Flashback – September 2, 2013

September 2, 2013

Plan to shrink Legislature draws support from Chamber

Rep. Christopher Leon Guerrero’s (Cov-Saipan) plan to craft an initiative reducing the number of lawmakers from 29 to 18 has gotten support from the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, which has long advocated for a leaner Legislature. Chamber president Alex Sablan and board of directors said during the weekend that they unanimously support the drafting of a legislative initiative that will pose the question of a reduced number of lawmakers before CNMI voters. Leon Guerrero said on Sunday that he may pre-file the initiative this week. But he said the number of lawmakers proposed may still change. “The Saipan Chamber of Commerce has repeatedly called for government to reduce its operations when there would be no loss of services provided to the people of the Commonwealth. It’s nothing any business in the CNMI hasn’t already done. The plan being proposed by Rep. Christopher Leon Guerrero, a member of the ad hoc committee to reduce government expenditures, is exactly what the private sector believes is the right thing to do,” Sablan said in a statement.

Economic pain measurement for Chamorros, Carolinians

The Chamorro radio talk show Marianas Agupa released Thursday its scale/measurement of economic pain model, called “Mididan Puti” in the Chamorro language, for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This scale/measurement of economic pain is the product of many people on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota who have been actively participating in the talk show since 2009 on Magic 100.3 FM from 9am to 11am on Saturdays. According to Glenn H. Manglona, host of Marianas Agupa, the “Mididan Puti” was coined by Thomas D. Mendiola, commonly known as “Guelu Fadang,” who is the radio correspondent from Rota. During his weekly radio reports from Rota since 2009, he discussed issues of economic matters that directly affect the people of Rota, including not being able to buy the most essential things in life for survival like rice, milk, and medicine because of air and ocean transportation delays and the cost of utilities and gasoline.

September 2, 2003

Scholarship available for graduating HS students

Graduating students from CNMI high schools are encouraged to apply for financial aid from the recently established nonprofit organization Colonel Joel A. Carroll, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, which Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio helped form. This memorial fund was established on July 1, 2003, in honor of Col. Joel A. Carroll, Jr., Tenorio’s friend and sponsor during his high school years in Guam.For school year 2003-2004, a one-time $500.00 scholarship will be awarded to 10 college-bound freshmen who have graduated from high school in the CNMI; have been accepted by a university or college; and are U.S. citizens or nationals. Preference will be given to those who are pursuing studies in health, science, or engineering.Interested students must complete and submit an application form by Sept. 30, 2003 for the 2003-2004 academic year. Review of application and notice of awards will be made in early October 2003.

Saipan dialysis center in jeopardy

The much-awaited construction of the supposed $10 million Saipan dialysis center may not be done on time due to a faulty design and the lack of money to rectify the problem, according to House committee on health and welfare chair Rep. Benjamin Seman. “We discovered about it only recently, and it’s upsetting because we’ve all expected that everything is in order,” said Seman, who noted that the Legislature already reprogrammed the remaining funds from the project knowing that the contract award reached only $5.4 million. “The Legislature was never informed that the design was problematic so it went ahead to move the money for other priority projects,” said Seman, who added that his committee is already set to meet with DPH and DPW officials to discuss the issue. “We’ll be meeting with them. In particular, I want the DPW to justify to us why it was not brought to our attention, and why they proceeded with the design when the DPH never agreed to it,” said the lawmaker. Based on his meeting with DPH last week, he said he learned that “it was a bad design to begin with.”