise owner accepted in one sitting. He pointed out that the current economic condition has rendered some local workers jobless, and that he would like to seize the opportunity to help the government alleviate rising unemployment figures.

Feb. 5, 2003

CIP money eyed to help govt operations

Vice Speaker Manuel A. Tenorio is lobbying for the passage of a House Joint Resolution that seeks to convince the U.S. Congress to give the CNMI government more flexibility in the use of some $10 million federal constructions grants earmarked for Fiscal Year 2003. The move, based on a recommendation by Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio, seeks to reprogram the Capital Improvement Projects money for disaster assistance mitigation grants and for local government operations. “We need the money for a lot of things. And we can use the money for typhoon relief or for operations, which is what we need now,” said the House Vice Speaker in an interview yesterday.

Legislature honors Onerheim

Both houses of the Legislature adopted a resolution commending Associate Judge Virginia S. Sablan-Onerheim-the Commonwealth's first and only woman magistrate-for her six-year dedication and diligence serving the CNMI as a trial court judge. The female magistrate, the second Commonwealth judge to lose a retention bid, officially leaves her judicial post on Feb. 27, 2003. The recognition, initiated by the upper house through Senate Joint Resolution 13-14, was concurred by the House of Representatives on 11 affirmative votes, with Rep. Stanley T. Torres abstaining. The Senate passed the resolution, authored by Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero, last Jan. 16. The resolution seeks to extend appreciation and commendation to Sablan-Onerheim for her lifelong dedication to the issues and concerns of the CNMI people.