Flashback October 08, 1999-2002

[B]October 08, 1999

NMI, OIA okay deal[/B]

After weeks of disagreement, CNMI and the federal government have finally struck a deal on the reimbursement of expenditures incurred from detaining and repatriating more than 600 illegal Chinese immigrants during the Tinian operations. The U.S. Department of the Interior is paying about $754,000 in initial settlement of charges and billings from April to June, which the island government expects to receive anytime soon, according to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio.

[B]Teno keeps hands off Saipan power project[/B]

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio won’t step in to hasten resolution of the dispute surrounding the long-stalled Saipan power project as he expressed confidence yesterday that the board of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. would come up with a decision by next week. But he said any alteration to the initial plan to build an 80-megawatt plant should consider the power demand and actual consumption on the island to ensure that there will be no outages in the future.

[B]CUC mum on talks about downsizing 80MW plant[/B]

Utility officials were mum yesterday on speculation the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation has proposed downsizing the original plan on the 80-megawatt Saipan power plant amid delay on a final decision to award the $120 million project to a potential contractor. CUC legal counsel Bill Ohle said the board will respond to statements made by Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes urging the government-owned utility company to speed up procurement of the plant as well as to claims of a change in the plan.

[B]October 08, 2001

Panel eyed to help improve business climate in CNMI[/B]

With so many task forces, special committees and other related councils, the Senate has moved for the creation of one specific body—a Central Economic Recovery Commission—which would have jurisdiction over all these economic-related bodies. Senate Bill 12-127, which was introduced by Sen. Edward U. Maratita, now goes to the House of Representatives after the Senate passed the measure during their last session on Tinian.

[B]Teno holds off decision on lobby firm’s contract[/B]

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has temporarily suspended making any decision on the expired Greenberg Traurig contract, in deference to the oversight hearing that the Senate plans to conduct on the lobby group’s contract. Press Secretary Frank Rosario said that Tenorio has temporarily put on hold any decision on the lobby group’s contract-whether to renew it or not-until such time that the Senate Committee on Fiscal Affairs comes out with the result of its investigation of the matter.

[B]Classrooms look good, but where are the chairs?[/B]

The three newest schools on Saipan are nearing completion and will soon be ready for occupancy. However, there is one problem—-they have no collateral equipment. Rep. Antonio M. Camacho disclosed that the Kagman Junior High, the Kagman High School and the Koblerville High School will soon be completed but no funding has been set aside for the purchase of collateral equipment, such as desks, blackboards, tables, chairs, among others.

[B]October 08, 2002

NMI braces for lockout impact
[/B] Prices of agricultural products may shoot up in weeks to come as major suppliers consider air freighting produce to the CNMI if the port lockout in the West Coast continues. This as Saipan residents trooped to various supermarkets on island over the weekend to purchase rice, vegetables, meats, and fruits in bulk for fear of food shortage.

[B]DLNR adopts emergency quarantine regs[/B]

With the rapid spread of the West Nile virus in the U.S. mainland, the Department of Lands and Natural Resources yesterday said it adopted an emergency regulation on quarantine that imposes an embargo on birds and poultry coming from the mainland. Lands and Natural Resources Secretary Tom Pangelinan said he has ordered all quarantine inspectors to enforce the regulation starting last week.