Flashback May 30, 2000 – 2002

Amend sweeping ban on toy guns[/B]

Chief Public Defender Masood Karimipour has recommended that a proposed measure which seeks a sweeping a ban on the sale of toy guns in the market be limited only to those items that can be legitimately mistaken for a real gun. While he shares the belief that selling of toy guns should be regulated to ensure the safety of residents and police officers, Mr. Karimipour said the current definition is quite broad, making it a crime to possess all toys which resemble a real gun.
[B] The makings of a Bagong Bayani[/B]

For Eli M. Arago, knowing what you want and finding the right way to get there is one of life’s essentials. With this instilled in his mind since the tender age of seven, he knew he can never go wrong. Rising from among the lowest corporate positions, Mr. Arago is now bound for the Philippines to accept one of the country’s most prestigious awards conferred to outstanding overseas Filipino workers by no more less the country’s president.

Local leaders, led by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio, yesterday paid tribute to war heroes and veterans to mark Memorial Day during a ceremony held at the Civic Center in Susupe. Rear Admiral Tom S. Fellin, commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Command Representative for Guam, CNMI, FSM and Palau and commander of the U.S. Naval Forces in the Marianas, attended the event.

Few students entering college[/B]

Financial problems force graduating high school students to delay their college plans, even if they are now more aware of the value of education in landing a good job. Marianas High School administrators have assessed this development among MHS students over the years, noting that if only economics permitted, most seniors would choose to pursue higher education to survive the highly-competitive job market.

The Commonwealth Development Authority and the Northern Marianas College have agreed to synthesize efforts to facilitate the growth of economic activities in the CNMI through the increased participation of small businesses. Under the current setup, which is more of an informal partnership between the two agencies, NMC’s Small Business Development Center provides the necessary counseling and consultation for hopeful local entrepreneurs while CDA provides the needed capital to start up a business.

The Commonwealth Development Authority is now incorporating minor changes recommended by the Attorney General’s Office to the implementing guidelines of the newly-enacted investment incentives law. CDA Board Chair John S. Tenorio said AG recommended some changes to the application forms recently forwarded by the government-controlled lending agency for review.

FAA reimburses additional airport security expenses[/B]

The Federal Aviation Administration has authorized the reimbursement of $1.119 million to the Commonwealth Ports Authority for the expenses it incurred in the implementation of new security measures at the airport. The new measures were carried out by the CPA in response to calls from the FAA and the United States Department of Transportation for increased security at all air transport facilities across the nation in light of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Six years after the onset of an initiative that would allow rural hospitals to link up with their more advanced counterparts, the Commonwealth is still unable to fully access this program due to a provision in the Telecommunications Competition and Deregulation Act of 1996, which designates Saipan as an urban area. As such, long distance linkages between the CHC and health providers in Hawaii are prohibitive, cramping the capacity of the CHC to access the advanced resources of its Hawaii counterparts.
[B] Foreigners can own real property in NMI[/B]

Yes, Article XIII of the CNMI Constitution restricts the ownership of real property to persons of Northern Marianas descent. But a section in that same article also enables persons that are not of Northern Marianas descent to own real property-as long as it is above the first floor of a condominium built on private land. Rep. William S. Torres pointed this out, even as he said that House Bill 13-89, which seeks to create a specific nonimmigrant entry permit category in the Immigration Code to attract Japanese retirees, is almost similar to a measure that has already been passed into law during the 11th Legislature.