Flashback November 13, 2000-2001

Gov’t sues couple for neglecting guest worker[/B]

The CNMI government has filed a civil suit before the Superior Court against Juan and Vivian Lizama for refusing to pay the back wages of their former Filipino housemaid Benedicta Alvear who had died of cancer.

According to the civil complaint filed through Assistant Attorney General Celeste Andersen, the Lizama couple also failed to pay the nonresident worker ‘s medical bills, failure to comply with Employment Standards, violation of the Minimum Wage and Hour Act and noncompliance with the order of DOLI’s hearing officer.

Ms. Alvear originally worked for Magdalena Lizama when she came here came to Saipan in November 1994 until the death of her employer on Aug. 5, 1995.

With its modern court facilities and well-trained judges and justices, Saipan may soon become the site of a regional training center for the judiciary.

Two representatives from the National Judicial College, Peggy Vidal, international manager, and Wyoming Judge Michael Lamp were sent here by the Ninth Circuit Court for an exploratory visit last week.

“You have a very impressive court house, you have the technical expertise and well trained judges and justices,” said Ms. Vidal.

Based in Reno, Nevada, the Judicial College trains 3,000 judges all over the world every year for the past 37 years including Russia and Eastern Europe. It has also conducted a lot of training for native American trial court judges and court personnel.

Every year, judges and justices from Saipan travel to Reno for training but not all court personnel such as court clerk, probation officers, and marshals are sent there due to limited funds.

HUD gives NMI a second look US may reconsider decision to recall housing program[/B]

The Washington DC-based Department of Housing and Urban Development has been prompted to review its earlier decision not to implement a mortgage insurance program in the CNMI after a recent teleconference that showed up its lack of adequate information on the state of the housing industry in the Commonwealth.

The HUD headquarters is now going over materials and data provided its office by Rep. William S. Torres, the Northern Marianas Housing Corp. and the Bank of Hawaii, with the end view of determining whether there is enough borrowing demand in the CNMI to support the Federal Housing Administration’s mortgage insurance program.

Torres was prompted to furnish HUD-Washington DC with the information after finding out during a teleconference that its decision not to renew a memorandum of understanding on the implementation of the FHA mortgage insurance program was more due to its lack of knowledge on the housing situation on the CNMI than to any other factors.
[B] Yuletide hoped to bring life to poor sale figures[/B]

If it is any consolation, a local establishment has reported a steady increase on the sale of Christmas decor and trimmings — the first positive news heard from the business sector since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the US.

At the same time, local stores selling Christmas ornaments have also raised hopes that their sales will grow during the holiday season.

This early, they have already reported a good number of people frequenting their stores.

The National Office Supply, the SM Mart, and the Ace Hardware are only three of the several stores on Saipan that have started selling Christmas ornaments.

National Office Supply Senior Account Executive Johnny B. Villareal said that, right after Halloween, people have started coming in throngs to buy garlands, Christmas lights, wreath, lanterns and other ornaments.