Flashback August 07, 2000-2002

[B]August 07, 2000

U.S. AG asked to probe PCB mess[/B]

Greenpeace and Tanapag residents have pressed the U.S. Attorney General to investigate into the alleged gross negligence and violation of federal laws by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9 in connection with the sloppy cleanup of a polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated village. In a letter addressed to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, Greenpeace Pacific representative Dr. Arlene Griffen said the people of Saipan have been exposed to PCB tainted soils for over a decade due to the negligence of the U.S. government.

[B]Greenpeace questions cleanup process[/B]

A toxics chemical expert has raised concerns on the technology that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will use in conducting a cleanup of polychlorinated biphenyl contamination in Tanapag, a northern coastal village in Saipan. Greenpeace’s Dr. Darryl Luscombe said the indirect thermal desorption process will only separate PCB from the soil but does not destroy the highly toxic chemical.

[B]CPA cuts harbor departure fee to $2.25[/B]

The Commonwealth Ports Authority Board has approved the implementation of Seaport Incentive Program which lowers the passenger departure fee at Saipan Harbor from $5.85 to $2.25 for one year, in a move to help the tourism industry cope with the decline in the economy. CPA Seaport Committee Chair Francisco Q. Guerrero said the board made sure that such incentive will not hamper its debt service to the $33 million seaport bond.

[B]August 07, 2001

Initiatives for Council, PSS dead[/B]

Two significant legislative initiatives-one increasing the mandatory funding for the Public School System and another empowering municipal councils-are now dead in the water after failing to make it to the August 6 deadline for inclusion in a referendum this November 3. Time run out on House Legislative Initiatives 12-001 and 12-004 after being stymied at the Legislature due to several amendments made on the measures by both chambers.

[B]Filing of election documents closed[/B]

The CNMI Election Commission yesterday stopped accepting petitions from individuals seeking public office in this year’s general polls. The election commission also closed the process of receiving other documents, including legislative initiatives, that are supposed to be decided by local voters in November. Executive Director Greg Sablan said preliminary documents filed by petitioners will be thoroughly screened before the official list of candidates is released.

[B]Ingram relieves intelligence chief[/B]

Police Commissioner Charles Ingram yesterday relieved Department of Public Safety Intelligence Chief Pete W. Onni, who admitted to have owned an adult shop selling smut and sex toys in Garapan. At the same time, Ingram has tasked the department’s Internal Affairs Division to investigate Onni’s possible violation of any DPS regulation because of his involvement in the adult shop business.

[B]August 07, 2002

Babauta insists on deficit spending
[/B] Gov. Juan N. Babauta is insisting that he be given the authority to spend beyond the $193 million level set for this fiscal year and, if the House of Representatives remains adamant in refusing to grant that request, then he may just go ahead and go over the budget ceiling, without the blessings of the lower chamber. Babauta told reporters yesterday that he may go to jail for this but he insists that his primary duty to ensure continued delivery of basic public services far outweighs any legal impediments thrown his way by the lower chamber.

[B]Expansion of airport terminal completed[/B]

The Commonwealth Ports Authority has completed the construction of the expanded portion of the Saipan International Airport, giving a much needed facelift to the island’s air transport facility. The CPA recently opened the west wing of the Saipan airport terminal, which houses three departure/arrival gates in addition to three other gates at the east side of the terminal building.