Flashback March 5, 1999-2002

[B]MARCH 5, 1999

Murkowski slams OIA[/B] Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska), chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, has lashed out at the Office of Insular Affairs for what he described as apparent reluctance of the agency to help U.S. territories. In a speech at a recent committee hearing to tackle the FY 2000 spending plan of OIA, Murkowski said the budget proposal poorly reflects steps the agency intends to implement to address fiscal and economic woes of the jurisdictions. A major concern raised by Murkowski is Washington’s plan to slash the commonwealth’s annual construction grants by 51 percent to $5.6 million for its failure to use Capital Improvement Project monies in the past.

[B]NMC ungraded positions face ax[/B] Some 20 employees of the Northern Marianas College who are holding ungraded positions will be served with a 90-day termination notice pending the opinion of the legal counsel. Former Lt. Gov. Jesus Borja, NMC’s legal counsel, will deliver the verdict no later than today. During the Board of Regents special meeting held yesterday, Chairman Manuel Sablan reiterated his intention to issue such termination letters to give the college a “breathing period” to address the financial and personnel issues confronting the institution. “Give us 90 days to seriously look at these things. The idea is not to fire people but to reorganize … there are some positions here that will be restructured,” he said.

[B]MARCH 5, 2001

Most NMI youths try smoking[/B] Initial result of the tobacco survey now being conducted by the Department of Public Health disclosed that an estimated eight percent of Commonwealth youth have tried cigarette smoking. This was revealed by DPH Tobacco Master Settlement Advisory Committee member Malinda Matson during the American Cancer Society’s 2001 Relay Rally held at the Pacific Island Club Thursday night. Ms. Matson said the figure is more reason why the health department should proceed with its planned two-year tobacco education forum which will be funded under the Legacy Foundation Grant.
[B] DPS teams up with PNP to solve crimes[/B] Local police officials have teamed up with their Philippine law enforcement counterparts in delving deeper into unsolved criminal cases involving Filipino nationals facing criminal charges in the CNMI. Authorities from both the Philippine and CNMI governments have forged alliance to bring justice to the recent arrest of seven Filipino nationals indicted on allegations of counterfeiting dollars, as well as the pending Chalan Kiya robbery incident pinpointing Filipino suspects. Police last year determined the location of the two male suspects, Victor Santa Monica and Allan Rodeo. They were arrested for the Oct. 9, 2000 robbery of a Japanese national in Chalan Kiya.

[B]MARCH 5, 2002

Businesses wrestle for growth[/B] General Fund revenue collections for the period from July to September of 2001 fell by a record-low of 22.07 percent from the previous quarter, while business gross revenue reported also slid by an unprecedented 16.39 percent when compared to the preceding quarter. Latest data released by the Department of Commerce showed that the last quarter of Fiscal Year 2000-2001 showed significant declines in the gross revenue reported by Commonwealth businesses, as well as in General Fund revenue collected. The declining trend showed whether the comparison is made on a quarter-to-quarter or year-to-year basis.

[B]Hotel occupancy rate drops to 5-year low[/B] Hotel occupancy rate dropped to 54 percent in 2001, the lowest since 1996, according to a report prepared by the Central Statistics Division of the CNMI Department of Commerce. Although it managed to slightly recover in the first three months of 2000, the NMI hotel industry experienced yet another slump following the September 11 crash attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Analysts said this only shows the volatility of the travel sector and how easily the rally of neighboring Asian economies, as well as that of the mainland US, can affect economic and business conditions on the islands.