Flashback October 28, 1999-2003

Cemetery off-limits[/B]

With only a few days left before All Soul’s Day, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday ordered the temporary closure of the Lower Base Cemetery to protect the people against possible contamination from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a cancer-causing chemical present in the area. Tanapag residents have demanded an immediate cleanup of the area as they condemned the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers during a recent public hearing for failing to ensure that the people are safe from the harmful effects of PCBs. The governor has expressed concern on the lingering presence of PCBs at the cemetery, where there’s a high concentration of toxic waste left way back in the ’60s.

Education Commissioner Rita Hocog-Inos yesterday warned public school teachers and other employees of the Public School System against using government resources for unofficial activities. She also said she will look into reports that a teacher at Hopwood Junior High School had used the school’s fax machine to send a petition written by three inmates to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio. “We don’t endorse such kind of activities. We all know that we are not supposed to take advantage of public funds for personal gain,” Inos said. Public Safety Commissioner Charles Ingram said last week his department is investigating Hopwood teacher Magdalena Concepcion, who allegedly faxed a handwritten petition from inmates Shawn Appleby, Melvin Basa, and Jeronimo Ada.

Nonresidents face tighter check [/B]

The Department of Labor and Immigration has employed a stricter procedure in the issuance of permits to nonresident workers following the controversial entry of 39 Egyptians into Saipan. Reportedly, all permits now have to be personally reviewed by Division of Labor Director Dean Tenorio. Review and issuance of permits are previously done by the DOLI’s processing unit. “It’s one of the effects of the controversy. So, it takes a much longer time to process permits now,” a government official said. In an interview, DOLI Secretary Joaquin A. Tenorio confirmed that the DOLI director “evaluates permits if necessary.” “If necessary, he (director) could review and sign the approval,” Tenorio said, adding that “there are a number of labor investigators” who evaluate the permits prior to issuance.

The Department of Public Safety may be losing some of its most effective ranking officials, following reports that two police majors and five captains are eyeing a December 2002 retirement. The officials may be aptly called the police department’s “brain power,” since they occupy critical positions in the agency. They include commandership in several police functions, such as investigation, traffic, boating safety, operations and patrol. When asked about the reported retirement of the officials, DPS Commissioner Edward Camacho said there have been indications although he has not officially heard from the concerned officials yet. “I guess they’re up to retire,” Camacho added. It was not clear, however, if the officials were opting for early retirement.

More security aid for islands[/B]

The CNMI, like other Pacific island nations, may benefit from more security aid from the federal government following the formation of a “millennium fund” reportedly earmarked to bolster the security needs of the Pacific region and other eligible recipients, press secretary Peter A. Callaghan reported. According to the public information officer, the potential assistance was bared by President Bush’s National Security Advisor, Condoleezza Rice, when the president made an appearance at the Pacific Islands Leaders Conference in Hawaii last week. Gov. Juan N. Babauta and other Pacific heads of state attended that conference.

A seven-member visiting Head Start team has begun its weeklong evaluation of the local program to see if it has complied with last year’s recommendations amid findings of major deficiencies in implementation. Visiting team leader Richard Ybarra said in an interview that last year’s findings showed that the local program’ systems were “very dysfunctional” and in need of immediate repair. “We gave them a year to correct those,” said Ybarra.