Flashback — May 2000-2002

PCB cleanup set to begin in July[/B]

Twelve years after the presence of electric capacitors containing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) were discovered in Tanapag village, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will finally carry out an emergency removal of PCB contamination in Cemetery No. 2 (Lower Base Cemetery) between July and August of this year. The Army Corps will also clean up seven areas in the village which were found to have high contamination level of the toxic chemical, according to Ike Cabrera, director of the Division of Environmental Quality. The commitment of the Army Corps was relayed to the DEQ chief on Friday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after a meeting with the Army Corps officials in Hawaii.

Some officials and employees of the Office of Insular Affairs, including its liaison officer in the CNMI Jeffrey Schorr, have conspired to discredit the Northern Marianas in their attempt to push legislation seeking federal takeover of the island’s labor and immigration, according to U.S. House Resources Committee chair. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), who heads the panel that has oversight of the CNMI and other insular areas, has uncovered partisan political activities and other improprieties engaged in by individuals employed at OIA and the U.S. Department of the Interior. He said such activities violated federal laws and broke confidentiality clause on personal and business information.

‘Reduce residency requirement for CNMI voters’[/B]

The CNMI government plans to reduce the number of days required among Americans before they become eligible to register and vote in local elections. The Commonwealth Election Commission pointed out the importance of reducing the 120-day residency requirement to 50 days, citing possible constitutional questions that may be thrown against the currently imposed two-month residency. A proposal is now pending before the House of Representatives trimming the length of stay that may be required from any American passport holder prior to the election date before they are allowed to register and vote.

Scientists from the US Geological Survey Hawaii District are gearing up for a two-week mission to the Northern Islands as part of renewed efforts to tackle the possible resettlement of residents who were forced out of the remote islands. Experts from the Hawaii Volcano Observatory and the USGS Water Resources Division arrived on Saipan Sunday to get a head start on the Volcano Hazard and Water Resources Assessment project being undertaken by local and federal agencies. The group to be accompanied by staff from the Northern Islands Mayor’s Office is scheduled to leave for the Northern Islands this week, directly to the island of Pagan for its first stop.

Depositors storm Bank of Saipan[/B]

Bank of Saipan’s depositors figured in a near squabble due to the long waiting line during the first day of banking operations yesterday at the Chalan Kanoa branch. This, as reports claimed that the BoS branch in Rota did not open yesterday despite an initial order to resume operations. Reopening of the BoS Garapan branch, on the other hand, remains undetermined. Over a hundred BoS customers, mostly Chinese nationals, trooped to the bank as early as 8am to withdraw money from their accounts when the institution opened its door at 10am.

Commerce Secretary Frank Atalig said that Gov. Juan N. Babauta has encouraged government offices and autonomous agencies to retain their money with the Bank of Saipan as a means to stabilize the bank and its operation. This comes soon after the BoS opened its doors to the public on a limited basis beginning yesterday. Atalig had earlier recommended to the Babauta administration for the government not to take out its deposits with the BoS to ensure the bank’s stability and he said yesterday that the Governor supports his recommendation. “I think that’s the same with the Governor.that he would encourage government agencies to keep it [monies] in there [BoS],” Atalig said.