NMI hurdles Y2K test

The Northern Marianas has passed the Y2K test as the so-called millennium bug failed to wreak havoc on the island’s computer systems in both the government and the private sector during the rollover into the new year, according to officials.

A brief power outage that occurred on wide areas on Saipan barely four hours into 2000 was not related to any computer glitch, but overheated generators of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation.

A mother residing in Finasisu, who requested anonymity, said the outage had struck fears among her family who immediately linked arms thinking it was the “rapture” — the biblical scenario predicting the end of the world.

But government officials assured island residents there is nothing to worry about even in the next few days when most agencies, companies and other sectors will have completed their assessment.

“The rollover into the new millennium went very smooth, now it’s business as usual. There were no Y2K problems reported by an government agency, organization or industry” on the three islands, said Bob Webb, chair of the Y2K Task Force.

Established to watch over the critical period, the task force will continue to monitor the situation up until the leap year on Feb. 29, 2000 for possible Y2K-related problems arising from failure by systems to recognize the change in date.

False alarm

However, the CNMI’s unified command post set up at the Emergency Management Office in Capitol Hills with the help of federal agencies received during the rollover some reports of possible Y2K-related computer problems that turned out to be false alarm.

Tony Calvo, the task force’s operations chief, said the standby monitoring team responded to these calls, but were later found to be errors committed by operators.

“They corrected the problem after some troubleshooting by computer specialists,” he told in an interview.

Much hype had surrounded the new year as there were predictions of chaos such as breakdown of utilities and interruption of vital services like banking, airport, traffic, among others, at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1 when computers would have read “00” as 1900 and not 2000. Experts had advised the public not to panic, but be
prepared for any eventualities.

Mr. Webb noted the government’s efforts in “planning, assessment, remediation, contingency plans, exercises and standby during the rollover… have not only eased fears of potential Y2K problems and failures, but have eliminated” them.

He thanked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Office of Insular Affairs for providing technical and financial assistance to ensure that CNMI comply with the Y2K requirements.

Close to $23 million were set aside by the Clinton administration for U.S. islands and territories to upgrade their computers last year.

“Because everyone spent the money, we were able to sit here and watch everything run on smoothly,” said Mr. Webb in an interview, adding all the preparations, upgrading of computers and preventive measures were “all worth it.”

Ports’ safety

Airplanes were able to land safely, while ships plied CNMI waters without any hitches, according to the Commonwealth Ports Authority.

The agency conducted two checks on its facilities immediately during the rollover and after the critical period and found all airport, navigation and communication systems functioning normally.

CPA Executive Director Carlos H. Salas expressed relief over the conditions of its systems, saying the “public can continue to travel with confidence.”

Meanwhile, Lawrence Rosario of the Clerk of Superior Court reported that a computer purchased in 1989 by the office was hit by the Y2K bug.

He said there was no data appearing on the screen when he turned on the computer he had been using yesterday morning, but assured there were no critical information lost since they transferred the file to a newer system.

“It was nothing. We knew it was not Y2K-compliant. It was just a matter of time,” he said.