Flashback January 7, 1999-2002

[B]JANUARY 7, 1999

CDA calls on gov’t to protect garment industry[/B] Commonwealth Development Authority Chairman Juan S. Tenorio calls upon the local government to come up with measures that will cushion the garment industry from the worsening global economic turmoil. He issued the statement amid proposals to increase anew garment factories’ user fee in a veiled attempt to raise more revenues for the cash-strapped government. “They should not be hasty in making drastic changes. Increasing user fee for the garment industry will not be good at this time. They should just leave it alone and make sure that everybody is following the standard,” Tenorio said.
[B] Commerce retracts statement[/B] The Department of Commerce yesterday retracted an earlier statement warning the public against buying the insurance policies of two companies based in the United States. In a press release, Commerce Secretary Frankie B. Villanueva said the American Fidelity Life Insurance Co. of Pensacola, Florida and Trans World Assurance Co., of San Mateo, California have been cleared of the pending cases filed before the two companies. Villanueva said the retraction was made after the U.S. Attorney General and the United States District Judge, Western District of Washington approved the settlement agreement on Dec. 7, 1998. The two firms were found not guilty of any wrongdoing, he added.

[B]JANUARY 7, 2000

Teno asked to halt transfer of SBDC[/B] Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes yesterday urged Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio not to approve the transfer of local Small Business Development Center to the Commonwealth Development Authority while an investigation by FBI is underway on allegations of improprieties by its former director. He also vowed to pursue the case against Jack Peters, who used to head the SBDC administered by the Northern Marianas College, until the probe clears him of any violations of U.S. laws involving federal funds granted to the center.

[B]DOF-House tiff over reimbursement may reach court[/B] Differences with the administration on which expenditures made by lawmakers can be shouldered by the government may reach the court after the House of Representatives yesterday failed to pass a bill amending the “public purpose” law. In its final session before adjourning sine die, the 18-seat chamber failed to meet the required three-fourths votes to approve the measure passed by the Senate in its last session on Tuesday as only 13 members were present SB 11-161, offered by Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes, would have accepted reimbursements of expenditures incurred by some members of the Legislature that have been questioned by the Department of Finance.

[B]JANUARY 7, 2002

Saipan roads safer DPS: No alcohol related-fatality in 2001[/B] Saipan’s alcohol-related fatality was recorded zero in 2001, a historical first for the island in 15 years. The Department of Public Safety reported last week that traffic-related deaths in Saipan alone have declined from 1986 to 2001, closing at a total of 59 fatalities. But each year in the last 15 years, the police noted that alcohol-related fatalities covered a percentage of the traffic deaths, except in the year that just ended.
[B] Korean Air returns on Saturday[/B] The much-anticipated return of Korean Airlines will finally happen this Saturday, at 2am, with the arrival of the first flight that will herald the resumption of direct flight services between Seoul and the Commonwealth. Marianas Visitors Authority officials and local dignitaries will be on hand to welcome the return of Korean Airlines’ Seoul-Saipan flight. “The Korea-CNMI daily route will be providing additional seating capacity of more than 2,000 seats per week,” said Vicky I. Benavente, acting managing director of MVA. Benavente said it was a welcome sign of hope for the local tourism industry.