FLASHBACK January 12, 1999-2001

Local labor pool urged[/B]

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday prodded the business community to start developing a local labor pool to lessen CNMI’s dependence on foreign workers amid plans of the Legislature to lift the indefinite freeze on hiring of guest employees. Although the governor underscored the need to employ foreign workers in the Northern Marianas for certain categories, he said the private sector should train local residents to take on the jobs that will be left by alien workers. “I think it’s about time that we train our own people,” Tenorio said in an interview, “I would like to see the business community started training our local people and take care of some of the jobs.”

Senate Floor leader Pete P. Reyes yesterday expressed support on the easing of a cash deposit requirement imposed on foreign investments, adding to growing clamor for a legislation to amend the stringent law in light of the current economic slump. He also shrugged off fear that the removal of the $100,000 security bond may encourage businessmen to set up what he called “shadow investments” and violate CNMI laws. “We need to see this proposed bill move forward, it’s beginning to hound us,” Reyes said in an interview, referring to House Bill 11-131 which is pending at the Senate.

Coalition prevails in House[/B]

As expected, the new coalition of Republicans, Democrats and Independents took control of the House of Representatives during the highly-charged inaugural session yesterday packed with hundreds of families, relatives, friends and supporters of the 18-seat chamber. The coalition, comprising 10 members led by former Speaker Benigno R. Fitial, elected the political veteran to a new two-year term to the House’s top post, along with Rota Rep. Alejo M. Mendiola as Vice Speaker and Rep. Oscar M. Babauta as Majority Floor Leader. Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider’s bid for speakership ended in crushing defeat with just eight votes from fellow GOP partymates, so was Representatives Diego T. Benavente’s nomination as vice speaker and Jesus T. Attao’s aim for the third ranking position in the lower house.

Newly elected House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial laid down four major policies he likened to the four pillars of the traditional taga stone during his speech yesterday at the inaugural session of the 12th Legislature. Under the new coalition he formed with Republicans, Democrats and Independents at the House of Representatives, he vowed to pursue better economic opportunities for the CNMI people, educational investments, environmental protection and preservation of island way of life. He also pledged to work with “friends” in Washington sympathetic to the conditions in the Commonwealth to ensure that the island government keeps control of local immigration, minimum wage and custom standards.

Scam perpetrators hide behind remittance center[/B]

Perpetrators of a savings scam who ran away with thousands of dollars gypped from Chinese garment factory workers were able to get the trust of their victims after hiding behind a remittance license obtained from the Department of Commerce. Winfield Corporation obtained its license to do remittance job middle of last year and started accepting transactions exclusively from Chinese workers in the third quarter of 2000, records from the commerce department disclosed. Based on the report submitted by Winfield Corporation to the Banking and Insurance Division, remittance transactions entered into the company by Chinese workers reached $346,505 in the third quarter of last year.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio will be one among the thousands of U.S. officials, foreign dignitaries and other invited guests witnessing the swearing in of President-elect George W. Bush next week in Washington D.C. He is scheduled to depart for the nation’s capital on January 17 to attend the inaugural ceremonies next Saturday. The governor, who has received an invitation, did not say who will accompany him to the trip, although a delegation from CNMI is expected to travel with him.