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Saturday, January 17, 2009

Flashback- January 16, 2001-2003

January 16, 2001

EAGI probes charges vs Wiseman

The powerful Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations will closely examine allegations leveled against lawyer David A. Wiseman before confirming his nomination as Superior Court associate judge. "I'm not going to take them lightly. These are serious allegations that the committee should look into," said EAGI chair Sen. Joaquin G. Adriano yesterday. He disclosed the committee would decide later this week to set a confirmation hearing where Mr. Wiseman would be afforded an opportunity to respond to the accusations. "That will be the most appropriate time for him to answer these allegations and we owe him to hold a public hearing on the appointment," added the senator from Tinian.

Group urges use of tobacco funds in fight vs smoking

An official of an independent health foundation yesterday urged the CNMI government to use the tobacco settlement fund to carry out a comprehensive prevention and education campaign against tobacco consumption on the islands. Dr. M. Lyndon Haviland, Executive Vice President of the Washington-based American Legacy Foundation, said there is a need to use the fund only to implement a comprehensive tobacco control program that will address the enormous health and social costs associated with tobacco consumption. Ms. Haviland's campaign came at a time when the legislature was seeking an explanation from the Department of Finance whatever happened to the $800,000 received so far by the CNMI government as its share from the multi-billion dollar tobacco settlement agreement.

January 16, 2002

Consortium eyes casino on Saipan

Despite the constitutional ban on gambling, talks about the establishment of a casino on Saipan is being revived with the entry of a group of American, Japanese and Korean investors who are reportedly eyeing Saipan as a possible site for such a project. This was learned after a group of American, Japanese and Korean investors led by Dr. Benjamin L. Armstrong paid House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider and Sen. Pete P. Reyes a courtesy visit yesterday morning. According to Reyes, the consortium’s representatives were contacting members of the Legislature, particularly the members of the Saipan delegation, “to ask for support in introducing legislation allowing Saipan to operate a casino.”

Babauta names acting department heads

As his first order of business, Gov. Juan N. Babauta issued two memoranda assigning acting heads to different departments and agencies of the CNMI government. In both memoranda dated January 14, the new Governor appointed nine persons in all to take over as department heads in an acting capacity. These were Ramona V. Manglona as acting Attorney General; Frank Villanueva as Acting Secretary of Commerce; Joaquin A. Tenorio as acting Secretary of Lands and Natural Resources; Jeff Camacho as acting Secretary of Labor and Immigration; Santiago Tudela as acting Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety; John S. Reyes as acting Secretary of Public Works; Joseph Kevin Villagomez as acting Secretary of Public Health; Thomas Tebuteb as acting Secretary of Community and Cultural Affairs; and Robert Schrack as acting Secretary of Finance.

January 16, 2003

Govt on edge of financial abyss

Talk about tough. With some $12 million in payroll expenses every month, the $12 to $13 million in revenue that the government earns monthly goes in large part toward meeting payroll costs, leaving barely a few thousands to run the CNMI government. This dismaying reality all the more underscores the need for the government to cut costs wherever possible and it has already mapped out a three-pronged course of action: to maintain current expenditure controls, implement additional belt-tightening measures, and generate more revenue for the government. These points were stressed by Gov. Juan N. Babauta during a media briefing held yesterday morning at the Office of the Governor. The presentation, which lasted more than an hour, is expected to be replayed again and again in the next few days as Babauta goes from department to department, from agency to agency, to urge all CNMI government employees to pitch in the cost-cutting effort by voluntarily reducing their work hours by five hours per pay period.

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