FLASHBACK June 13, 2000-2002

[B]June 13, 2000

$1-M worth of ‘ice’ seized[/B]

Close to $1 million worth of crystal metamphetamine hydrochloride, popularly known as “ice”, was seized by the CNMI Customs Services Saturday from a 25-year-old Korean national at the Saipan International Airport, in what could be the biggest drug confiscation on the island in last two years. Customs enforcement team on duty stumbled upon approximately four pounds of the illegal substance from incoming passenger Gim Mahn Soo after a thorough check of his luggage at the customs inspection area.

[B]Gov’t may be losing million due to poor collection system[/B]

A law must be put in place to boost tax collection efforts of the government amid moves by the Legislature to attract foreign investments into the CNMI, according to Commonwealth Development Authority Board Chair Juan S. Tenorio. Because the present collection system by the finance department is “lax,” the island government may be losing millions of dollars in potential revenues from corporations that have dodged local tax laws, he said.

[B]Tanapag Health Clinic closes its doors[/B]

The Tanapag Health Clinic has officially stopped its operation last week after a total of 1,182 residents have already sought medical evaluation in connection with the polychlorinated biphenyl contamination in the village. According to Dr. Richard Brostrom, chief of the medical team, the decision to close down the clinic was due to the lack of federal funding to support the physicians coming from the U.S. mainland.

[B]June 13, 2001

MPLT: No money for new Tanapag tests[/B]

The Marianas Public Land Trust yesterday told legislators it does not have money to give for the new round of tests expected to determine the level of PCB and other toxic chemical contamination in Tanapag. The House of Representatives has been pressing MPLT to make $2 million available for the new PCB studies in the village, as called for by Tanapag residents.

[B]OIA seeks update on Kagman school project[/B]

The US Department of the Interior has requested for an updated report on the remedial work that was administered on Kagman Elementary School, a project still besieged with construction woes. The federal agency sought for the information, seeking assurance before committing to the possibility of employing another study to be conducted on what is conceived to be a “troubled” project from start to finish.

[B]More Compact-Impact money for CNMI seen[/B]

The CNMI may get an additional $1 million in Compact-Impact funding from the United States government through legislation that also seeks to soften restrictions on the 50-50 match requirements for federally funded projects. This, after the US House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee approved the Interior Appropriations bill for the Fiscal Year 2002.

[B]June 13, 2002

Replacement of asbestos pipes nears[/B]

Long worried over the asbestos pipes through which some of their water flow through, residents of the China Town homestead area may now breath easier, with relief now in sight. Gov. Juan N. Babauta has signed into law the measure re-appropriating some $1.72 million that would go toward the replacement of the asbestos water pipes in the homestead-a move that ensures the future health of residents in the area.

[B]CPA gears up for anticipated slowdown in seaport traffic[/B]

Cargo traffic at the Saipan International Harbor is anticipated to drop by 20 percent, as a result of the expected slowdown in garment manufacturing-related activities on the island in 2005. This dim projection prompts the Commonwealth Ports Authority to start exploring alternate activities that would help sustain the operations of all three seaports in the Northern Marianas. CPA Executive Director Carlos H. Salas said the anticipated drop in seaport activities in 2005 will aggravate the current slowdown brought about by the Sept. 11-related economic upheavals.