Flashback October 27, 1999-2002

‘Postpone action on takeover bill’[/B]

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday urged U.S. lawmakers to hold off action on legislation extending federal immigration laws to the Northern Marianas as he expressed disappointment over its approval by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee despite CNMI’s protests.

But he remains optimistic that other members of Congress will weigh the full impact of the proposal to the island’s economy.

“Hopefully, I’d like to see that they would take it very seriously and try to give us the opportunity to delay implementing the INA,” Tenorio told reporters in an interview.

Students march against violence[/B]

Hopwood Junior High School students aired their message loud and clear yesterday when they took to the streets of San Antonio to seek an end to the escalating violence in the community.

Twelve-year-old Mary Lou Gariguez, a member of the HJHS marching band, said playing her musical instrument as the hour-long parade made its way through the San Antonio Village was her way of expressing opposition to mounting violence directed at children.

“Violence should stop. To all the people, please let’s stop child abuse. We should instill discipline in children but first and foremost, let’s love the them,” said Ms. Gariguez.

Re-entry of Korean travelers to the Northern Marianas pushed overall visitor arrival figures in the first half of the year by three percent to 257,800 from last year’s average of 250,900 tourists, government records disclosed.

A report on economic indicators compiled by the commerce department’s Central Statistics Division also revealed a modest drop in the arrival of Japanese tourists to Saipan during the first semester of the calendar year 2000.

The Quarterly Economic Review, which quotes figures submitted by the Marianas Visitors Authority, indicated a 0.5 percent decline in the number of visitors from the CNMI’s largest tourism market to 190,700 from 191,750 in 1999.

Govt in for tougher times ahead[/B]

Gripped with a cash flow shortage primarily weighed down by the huge deficit that was a carry over from the previous year, Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente assured Friday that the government continues to devise ways to recover from the pressing financial difficulty.

He said the administration intends to remain afloat by keeping with cost-saving measures within the government and looking at other means to raise revenues.

Warning of probably tougher times in the next few months, Benavente appealed to other government agencies to bear with the sacrifices that have to be made.

“We’re asking our government offices to make sacrifices, not in years, but in months [only]. And I think we can do that. I really think that we can hold off on expenditures to overcome this,” said Benavente.

Why is earth called mother?

This question could solicit an infinite number of answers but one that most of us can relate to is that because earth is just like any mother-it takes care of us for as long as it can.

So what happens when our mothers get old and weak? The most logical-and most common-thing to do is give them back the love and the caring they have so unselfishly showed us.

This is exactly what more than 60 individuals did yesterday morning: They gave Mother Earth the love and caring it badly needs amid growing pollution-and deforestation-problems it faces now.

While yesterday’s event was relatively small compared to the colossal environmental problems faced by the world today, it remains a significant step toward the realization of the Commonwealth’s effort to save and protect its environment and natural resources.