FLASHBACK- August 16, 2011

OIA public relations campaign damaged CNMI—Reyes[/B]

Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes has stepped up his criticisms against the Office of Insular Affairs with a letter to U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) in which he slammed the agency for its alleged role in a political campaign that used CNMI issues as a weapon against GOP legislators. “Actions aimed at political damage to those who have seen fit to take the CNMI’s side on our relationship with Washington seem to us just another part of an ongoing, questionable, federally-funded campaign by (OIA) against our best local interests,” he said. The statement was part of the letter to Young, chair of the House Resources Committee, which is currently conducting an investigation against key OIA officials for possible violations of the Hatch Act.

With the recent report of increase in sale of ’ice’ on the island, Public Safety Commissioner Charles W. Ingram has ordered his men to be more vigilant in monitoring the illegal drug activity. “We are constantly on alert in gathering intelligence report to stop this kind of activity which is a menace to society,” said Ingram. While admitting that it would be difficult to totally eliminate the sale of illegal drugs, Ingram said authorities can reduce the problem by making sure that it is no longer economically feasible to acquire these substance. At the same time, the DPS chief said he is opposing moves by some groups to legalize the use of marijuana on the island because in fear it would only contribute to the breakdown of family system here.

CPA earmarks $1-M for airport CIP[/B]

The Commonwealth Ports Authority has set aside $1 million to finance the Capital Improvement Projects at the airport division in Saipan, Rota and Tinian for Fiscal Year 2001. Of this amount, Saipan has the biggest share with $817,154; $129,356 for Rota and $94,450 for Tinian. This amount is on top of the $8.1 million to be funded by 702 CIP Funds for various CPA projects. So far, only Saipan International Airport is the only one that serves international air carriers. Rota and Tinian airports only serve two commuter carriers between Saipan and Guam. At the Seaport division, an estimated $68,400 has been set aside to finance projects at Saipan Harbor which is in addition to the $729,000 to be funded by the 1998 bond money.

Legislation seeking to regulate trust companies based on the islands cleared the House of Representatives yesterday, setting into motion a plan to lure Asian and U.S. investors with millions of dollars in trust accounts. HB 12-82, sponsored by Rep. William S. Torres, came just as Guam successfully attracted initial investments of $40 million from trust companies in the U.S. with the recent signing of the law regulating the financial sector. The measure seeks to establish a mechanism to regulate and license trust companies that will be based here in order to protect public interest, while ensuring efficiency in the delivery in this type of service.

First Hawaiian Bank donates to Club 200[/B]

The American Red Cross is proud to announce that First Hawaiian Bank continues to support Club 200. This year the bank is contributing $1,000 for the event. According to Jocelyn DL Guerrero, ARC chair and Club 200 co-chair, the Club 200 event raises 60 percent of the budget of the NMI Chapter. “We depend on the generosity of businesses and individuals of the Commonwealth to raise the funds needed to provide our Disaster Services, Health & Safety Services, and Armed Forces Emergency Services to the community”, she said. The American Red Cross is not a government agency. Donations like the one from First Hawaiian Bank will stay on-island to support all disaster relief activities and other services provided by the NMI Chapter.

A private contractor hired by the Northern Mariana Island Retirement Fund has overcharged the Fund by $9,586 through overstated monthly billings and double billings. This was the result of an audit conducted by the Office of the Public Auditor on the billings incurred by the Fund under a professional services contract covering October 1, 1996 to February 29, 2000. According to the report submitted by Public Auditor Michael S. Sablan, the evidence shows that the Fund’s service contractor, which was not named in the report, overstated its monthly billings by $7,934 and double-billed the Fund by $992, besides overcharging by $660 for time spent attending off-island meetings.