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~Leg1.slature sees push~ a~~~~:ain'98 "~ 'tak ' t ·! Variety News Staff

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THE NUMBER of aITested and deported foreigners have doubled this year compared to 1997, the

r t Department of Labor and Immi-t '' By Zaldy Dandan ~-~:: ·-.-c:;··:·_-~~:·: :· ~----_-_:·_·:~ ·.·._:. -:···· _ "We may disagree on_ certain ·. ·· iJ gration (DOU) yesterday said. [J Variety News Staff . _ · ~:~~-- •·• · ··.·· ·:. issues_ but as _long a~ we sit down ~J Immigration Director Edward t·: THE CLINTON adm1111stra- · '. ' and discuss 1t, I thmk we could i··j R. Sablan, in an interview said the f.··'..j ~ion an~ its D_emocratic allies aITiv?, at something ~cceptable to ;.! figures could have been higher I) m the mcommg I 06th ~on- b~\h, Manglona sa.1d. . j had it not been for the limited l~~1 gress_ are expected to contmue . We need ~o contmue workmg j immunity program that took ef-t pus_hm~ for fe~eral takeover with t~e White House and Con- [ii feet last Dec. 2. Q leg1slat10n, which the com- gress, he added. :J The department held off plans ~'l monwealth opposes, but the Speaker Benavente agrees. -~- t~ to go after overstayers to allow ,,. Legislature's presiding offic- "Discussions are always help- ·;-::>:.-.; .· ('.\(~1? 1,j them to come forward and gain

ers are optimistic that the re- ful, and the 902 talks will cer- ,,,,,~, :-:, · .--.~, ~!Ji/1 ,. legal status through the amnesty sumption of Covenant Section tainly improve relations," he said. :.. {,f ./'.~:_ ./:~_;:;¥.J;'.1'5t§ ' program. 902 talks with the federal gov- Manglona added that by having :'. __ .~, '.:\i.'-:<~"I..."-f ,::,i\':;.), <f-: .. \,.;\:~ "We have a target. But we have emment will lead to a further Diego T. Benavente members from the Legislature, Paul A. Maglona to stop the arrests due to the Jim-improvementin CNMI-US re- the community and the business ited immunity," Sablan said. lations. is a member of the CNMI 902 sector, the CNMI 902 panel ere- vious administration's. "hard According to a report prepared

Senate President Paul A. team-yesterday said maintain- ated by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio line" stance against the federal by Maj. John Taitano and investi-Maglona (R-Rota)-who, like ing open communication lines carries more "weight" government, which, Manglona gator Douglas Palacios of the House Speaker Diego T. with the Clinton administration is At the same time, the two cred- said, only led to President department's immigration divi-

. Benavente(R-Prec.2,Saipan), crucial. its Tenorio for reversing the pre- Continued on page 23 sion,some804foreigners-over-6, "--''·' ,, _,,.· .. · ' ' · ·· ·~ stayingnonresidentworkers,tour-

By Rene P. Acosta Variety News Staff

INSTEAD of spending his vacation peacefully on Saipan, a Taiwanese national has to spend a portion of his holiday visit in jail after he was caught allegedly with illegal drugs at the airport.

The vacationing tourist who was identified through his passport as Tsou Pen I, 33, had just disembarked from the plane and was having his baggage checked when he was apprehended.

Authorities confiscated from Pen a still undetermined amount of methamphetamine hydrochloride, known locally as "ice," reportedly placed in a plastic con-

ists and business permit holders - were aITested this year.

Some 416 of those atTested were deported.

There were 400 foreigners arrested last year of which some 200 were deported.

According to the report, Filipinonationals comprised the bulk of this year's deported foreigners, comprising 187 of the 416 deportees.

They were closely followed by Chinese nationals which comprised 180 of the overall figure.

The report said there were 18 Bangladeshis deported this year; 15 Korean nationals; 5 Japanese nationals and seven Th:ii ,11nong <lthcr·s.

It will be recalled that DOLI Secretary Mark Zachares has vowed to launch an aggressive campaign against overstayers as early as January this year.

tai ner. Superior Court Associate Judge

Continued on page 2·3

Gotcha! One of the 599 visiting Japanese students from Hokkaido reacts as his picture is taken by the Variety. The students attended a Cultural Exchange Program hosted by Garapan Elementary School Monday. Photo by Louie C. Alonso

He said the department will attempt to double last year's depor-

Continued on page 2·3

Guam urged to attract more investors via INS incentive .

Variety News Staff HAGA TNA - Guam could attract more foreign investors to Guam through the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) treaty and trader classifications, it was suggested. . ,

Accordinl! to former senatorial candidate and Guahan Republic president N~orhert Perez, the INS foreign invest?r p.ro~isi~ns ' could help Guam get out of its current economic d1fftcult1es throul!h the infusion of more foreign investments.

/.:·: "Tl{is is a marketing bonus for our island for enticing new i':J investors and new capital into Guam," Perez said. ·:, 1, In a letter responding to Perez's inquiries, INS Co~gressional i·j1 (:! Relations Director Allen Erenbaurn stated that Section IO I (a) ,. f.j (28) of the Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes employ- ?1 l~! ment-creation immigrant investors to invest in new commercial }

1 ['·' •, 1<;: enterprises located in Guam. Ccmtinueffon-page26 f! ~ J (!~:~·:··. _;:. ;:~ ,--:,~i2::z:::-:·::Y.::-:~.:tr~T:2=:~?~z..;:::·:-:~;.-::-·:·:;::y:,:·_:~,·,::_""17;.~.::~=7z::2::7:~:~!Z'l?Z~.'-:.~.J}~:~w·;:7 __ -'

Unsigned election certificates could snag swearing in of Guam senators

By Jojo Santo Tomas certification of the result~ to stand in Variety News Staff for the original certificates.

HAGATNA- Certificates of CutTently, only Congressman election for the 15 incoming Robert Underwood's certificate senators of the 25th Guam Leg- of election has been signed by the islature still lack the signatures requisite four members. As for to make them official, said the senators' certificates,only two Speaker Tony Unpingco. signature~ -Rossana~an Miguel's

Unpingco said a resolution is and Leonila Herrero s - are on the in the works to amend the stand- 15 documents. ing rules of the 24th Guam Leg- Commission _ membe: Doug islature to allow the senators to Moylan, who did not sign ~ny be sworn in on Monday. ce~ificates,sai?hewouldnots1gn

Unpingcosaidtheresolutionwill until all election matters were allow a letter from the Guam Elec- cleared. .

C t• d 2!3 Tony Unpingco tion Commission mmouncing the on mue on page

2.:1v1 __ A_~~l'l_i\_~V_ARl_~TY_Ngw_sAl'JD V!gV{S-_'.\'f:Q_NE:SD __ 1'-_'r'_-:l2.~~EMBEB, .30 .. 19_9_8_ -

16 to11rists abducted SAN'A, Yemen (AP) - Islamic militants kidnappeJ 16 Western tourists in southern Yemen Monday. including 12 Britons. two Americans and two Australians. security officials said.

1l1cy said the kidnappers. who belong to the Islamic Jihad extremist group. were demanding the release of their leader Saleh Haidara al-Atwi. who was a!1'esteJ by Yemeni authorities two weeks ago.

Tribal leaders said about I 0 gunmen ambushed a convoy of five vehicles carrying a grou-p of 17 tourists near the southern town ofMawdiyah. in the Ahyan province. 1l1ey opened fire on a number of pol in:men escorting the

12 Britons, 2 Americans, 2 Australias taken hostage in Yemen tourists.

No one was injured in the firefight. but the group's British tour leader and a Yemeni guide managed to escape. said the tribal leaders. speaking on condition of anonymity.

The remaining 16 tourists were abducted am! driven to an unknown destination in Abyan province, about 200 kilometers (175 miles) south of the capita!. San· a.

The British tourists included six women and six men. The remaining tourists were two American women and two Australian men.

Security officials in Abyan. also speaking on condition of anonym-

ity. said al-Atwi's ;UTest was part of a crackdown on Islamic vigilantes who were enforcing strict Islamic mies on the population of southern Yemen. ·

They said members of the group 11 ogged men for sc 11 i ng and drinking alcohol which is forbidden in Islam _ and women for ignoring the Islamic dress code.

The group, which has no more than 200 members, also ran a military camp in southern Yemen, said the officials. The kidnappers are also demanding the release of another leader. The security sources did not identify him.

Britain's Press Association said

the tourists were traveling with the British tour company Explore in conjunction with a local operator in San·a.

"The British tourists arc all young but I cannot say any more," PA quoted the operator, Yahya al-Haifi, as saying. In London, a Foreign Office spokesman said Britain was in touch with Yemeni authorities.

"We have made it clear that our top priority is the safe and swift return of the hostages," the spokesman said on condition of

anonymity. The Foreign Office advised that

British nationals traveling to Yemen should "keep in touch with developments" during their stay.

Monday's abduction brings to 20the total numberofWcstcrners held hostage in Yemen.

Members of the Bani Dhabyan tribe are holding four Germans_ three women and one man_ in the province of Marib, 170 kilometers( I 05 miles)no11heastof San' a.

The tribesmen arc pressing the government to provide more schools, hospitals, telephone lines and roads.

Iraqi forces, US fighter jets trade II1issile fire in N. Iraq

Lott receives advice on impeachment trial

ment proceedings next month, but )le is getting plenty of public advice from his colleagues.

By Sue Pleming WASHINGTOi\(Reuters) U.S. fighter planes retaliated on Monday against Iraqi missiles fired in northern Iraq ·s no-fly zone and President Bill Clinton vowed to continue enforcing the country's no-fly zones despite lra4i opposition.

A U.S. Defence D.:parlmcnt spokesman said lra4 had attacked U.S. jets during routine patroh of the northern 110-tl y zone with surf acc-w-air missi !es from a site in noithern Im 4. north of the town of Mosul.

"The air crews acted in selfdefence and responded with HARM missiles and precisionguided munitions. There was no damage to coalition aircraft and all our crews returned safely to base (in Turkey)," the Defence Department spokesman said.

President Clinton speaks at a Year 2000 computer bug event at the White House Monday where he commented on the attack by U.S. warplanes patrolling the skies over northern Iraq. AP

He said U.S. forces had responded within the "normal rules of engagement" and that damage to Iraqi forces was still being assessed.

The spokesman said U.S. pilots had seen three Iraqi surface-to-air missiles fired and that British fuelling aircraft had backed up the U.S. mission. However, British forces had not been involved in any of the direct military action.

The attack was the most serious confrontation between the United States and Iraq since the end of Operation Desert Fox - a four-day aerial bombardment by British and U.S. forcesearlierthis month aimed at wrecking Iraq's weapons production programme after Baghdad was accused of not

Continued on page 22

Trent Lott

By LAURIE KELLMAN WASHINGTON (AP)- With the impeachment debate squarely in his court, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott faces his toughest challenge yet as the Senate prepares to consider President Bill Clinton's fate.

Lott, a Republican from the southern state of Mississippi, has been largely silent on the shape of the Senate's impeach-

The Senate is to hold proceedings on two articles of impeachment passed by the House of Representatives. But the White House, along with many Senate Democrats, are seeking a compromise punishment for Clinton that would avoid a formal Senate trial.

Lott, according to some who know him, already may have made up his mind. He has said, for example, that the Constitution requires the Senate to at least convene a trial, and he excluded any "deal making" before such proceedings begin.

"He listens a lot but I think that he usually has a pretty clear idea to start with about where he wants to go," said Mickey Edwards, a former Republican congressman from Oklahoma wbo worked closely with Lott

Continued on page-22

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30 , 1998 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-3

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P-~ o(Mo11day1,hqwed. . •. ·. . wi.tht11tgrantlng of ~;<el)lp- Claib9rne,:·Hyatt ·Regency, >\ (iov.J;>etiro.P .. Tenori9.'s\ ifio11s,''RosariciFaid, "Everyone Hard Rock Cafe,.P11cific Gar-. • PTl;\SS seci·etary, Frank . S.. has to go through D()Ll's rec denia Hotel, Fletcher Pacific Rosario, yesterday said\the view," Construction, Freedom Air, exemptions were grn11te9.c:,nly N.or all. of}hc 54 companies J.C. Tenorio Enterprises and after theDepartmentofL,abor exempt~d from th.e moratorium the .. Department of Public and Immigrntion(DOLl)fec declared in theil'.Tequestthe Health. xiewcd the company>s back- number of.alien workers they Signed into law last March gfoundaodrecofd. (1eede~·> <.• •....• ··• 27.,ithe. Hiring Moratorium

•.. ('lt~f~rts \Vi\J\l)(:)f..l, ilno.. •••••. ~J;ltpf9Jose whoq1d,the11ow Act's· avpwepgoal •is• .. to. pre-th7tliit :~retpI ~!lJ.dY i~ l)}itq,;1) ••..•• casllfs}r~P~.d Tinia11 D~a~ty•:· vent.the··ftirtherinctease in the

{Anti 9n1yir~P•Th'8!1l#,Jhe.j:ie>•> i• !-lpt~j ~QaJ>inq)ashe4 •• for.•the ~?ntiQyfci.Qn••.pageg2

CPA hoping to generate additional revenues from non-aviation sources

Roman S. Palacios

By Aldwin R. Fajardo Variety News Staff

HOPING to lessen the impact of

any possible increase in air and sea ports fees, the Commonwealth Ports Authority [CPA] is counting on additional non-aviation revenues by raising rental and lease charges.

Po~·ts Authority board chaim1an Roman S. Palacios said CPA is now looking at negotiating an increase on rental and lease fees of the agency's non-aviation customers to reduce the proposed increase in landing fees.

A financial consultant fi1m commissioned by the CPA suggested that a rate increase in landi ng fees and facilities service

Child care bill now before Teno By Zaldy Dandan Variety News Staff

LEGISLATION that could lead to the creation of more child care facilities is now before Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio.

Senate Bill 11-25, which was introduced by Senate President Paul A. Manglona (R-Rota), proposes the creation of a family child care council to develop a family child care plan with fcdernl assistance, if available.

children. He said there is now a pressing

need for the government to look into the possibility of creating a public nursery and provide for the adequate care and protection of the children.

He said his bill, if signed into law, requires minimal funding.

charges must be imposed and be effective by the middle of fiscal year l 999 to enable the Ports Authority to generate enough funds for its debt service pnyn1cnts.

Continued on· page 22

lage to the CNMI economy are implemented," said Villanueva.

"Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to each facet of economic growth. That is why the department... will pursue a balanced approach to industry foll1lation that seeks to promote the overall long-tell1l well-being

oftheCommonwealth,"headded. Villanueva has earlier said he

will be working to lift the $] 00,000 cash security deposit required from investors to do business in the Commonwealth saying the policy "serves no purpose and has discouraged investment."

EMO: Clear smoke coming out of Alamagan volcano


THE EMERGENCY Management Office yesterday reported it has noted little changes in the activity of Mt. Alamagan particularly with the smoke that it is emitting.

Acting director Greg Gerrero said the smoke coming out from the crack at the side of the volcano is getting clearer and

lighter but his office is still maintaining constant watch.

Five people including a threeyear old boy were evacuated from the island exactly a week ago ·after the volcano was seen spewing thick smokes.

The five who were flown aboard a rented helicopter were in the area raising animals. One of the evacuees was hired by the

Continuea-onpage2·2

Gutierrez inks new laws By Jojo Santo Tomas Variety News Staff

HAGATNA - Gov. Carl Gutierrez toobction on the final three pieces of legislation awaiting his review yesterday .

Gutierrez signed Bill 784, which establishes Rules and Regulations for the Guam Environmental Protection Agency Air Pollution Control. Standards anJ Regulations.

He also signed Bi\\ 201, which establishes new mechanic liens. The bill is a comprehensive update of legislation enacted in 1962.

The governor, however, ve-

Carl Gutierrez

toed Bill 695, which attempted to provide for a Guam Allied Health Practice Act.

Final Guam session today By Jojo Santo Tomas Variety News Staff

HAGATNA-The 24th Guam Legislature meets for the final ti me today in what may prove to he nn intcrc.'>tin~ and no:-.tal.~ic

Although Speaker Tony

Unpingco had originally planned to make the final session a day of fun and memories. the Legislature may address several pieces of legislation for C(HJ.-..illcr:1tio11 of"vcro ovc•rri,lr•s

lien.·. ( ·:11"/ <,·u1ie11"cJ: ,•ii,f;fl'-"'/


Manglona yesterday noted that under the current situation, parents face a choice of either sacrificing income or the care of their

The bill would create a family child care council composed of five members-three from Saipan, one each from Tinian and Rota-appointed by the governor.

Of the three Saipan members, Continued on page 22

Kinashi Yoshiichi of the Hokkaido Exchange Program (from left) joins Mrs. Annie T. Sablan, acting Governor Jesus R. Sablan, Speaker Diego T. Benavente and MVA Deputy Director Vicky Benavente during a welcoming ceremony aboard the Pacific Venus last Sunday.

TV farce IT SEEMED unreal. I thought I was watching a segment of Woody Allen's El'l.,-_l'lhing Yim Wan! 10 Ask Abou/ Sex on CNN last Saturday. Nope. It was :1 co\'erage of the US House of Representatives· impeachment debate. This ongoing saga in Washington will definitely make a good movie. Suggested title: "The BJ 1ha1 Shaped America's His1m:1·. ·· And since the Republicans ha\'e ca1icatmed themsclves. the movie could be made in cartoon m1imation that could !;ive Beavis and Butthead a rnn for their money.

But it would probablv be more fun to watch Beavis and Bullhead watchino the: !louse debate. · "

Bea\·is: 1-kh-eh-ehh. Butthead. what are these. ehh-chehheh. dudes talking about? "

Butthead: It's about this dude. who is. uh, uh. like, uh. uh. the president who violated the Constitution.

Beavis: Eehh-ehh. violated the Constitution? How's that? Butthead: lliat president dude, uuhh. uuhh, scored a fat chick. Beavis: Hehh-hd1eh. you mean it's like, ehehh-eeheh, a violation of the

Constitution to score a fat chick~ Butthead: I dunno. Beavis. I think. uhuh-uhuh, the Republicans just don't

like fat chicks. Beavis: 1-lehheh-heeh. they say something like, hchh-heheh, impeachment.

What's that') Butthead: I think. uuhh-uhh, it has something todo with baseball. Like, you

know. uhh-uhh. pitch . Beavis: Like. ehhch-heeh. pitching a ball? Butthead: Yeah. yeah. Uhh, I think they will pitch a ball at that president

Jude lo kick him out of office. Beavis: Hehh-eehh, that's not cool. 1-Iehehh, ifl become president.I will not

score a fat chick.

Move on Sick of impeachment blah-bbhs? Join the "We Will Remember" campaign, a follow-up to the "Censure and

Move On .. drive sponsored by the MoveOn.org, a group of disgusted on-line Americans who target impeachers.

MovcOn.org petitioners agree on one thing: "1l1e Congress must immediately censure President Clinton and Move On to pressing issues facing the country."' Using e-mail and the web to mobilize supporters, MoveOn.org has worked to translate a broad and deep consensus among the electorate into an end to Congress' focus on scandal.

"On Saturdav. we witnessed the most reckless and irrational act in congressional history ... s:1iu Wt.:s Boyd. co-founder of MovcOn.org. "The only way to san~ our sysrcrn from permanent harm is to insure historic conscc1ucnccs for 1he perpetrators."

"Politicians think the public has a short memory," said Joan Blades, cofounder of MoveOn.org. "They are mistaken. Americans are passionate about fairness and revere the Constitution. We are not vindictive, but we wi II remember that these representatives do not reflect our vaiucs and do not hear our voice."

MoveOn.org records "We will remember" petitioners who pledge to donate, as an individual, to candidates opposing members of Congress who voted to impeach. With this database, MoveOn.org will remind signers of their pledges as the 2000 campaign season approaches, and will make the mechanics of selection of candidates and donation as simple as a few mouse clicks.

Those who want to sign up for the petition may visit http:// www .n1ovcon.org.

t)Aarianas %riet~~ · Serving the. Commonwealth for 26 years ·

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JACK ANDERSON and JAN MOLLER

11'~ NoT r.AiY Nl\MlNG OCTUPt.'EiS

WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND

How does America's largest bank grow? FEW companies have navigated the prosperous Clinton years better than Charlotte, N.C.-based NationsBank. In a few short years, the company has gone from being a regional powerhouse to become America's largest bank.

Unfortunately, some of their growth came on the backs of people like Beatrice Smith.

An elderly, African-American homeowner in Georgia, Smith became a good and frequent customerofNationsCredit, a wholly owned subsidiary of NationsBank. The mortgage on her $34,000 prope1ty was refinanced a total of six times in six years. While refinancing is a good idea when interest rates are low, Smith's interest rate was actually increased on several occasions. Her rates fluctuated between IO percent and 19 percent, and she paid several thousands of dollars in fees and closing costs each time she refinanced. "

Eventually. the monthly payment became more than she could afford, and she defaulted on her loan. When NationsCredit then foreclosed and tried to take her home, she got an attorney and counter-sued for unconscionable lending.

Smith's case has become a cause-celebre among activists and lawyers who want to rein in the runaway sub-prime lending market. Once a haven for small, shady operators, this lucrative market has now attracted giant national firms like NationsBank.

But its critics say sub-prime lenders often take advantage of the poor and elderly by selling them on expensive loans at usurious rates that are virtually designed to produce foreclosure. They often come with heavy fees and contingencies attached, leaving fixed-income borrowers with notes they can't afford to pay back.

Pat Sisely, a spokesman for NationBank, told us the Smith case has now been settled. "We withdrew foreclosure, and we made an offer that was accepted," she said.

But Smith's lawyer, Howard Rothbloom, says that's not the case. He told our associate Kathryn Wallace that the case is still pending. "The big lenders say they don't make money on foreclosure," he said. "They make loans and refinance them n:peatedly, charging fees in order to strip the equity out of the home .... We 're not talking about mom-and-pop lending organizations here, but the nation's largest. We're talking about NationsBank."

THE NEXT WAR - Those who fear that the world as we know it will come to a crashing halt at the tum of the millennium may not have to wait that long.

Thousands of the world's most capable minds are

working on ways of bringing the U.S. military -and economy - to a standstill. Cyberterrorism, much talked-about in this space, is emerging as the single biggest threat to our national security.

A Dec. I 5 report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies should be required reading for anyone wondering what global threats remain now that Saddam Hussein has been bombed into submission. It outlines, in starkly graphic terms, the threats America's information economy faces from terrorist computer hackers.

'The ability to network has far outpaced the ability to protect networks," the report reads. "The economy is totally dependent on these systems. America's adversaries recognize this dependency and are developing weapons of mass disruption and destruction."

Indeed, the next ten·orist attack on America is more likely to come from a gifted, 20-year-old computer whiz than a religious fanatic parking a truck bomb outside an embassy somewhere. With the stroke of a keyboard, a skilled hacker can penetrate and disrupt the Pentagon's most sensitive sites.

Terrorists aren't the only ones who've caught on to the destructive capacity of computers. Inside the super-secret National Security Agency, programmers are working on ways of waging offensive informational warfare. Our military has developed a complex array of cyberweapons designed to cripple everything from computer networks to phone lines and power grids.

CHRISTMAS IN WASHINGTON - We look at this holiday season with mixed emotions. Christmas is a time for children, and there's been a lot of talk about kids in the capital this year. People rightly wonder what kind of lesson children learn by seeing their president lie under oath about a tawdry affair.

But the president's behavior in the last year teaches other lessons as well, such as perseverance. After a full year of abject public humiliation, our president refuses to quit or even to hide. Two House speakers have resigned under far less pressure, yet Clinton still shows up for work each Jay under circumstances we wouldn't w.ish on our enemies. He has become the Cal Ripkcn of American politics.

Perhaps the greatest lesson of all, however, is this: A republic that can survive a president like this one, and a year like the one that's about to pass, can handle just about anything.

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By William L. Flood, MD Pediatrics, Saipan Health Center

Happy New Year STATISTICS can sometimes be fun. Or interestino.

A few days ago the "Annual Summary of Vital St;tistics" arrived on my desk.

This is a hug~ mass of numbers detailing the causes of illness and death fo_r the Um_ted States, and comparing this to the rest of the world.

Tots mformatton gets published every year, and these were the numbers for 1997.

One caught my eye right away. The leading causes of death for youth ages 1-19. You know what they are?

Number one, by a long way, accidents. Like almost half of the deaths in every single age group. As you may suspect, auto accidents were th~ most common.

Number two, homicide. This is _more common in the older kids, but was still frighteningly

common m even the youngest age group listed, those kids ages J-4. Number three, suicide.

. "Medical" problems, like cancer or heart problems, barely made the ltst. , All ofth(s surprised me, an_d upset me. l couldn't decide (still can't)

v.. heth~r thts means ped1_atncrnns should be congratulating themselves for domg such a great Job in treating "illness" that it is no longer a common cause for childhood death.

This is certainly the case forthose diseases we immunize a"ainst like diphtheria and polio. They have practically disappeared.

0

'

But the other way to look at these statistics is that we physicians have been so focused on "medical illness" that we have not paid enouah

. I "' attention tot 1e real causes of death in our patients. There is all this manpower doing research on cancer and diabetes and

whatever, but how much is being done on these "social" problems -accidents, homicide. suicide.

I'm reminded of that infamous quote credited to Butch Cassidy. When asked why he robbed trains and banks. Butch replied. "That's

where the money is." It seems to me that if we arc going to make future improvements in

the health of our young people, we arc going to need to follow Butch and go where the money is.

. Some progress has been made. Seat belt laws. motorcycle and bicycle helmet laws, the efforts of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

These are all examples. But sometimes it seems like "too little too late." '

Most physicians still do not make these problems - accidents,


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against eye fatigue

David Khorram

By Haidee V. Eugenio Variety News Staff

THECOMMONnotion that computers do harm the eyes is not at all true, and that blinking helps

prevent eye strain, so said the lone Board ce1tified ophthalmologist in the Commonwealth.

Dr. David Khorram of the Marianas Eye Institute yesterday said it is not the computers per se that cause eye strain, but the long, uninteITUpted hours that an individual spends in front of the machine.

"Intrinsically in and out of itself, (a) computer does not cause damage to the eyes. What happens to people (who) spend hours and hours in front of a computer without taking a break is that they get what we call 'eye fatigue'," Khorram said.

1l1e eye doctor also said that when an individual concentrates on doing something, especially in

Ordot smoke being tested By Jacob Leon Guerrero Variety News Staff

HAGATNA -Smoke comino from the Ordot landfill fire i~ being tested for possible toxic substance emission, according to Capt. Andy Arceo of the Guam Fire Department.

Arceo said the fire has burned

up most of its surface fuel and now burns underneath the top fill. This smoldering produces all the smoke people see in the immediate area.

The winds carried the smoke to villages miles away from the landfill yesterday. The smoke

Coiilln·ued on page 23

front of a computer, he tends to blink less frequently. This, he said, causes the eyes to get dried out, irritated and red.

"They can actually get teary when they get dried out," he said.

Khorram recommends two ways to prevent the eyes from fatigue or dryness. One is to take frequent breaks from using the computer, and occasional blinking.

"It is advisable that for about 1 O minutes that you are in front of a computer, take a 30-second break. Close your eyes to enable them to rest,'' he said.

Another recommendation is to use artificial tear drops to moisturize the eyes when they start to get dry and itTitated .

Continue-don page 23

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6-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-WEDNESDAY- DECEMBER 30 1998

CNMI Customs chief Jerry Kintol retires

CNMI has watchlist of 'undesirable' Russians

By Haldee V. Eugenio Variety News Slaff

BARELY four months after he was appointed by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio as director of the Customs Services, Jerome P. Kintol is about to retire on Dec. 31, ending 20 years of government service.

"Yes, I am retiring," Kinta! said when asked to confirm his retirement.

When the new administration took over in January, Kinta! was handpicked by Tenorio to serve as chief of Customs in acting capacity. In August, he was appointed as directorof~e said agency which is under the auspices of the Department of Fmance.

Meanwhile, Press Sec. Frank Rosario said the outgoing Customs chief submitted his retirement letter to the governor during the first week of December.

Kintol, who is on his late 30s. served all his career years with Customs, starting out as an inspector. Herosetotheranks until he became branch manager of airport operations, and eventually became director.

By Jojo Dass Variety News Staff

THE COMMONWEALTH government has a watch list of undesirable nationals from Russia which is being used to screen the entry of foreigners coming from that country, Mark Zachares, secretary of the Department of Labor and Immigration (DOU) disclosed Monday.

In an interview, Zachares said the watch list was forwarded to· DOU by "some federal agencies that are mandated to operate out here in the CNMI."

Zachares remarks came in light

of complaints being raised by the Marianas Visitors Authority (MV A) regarding the new regulation DOU implemented on the entry of Russian nationals to the CNMI.

"Today in the Commonwealth, we enjoy a pretty good working relationship with some ofth.e federal agencies that are mandated to operate out here in the CNMI and have laws to enforce.

"We received information, intelligence information th.at may guide us and help us. We received information and we are working with the appropriate agencies to

keep undesirables out," said Zachares.

He added that DOU had been requesting for the watch. list "for a long time."

"So when we receive the information, we took the necessary action. There were some concerns," Zach.ares said.

Dave M. Sablan, MV A board chair, has said he is seeking Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio's intervention on the new DOLi policy, explaining that it is hampering efforts to expand tourism to other markets abroad.

Continued on page 23 The silent type that he is, Kintol has been strict when it comes to discipline and performance, according to one of his closest staff.

"He undeP.Jtands when his staff makes mistake but encourages us to get up and do our best. His leadership is very good," said the source who Pangelinan: _awaits jury ·verdict requested anonymity. .

It was during his leadership that belt-tightening schemes have been put m place. These involve the necessary cuts in equipment and vehicle acquisition, maximization of office spaces, reduction of overtime hours of employees, and freeze hiring of personnel.

Kintol earlier boasted of an efficient Customs operations, and thus, there is no need for a I 00 percent inspection of all incoming cargoes and passengers in every entry points in the Conunonwealth.

The suggestion of doing a full inspection of all cargoes came after reports of tranSshipment of garments and even cigarettes from other countries are happening in Saipan.

By Eric F. Say Variety News Staff

HAGATNA - Frank Edward Pangelinan, accused of killing Joseph Alig, is now sweating out the jury's verdict after instructions to jurors were given by Superior Court Judge Steven Unpingco yesterday.

Pangelinan is accused of beat-

ing up Alig the night of Jan. I 0, 1998, chopping off his right foot with a machete, and then with the aid of Alvin San Nicolas Cruz taking the then alive Alig to a dump off the Agat-Santa Rita road.

There allegedly shot the victim not once, but twice- once through the head and then in the chest to

finish him off. A plea agreement reduced Alvin

S.N. Cruz's murder charge to manslaughter, and his testimony may have damaged the defense case. Other members of Pangelinan's family testified against the accused, including his live-in girl friend Marlene Perkins.

Continued on page 23 The outgoing Customs chief has led an agency that has over SO personnel

in Saipan, Rota and Tinian.

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Variety News Staff HAGATNA-Superior Court Judge Steven Unpingco yesterday denied the motion filed by Ada lawyer Curtis Van de veld requesting the court to delay hearing on !he voter fraud lawsuit.

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the New Year's break. Attorneys for Gov. Carl

Gutierrez Philip Carbullido and Randy Cunliffe argued against the motion for delay.

TI1e case has been in the hands of Judge Joaquin Manibusan, who Van de veld said, should be recuscd from the case because he had ties with Gutiem'!z suppo11ers.

Van de veld asked the court this

time for an emergency postponement, saying he needed to go off island for a family matter.

Lawyers representing former governor Joseph Ada filed the lawsuit on Dec. I, citing massive electoral fraud.

Hearings on issues raised in the lawsuit against the GutierrezBordallo team will continue Monday before Judge Unpingco,

Reyes commends NMC officials' recent moves

Karl T. Reyes

By Louie C. Alonso Variety News Staff

REPRESENTATIVE Karl T. Reyes corn mends the actions taken by the officials and administrators ol' the Nmthcrn Marianas Collegc to address its bud!.!et woes and at the same lime prc~ent a mass layoff staff and salary cuts.

;\ known supprnter of !he col!t:gc, Reyes said the different steps taken by the Board of Regents and NMC President A!.!nes McPhetrcs should be an example to other government agencies having the same financial probli.:ms.

"Teachers in the olden days begin from 8 am to 3 pm. They arc

· always !here everyday," Reyes said.

He added that teachers now have very llcxiblc working hours and the number of students in the classroom arc very few.

"The teachers now arc fighting to gel as little as 20 or 21 students 11er':' classroom. I think some of the teachers' concern now is how many test papers to correct. To me if you arc a dcdica1ed teacher, you will want to trv to teach as much as possible," I-I.eyes continued.

The NMC. BOR recently decided to rcve11 the sal:1rics of top college administrators back to the fiscal year 1997 level.

And due to the $500,0()() pmjcctcd budget shortfall of the college. the BOR :tlso implemented olher measures such as freeze hi ring, suspension of annual increments and u·avcl activities outside the CNMI, additional workloads for staff and college n:-organization.

If the l!Ovemment linds additional fur;ding, Reyes said, Gov. Pedro Tenorio would likely help the college linancially to continue its services like what happened Lo 1hc Public School Syslem.

But Reyes said the financial aid for different government agencies would be identilicd citheron March m Ap1·il next year.

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1998 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VJEWS-7

Holidays bring more tourists By Jojo Dass Variety News Staff

TOURIST anivals are picking up at arnteof I ,OOOaday as more Japanese

nationals get away from their cold winter to savor the island's sunny weather for the holidays.

"II 's picking up," said Department

CNMI urged to target high-spending tourists

By Aldwin R. Fajardo

Variety News Staff DUE TO the abmpt changes in the spending behavior of visitors as triggered by the regional financial upheavals, government officials and industry leaders have been enticed to tap high-end tourists who are capable to spend more.

Business analysts said that it may be in the Commonwealth's longterm economic interest to focus on high-end facilities in order to attract more high-spending tourists.

and other establishments like dutyfree shops.

Future prospects of growth in the Northern Marianas' tourism industry remain bright despite the ongoing slump in visitor arrivals. "Given the future prospects of growth in CNMI's main market,

. East Asia, the demand for travel and other leisure activities will certainly

...----,~-.------= Continued on page 23

Mark Zachares

of Labor and Immigration (DOLi) Secr-etm)' Mark Zachm-es. 'This is something we have not seen in a long time," he added.

According to Edwrn·d R. Sablrn1, DOLi immigration director, the Saipan International Airport has been

receiving a maximum of I ,CXX) tourists over the past two weeks.

·n1e bulk of the visitors, he said, are from Japrni.

··Everyday this week and l<L~t week, it (wrivals) is picking up," Sablan saiJ. "Maybe they just want to get away from the cold."

Sabhm said average tolllist ,mivals al the airprnt W,Ls around 5(Xl several months back."

"II wen! down Lo 5(X). Now it is avernging I ,CO:) a day. We hope this keeps up," said Sabl:m.

ll1ere were 1,(Xl3 tourists that ,u·rived in four Japan Airlines (JAL) flights yesterday, Sablm1 said.

Tourist ar1ivals have consistently been decreasing since J,muru)' this yem·.

It hit the lowest levels in recent yeru-s last October, registering a 31 percent decline compru-ed to the same period last yew·.

According to the Mmianas Visitors Authority (MVAJ, there were 34,137 tou1isb thatc,m,e in last October ,L~ compared to the 49,202 I.hat ,u1ivcr.J for the same month in 1997.

NeveJtheless, MV A said the figui-e is 36 percent higher that I.he September rnTival fi6rur-es.

1l1e MV A has also said that an improvement is seen by this month as JALstm1soffe1ing cheaper rates th,m Continental Airlines as part of il~ promotional efforts.

1l1e Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) has attributed the decline in the number of Japanese nationals traveling abroad to the country's economic crisis.

However, with the recent strengthening of the yen, Commerce Secretary Frnnk Villanueva said it has become at least 20 percent cheaper for Japanese nationals to visit CNMI compared to the past several months.

ObserveP.J said majority of Asian tourists who visit the Northern Mariana Islands are spending less money-especially those who are from countries adversely impacted by the region-wide currency devaluation. This contributes to the further decline of tourism-related businesses in the Commonwealth.

r End the Year On a High Note.

Tourists have started practicing prudence and frugality, in terms of the expenses they incur during their stay in host countries, especially in dollar-based economies where prices of services and items were raised by the strong rally of the US greenback.

This stems down from the devaluation of major curTencies in Asia as against the dollar, which makes traveling in dollar-based countries a lot more expensive.

Because of this, economists said CNMI can make the choice to appeal to relatively high-spending business tourists by developing facilities that cater to group activities. Convention and exhibition facilities are within the reasonable

range of possibilities. !,•.'•:

Outgoing Saipan Chamber of t CommercepresidentJoe C. /\yuyu l1 said the change in spending behav- :l ior of visitors nowadays could also be attributed to the social status and age of the tourists.

"Tourists are spending less money basically because the tourists now are a lot younger and have limited financial resources unlike the older people who have saved a lot," Ayuyu told Variety.

He pointed out th.at majority of the new group of tourists, which are younger, are working in government or private offices who normally get minimum pay, or a little over the minimum.

'They are not earning that much. So they have to tighten their belts a little more," he said, adding that most of them have been traveling with very limited or fixed budget.

"So when they come here, instead of going to fancy restaurants, they either buy food at the supermarkets or eat in burger chains and other places where they find value for their money," he explained.

1l1e new breed of tourists have been avoiding rent-a-cm· services and are either taking the cab or trolley services provided by hotels

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8-M,\Rl:\NAS V ,\RIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-WEDNESDAY- DECEMBER 30 ,19~8

DPH collections off by $2M By Haidee V. Eugenio

Variety News Staff

THE DEP:\RTMENT of Public Health \'CStenlay JiscloseJ Lhal ,ll'tual collections for fiscal year J 99~ \1·cnt down by some $2 million. Llll top of unrnllecLeJ p,1ymcnts for medical scn·ices and federal m1:Jicaid repay-

men t. For FY '98. DPH collections

an~ pcggeJ at a little over SI 0 million. which is lower than the pre\'ious fiscal vcar's $12 mil-lion mark. ·

llealth Sec. Joseph Kevin Villagomez said the SI O million collection docs not yet in-

cluJc the amount that the government heallh insurance owes DPH which is currently pegged al $IO million for FY '98, and close to $3 million worth of federal meJicaid that has not ycl received by the CNMI.

The FY ·97 figures, on the other hand, already included

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some payments owed by the government health insurance and medicaid, said Villagomez.

The uncollectibles also include some $6 to $7 million owed by the private businesses and individuals to DPH for medical services. Some unpaying hospital clients have already been taken into Court by DPH.

Villagomez said that having uncollectibles are tied to the economic crisis.

"These debts are related to the downturn in the economy. Government health insurance is not paying us because the gov-

crnment (agencies and departments) is not paying them. The private sector is also affected by the crisis.

"The other part that we have not included yet is the medicaid repayment because it requires 50 percent local matching fund and we don't have enough funds to match that," he said.

Villagomez, however, beI icvcs that once the economy gets better, the collections will start to pick up.

He also said that FY '98 collections could have surpassed the previous fiscal year's figures if all its clients paid them diligently for the services they get from DPH or the Commonweal th Health Center.

"If we get all these collections, DPH will be a self-sustaining government operation." he said.

Villagomez, in an earlier interview, disclosed that the gove111-ment health insuranceow~s DPH over $27 million in payment for health services provided during the last four to five years.

GWA to push water conservation effort

By Jacob Leon Guerrero Variety News Staff

HAGATNA - With the upcoming dry season. the Guam Waterworks Authority (GWA) will soon be launching new efforts to educate the public about water conservation.

According to Patrick Lujan. spokesman for GWA, the authority's public awareness program will soon be going out to the schools and will be issuing public service announcements about water conservation.

According to metc,oroltigist Frank Wells of the Nation Weather Service. Ciuam re-

ceivcd a total of 6.78 inches of rainfall last November. That amount is about 2.28 inches lower than normal average.

Wells attributed the dif!{rcnce to the fact that Guam expericnccJ a dry spell during the rainy season, a pattern indicative of an EI Niiio season.

Wells said the next couple of months are on the average drier. Guam on the average receives the majority of its rainfall during the summer and early fa!J monlhs.

Wells explained that the island's watCI' supply is a wry important resource anJ that i l is not Ii 111 itk ss.

Atalig accepts special master appointment


FORMER Supreme Court As· sociate Justice Pedro M. Atalig has agreed to sit as a special master for the Larry Hil I blom Estate case.

In his short reply to the Superior Court, the retired associate justice said he was accepting his role and was willing to perform the task given him.

Atalig was tapped by J udgc Pro Tem Alexandro Castro last week to review the "reasonableness" of both past and present professional fees and expenses of the Executor and all the service providers to the estate.

Castro had earlier given Atalig ten days to notify the Superior Court whether he refused or accept the assign-

mcnl. . ·, Castro had agreed to hire a

special master after the claimants to the heirs had complained of the high cost of legal services involved in .the case which ranged from $500,000 up to $800,000 a month.

They were also eomphiining about the hundreds of pages of invoices which are being submitted to tbc court by Bank of Saipan which is the estate"s executor.

They have asked that the eolirt hire a permanent auditor or a special master to audit the invoices:

Castro agreed, He said ''the court's over

all concern with the costs and expenses of past and future professional services to

conffnued on riaget2

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By Jojo Dass

Variety News Staff

THE BOARD of Public Lands (BPL) has agreed to trimsfer the junkyard fronting the L&TGroup of Companies in Lower Base far down to Tanapag and have the site offered for lease.

'The old scrap yard is going to be a vacant public land," said Division of Public Lands (DPL) Director Benha Leon GucJTero in an interview.

She said "majority" of the Board's member··supported" the yard's transfer.

"It is up to the board now. They may entertain whatever requests that come in for the public land," said GueJTero.

She said L&T had, in the past, requested to lease the land "but we could not (grant it) because of

WAO stresses Rota women's 'role,inisland ·· deyel~pme:nt> By Louie C. Alonso

Variety News Staff

LOU Manglona executive director of the Rota Women's Affairs Office emphasized the women's role in helping the community attain sustainable development.

WAO and another local women's group Enteres Famalao 'An Luta Association (EFLA) are supporting Rota Mayor Benjamin Manglona 's island-wide cleanup project which is part of the municipal government's ecotourism plans for the island.

W AO and EFLA attended the First Lady Sophie Tenorio 's leadership heal th training programs last March and August and have planned several projects throughout the year.

Er'Li\ Sccn:tary Carina Miriam Bautista said Rota women are productive partners of the community, anJ that they contri bu Le to the socio-economic growth of the local people.

Early this month. W /\0 and the Northern Marianas College Land Grant Program hclJ a workshop on personal hygicncc and grooming in \\'hich the coordinators taught sollll' co,rnctology skills to local wo111cn.

T Ii c c· t 1 s 111 ct o I u g y ski 11 s, \\'or~shop coordinators s;1id. could he a ~ood source oi' live! i !rnod for-the women in lhc' island.

To attract murc tourists. the W/\0 partit-ipatcd in the Rota ivlayor·s Office and Marianas Vi,.itors Authority's project in tkcorati11~ the who!<: island with Ch,~istrnas lights and wreaths.

Rota will be part or the MV !\ 's plan to launch difl'ert:nl projects for the Visit the Marianas '99.

"If we can utilize it, if it is a marketable public land that anybody will be interested to lease and we can generate revenues from it, that is something we considered,(so) we ... place (the) scrap yard somewhere else that is just as suitable, a piece of land that others do not have interests on," said Guerrero.

Guerrero said government will '"entertain" lease proposals "on a case by case basis."

By Louie C. Alonso Variety News Staff

THE PHILIPPINE government has come up with a program that aims to provide employment for approximately 4 million unemployed Filipinos in the country through a program called PHIL-JobNet.

The program was initiated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Manila which is actually the "matching of jobs and skills."

power. The computerized system of

job matching would provide free information to jobless people on job vacancies.

The PHIL-Job Net was piloted in Region 4 and the National Capital Region (Metro Manila). But it would ultimately cover the entire 13 regions of the country.

Bertha Leon Guerrero She said DPL wil I be notify

ing the Department of Public Works (DPW) to start moving the scrap yard soon.

PHIL-JobNet, according to the Office of Philippine Labor Attache on Saipan, is a brainchild of the DOLE's Bureau of Local Employment (BLE).

The BLE in Manila said that queries on available manpower generates comprehensive reports which includes names and addresses of applicants, educational attainment, job experience, licensure examinations passed and other pertinent matters.

the scrap yard." Guerrero said BPL, in allowincr

to transfer the junk yard t~ Tanapag, "was looking at maximizing the use of public lands" to generate revenues for the government.

With the economic crisis slowly nipping off the economy, DPL has embarked on a plan to maximize revenue generation through the CNMI's land resources.

The program is an automated job and applicant matching system which aims to fast track jobseekers' search for jobs and employers search for man-

The PHIL-JobNet operates in a network environment and Internet.

Continued on-page-:2°3

An Inspiration for All ,,

JESUS IN LITTLE AMERICA is a riveting autobiographical account by the founder and

chairman of the Bank of Guam, Jesus S. Leon Guerrero. He provides a historical perspective

of Guam, from the days of Spanish rule through the present.

Mr. Leon Guerrero gives the reader an excellent portrayal of the founding and success of the

Bank of Guam; a history oft.he Guam Economic Development Authority (GEDA) during his

long tenure as chairman of the agency; an evolution of the Guam Memorial Hospital in his

capacity as president of the Medical Center of the Marianas; his strong stance on statehood

as the preferred status for Guam; and reveals his strong involvement in the political, civic

and community arenas .

Jesus In Little America delves into the economic and political development of the island of Guam as viewed througl1 a ~elf-n,adc businessn1an

and entrepreneur. The book leads you through the

life of one who started from scratch and made it

amidst the Goliaths of the business and banking

world. A must-read for anyone who is in business

or considering starting a business!

1., ... ,. ...• , .. ,,' .. ,,,! . .,

"·'"l "'1i,.-1

,·,J,,, ,.,,,,,,·r:.,,l .. -r:

,,,,.//.,.,,.,, ,.,,; ..

The Around the Islands section covers community stories, local events, and cultural activities. Should you have a story you would like to share, or an event that needs lo

be covered, contact Laila at 234-6341

Koreans visit Manamkos By Louie C. Alonso Variety News Staff

MEMBERS of the Korean Women· s Association visited the Office of the Aging Administration ycstc1:-;i,1y and gave free haircut services to the manamkos.

Association President Yoon Boon Soon said the free haircut service to the manamkos started last year and the group is planning to make it a yearly liolidav treat.

··\Ve.arc doing the services to the employee; or the Aging Administration as part of our strong commitment to help the comn;unity in every possible wav we can because we arc pa1~t of this society ... Yoon said.

• •

Yoon said that the association has I 5 hairdressers visit- Members of the Korean Women's Association visited the Office of Aging Administration yesterday and

rendered free haircut services to the center employees. Photo by Louie c. Alonso

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Beach Road Chalan Laolao, (Next lo Triple "J" Motors and CNMI Travel) Phone 235·6111, Fax 235-6714,

ing the Aging Office every month.

The htiirdressers, Yoon said, arc working at Ycsol Beauty Shop in Chalan Kanoa.

The Manamkos on Saipan were getting tremendous support from the whole community especially this holiday season.

UOGprogram gets into WTO

By Tanya M.C. Mendiola Variety News Staff

HAGATNA - The University of Guam's International Tourism Program has been accepted by the World Tourism Organization, further elevating its status as a premier institution of higher learning in the Western Pacific.

The noti fice of acceptance into the organization was sent from the WTO headquarters in Madrid, Spain. UOG had submitted an appl icalion last June after receiving endorsement from the Guam Visitors' Bureau, said Chris Be jado an outreach worker with the university tourism program.

The program's application was approved earlier this month during the annual WTO Executive Council meeting in Ushuaia, Argentina. According to a press statement issued from the university,Jose LuisZoreda, of the WTO Chief Executive Office, said the university's acceptance into the international organization shows that the university has received recognition by global leaders and it is indicative of the growth of the UOG International Program.

Bcjado said the international program at the university is very happy lo have bccn accepted and

, Guam Calendar·· PHILIPPINE history & culture club organizational meeting tonight

Filipino residents on Guam will meet at 7 p.m. today at the Guahan Room, Pacific Star Hotel to discuss ways of' organizing the Kapisanan para sa Kasaysayan at Kultura ng Pilipinas (Association on Philippine History and Culture).

Tonight's program includes prayers and blessing by Fr. Tony Bobis, opening remarks by Ronnie Rcdila, patriotic songs rendered by Tony Grcdonia and Alpha CascrEspina, and poetry (Rizal 's "Last Farewell") reading by Fr. Manny Jcrus.

Ben Afuang will lt:ad the open discussion.

GCC trustees meeting The Guam Community Col

k:gc board of trustees will hold its semi-monthly meeting at 5 p.m. on Jan. 6 in the GCC

Continuea on page 23

WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 30, 1998-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND YIEWS-11

Supplier sues Tinian Dynasty By Rene P. Acosta Variety News Staff

A COMPANY suppiyingconsttuction materials has lodged a case against the Tinian Dynasty Hotel ,rndCasinoseekingsome $237, I 06 in payments.

The civil suit was filed Monday before the Superior Coutt by officials of the FPA PacificCorp. based in Tinian against Hongkong Overseas Entertainment Investment Limited, which operates the hotel and casino.

In its complaint. FP A alleged that at the start of 1998, it has suppiiedconstmction materials and fronted labor for the hotel based on a verbal agreement that the invoices will be paid by the latter in thirty

days. The respondent ha, also allegedly

agreed to pay about 1.5 percent per month including attorney's fee that will be incull'ed in the collection of the remaining balance.

However, despi tc repeated demands by the supplier, Tinian hotel and casino had allegedly failed to settle its account, prompting the f om1er to file the case.

FPA had alleged that the respondents breached the agree rnent when it only delivered and made a single payment last November 1997 in the amount of $7,099 but failed Lo pay the remaining balance of $237,106 including interest.

FP A said as of this date, the interest is aheady $7,000 and is

Saipan Express off to Guam for dry docking ONE OF two high-speed fenies operated by Tinim1 Shipping & Transportation Inc. depmted from Tinian and anived on Guam 3 p.m. for hull inspection on Monday.

The D1ydoc:king of Saipan Express is an rnmual inspection required for high-speed craft to class specification for the Panama Flag Administration.

increasing at the rnle of $3,556. Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Ca

sino was given 20 days after its receipt of a copy of the complaint, to file its answer.

at

Early this month, fo1mer House Speaker Pedro R. Deleon GucITero also sued the hotel and its officials for damages after he was reportedly manhandled by officials and

security men of the hotel while he was playing casino.

GueITero has asked for more than $1 million in damages as compensation.

A ''Titanic'' n own

Join our party for a re-creation of the Titanic movie! (Don't worry, the hotel won't sink)

Saipm1Exp1esswas built by K vaemerFjeilstnmd(s)Pte. Ltd. inSingapo1e to safety standards requi1ed under SOLAS (Safety of Life At Sea convention).

Since there me no shipyard faci Ii tics on Saipan or Ti ni,m to accommodate ships at this size ,md type pa~sengervessel, the feny had to be taken to the nemest available facility which wa, Guam.

Gilligan·s at the

The Saipan Exp1ess and the Tinirn1 Exp1ess, worth $11 million, are part of the se1vices offe1ed by Hong Kong Entertainment Investment Co. Ltd, which operates the Tinim1 DYJla~ty & Casino.

The two fcnies have been operating a high-speed passenger sc1vicc for two yem-s between Tini,m m1dSaipan Lo accommodate island rcsidenL, mid Tinian Dyna,ty 6ruest, and casino players. .

In the meantime, Tini,m Express is keeping the nrnmal daily schedule ,md will be taken to Guam later next month for d1y-docking as well.

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Fiji police chief cleared of nepotism and abuse SUVA (Pacnews)-Fiji's Police Commissioner. Isikia Savua. has been cleared of all allegations of nepotism and abuse of office.

ll1e Disciplined Services Commission has ruled there is insufficient evidence to prosecute on the last two allegations it received from the Directo1~of Public Prosecutions office against Sarna.

A seniorpolice officer had made the allegations against Savua c,u-licr in tl~c vcar . .iftcr which he was

sent on leave temporarily, and his office investigated.

ll1e Disciplined Services Commission cleared him of all but the last two charges early this month.

In a newspaper adve11iscment. the Commission says this week's ruling on the tw~ outstanding duu·oes b1ings the investigations agai;t theCo-mmissionerto71close. - It ln, called on office10 to rallv

behind Commissioner Savua in hrs attcmpl, to improve the police force.

Tonga asess cy~lone damage Nt;Kt:'ALOFA (Pacnews) -Authorities in the kingdom of Tonga have begun to assess the damage caused bv Cyclone Cora.

Thc-c\Clonc hii ma.inly Tonga ·s cemral group of islands over-the Christmas long-weekend. with winds of up to (60 kilometres per hour.

While infrastructure damage has been limited. foodcrops ha~e

been badly damaged, raising forecasts of a food shortage for the next few months.

The National Disaster Advisory Committee is preparing a full report on the extent of the damage.

-A spokesman says based on the report. cabinet will decide whether to declare a state of emergency or disaster.

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PAGOPAGO (Pacnews) - A waiter at a popular restaurant and bar in the American Samoan capital. Pagopago, lost several fingers when he tried to get rid of a lit cherry bomb inside the restaurant Christmas eve.

Information about the incident is still sketchy but eyewitnesses say they saw a lit che1Ty bomb on a table, seconds before the waiter rnshed over and picked up the

He was apparently trying to throw the explosive out the window but it exploded in his hand.

ll1e victim, in his late twenties, had to undergo extensive surgery and is now reported to be in critical but stable condition.

Doctors are sti II unsure about the number of fingers the victim lost because his hand was maimed.

While cheny bombs are contraband material and are not for sale in American Samoa, it's be-

fishing boats. Cherry bombs were heard ex

ploding throughout the Christmas holiday especially in the Pagopago area.

There were also reports of youngsters throwing cherry bombs at passing cars.

Pol ice say whoever was responsible for the incident will be charged and prosecuted.

bomb

No allowance, no overtime work, insist senior police staff in Fiji SUV A (Pacnews) - In an unprecedented move, senior police officers in Fiji are taking the government to task overunpaidovertime allowance.

The officers have decided they will not work overtime because the government has not paid them an allowance it had promised for working extra hours.

The officers include assistant superintendents, superintendents, senior superintendents and assistant commissioners of police.

According to local media reports, they have decided to work only eight hours a day from this week, affecting special police operations during the busy festive season.

The Secretary of the Gazetted Off:cers Association, Senior Superintendent J ahir Khan, is quoted as saying the officers are very disappointed with the delay in payment by the Public Service Commission.

He says they cannot understand why the PSC is delaying the payment when cabinet has approved

Dengue claims its first victim as gov't says it's under control

SUV A (Pacnews) - The deadly dengue fever has claimed its first victim, following widespread reports that the disease was raising its head in Fiji again despite extensive measures taken by medical and civic authorities.

A 73-yearold man died while being rushed to hospital by boat from an outer island last week.

He was bleeding internally after suffering from high fever for two days.

The Ministry of Health says

prompt action by the relevant authorities has minimised the chances of a dengue epidemic.

A spokesman says the public has to desu-oy potential mosquito breeding sites to prevent another outbreak.

Last year, a dengue epidemic claimed I 4 lives.

Since then, municipal authorities in Fiji's major urban centres have spent nearly 50,CXXJ dollars (25,(XX) US dollm,) in cle,m up :md ,mti-mosqu i to spraying c,m1pai gns.

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the funds for it. The PSC has not commented, 111e government had promised

gazetted officers a 12.5 percent allowance while the other regular officers were expected to get 2.5 percent.

The payment of the extra duty allowance would have been covered by one million dollars (500,000 US dollars) that cabinet had approved. -The money was also for the purchase of new vehicles and communications systems.

Shape up or ship out, Solomons· officials told HONIARA (Pacnews) - The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands has warned the boards and managements of state-owned enterprises and statutory authorities they will be replaced if they don't perform.

Speaking at the recent National Summit in Honiara, Bm1holomew Ulufa'alu said public sector entities will be required to publish clear and feasible plans and provide prompt and full accounts of their work.

Ulufa'alu says churches and other non-government organisations will also be required to give a full account of money and other resources received from the government, or the grants will be stopped.

It is part of the government's policy to be accountable to the people of Solomon Islands and to overseas donors.

The Solomons has more than 30 public enterprises and statutory authorities.

Despite substantial capital investment in them over the past decades, the government has received negligible overall returns from them, while their services have remained generally poor.

The Solomons government is reviewing public sector enterprises with a view to improve and privatise some of them.

There's no HOPE in DOPE

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER, 30, 1998 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-13

Estrada: Evidence vs Marcos is \Veak MANILA (PHNO) - President Joseph Estrada admitted Monday that the government may have no recourse but to enter into a compromise deal with the Marcos family because 12 ye,U'S of investigation have produced nothing but weak and insufficientevidence to recover the alleged ill- gotten wealth of the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

Joseph Estrada

A group of communist New People's Army rebels raise their firearms to salute the 30th anniversary of their armed struggle somewhere in the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges in the country's main island of Luzon on Sunday. The rebels are urged to fight for a Marxist state for another 100 years. AP

"For 12 years, former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos had been trying to recover the unexplained wealth of the Mmcos family.Their administrations failed probably because they have insufficient pieces of evidence," the President said during a press conference at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

··we are working out if there is a possibility of getting the money immediately foruse by the government to help the poor,'' the President added.

initiated by the Presidemial Commission on Good Government (PCGG) were "dismissable" cases because they were no longer covered underthe l 0-yearprescription period of the law.

ADB warns RP on loans Even the Mmcos family's busi

ness associates are winning their cases in comts and at the Office of the Ombudsman.

The offenses committed, he said, took place in the late 1960s or 1970s. Desierto said the cases were still filed too late.

MANILA, Philippines (AP)- The Asian Development Bank warned the Philippines on Monday that growing corporate loan defaults may pose a threat to the country's banking system.

Ina country report, the A DB said a critical factor affecting the economy's ability to recover quickly will be the pace at which the heal th of the banking sector can be restored.

The ADE praised the way the government handled a labor dispute that nearly closed Philippine Airlines Inc. earlier this year, as well as its efforts to find an investor for the loss-making airline.

But the ADB said the episode "highlighted the financial distress facing many corporate entities."

Since the currency turmoil broke in June I 997, companies continue to grapple with the burden of high interest rates.

The Manila-based bank noted the ratio of bad loans to total outstanding loans in the banking system has risen from a pre-crisis level of 4 per cent to I 0. 5 per cent in August.

"A close watch over the growing number of non-performing loans will have to be kept so as to prevent declining asset quality from fatally infecting the banking and corporate sectors," the report said.

Some economists believe there will be a marked rise_ possibly to 15 percent_in the ratio of bad bank

Children sort out New Year firecrackers and pyrotechniques for sale at stalls in Bocaue, Bulacan province, north of Manila Sunday. AP

loans in the coming months, butthe levels should fall from mid-1999 in step with an expected recovery in the broader economy.

Still, as a measure of the resil-

icnce of the Philippine economy, its bad-loan ratio is still considerably lower than the ravaged banking systems of neighboring countries.

----- \ --·-· - .......... _

Ombudsman Aniano Desicrto said earlier that most of the suits

It's about time everyone had a well-made car.

President Estrada commented that in the lawsuits against the Mmcoses and their associates, "It is only the lawyers who me making money."

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14:M_6Rll'.,_l'.IAS V /\RJETY ['.IEWS_ANJ:) YIE~S-WEDNESQ,A._Y-DECEMBER 30, 1998 T _ _ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1998 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-15

Northern Marianas Housing Corporation ( MHC) presents fourteen house plans for semi-customed homes, ideally designed for the tropics and

could be easily modified, which are available for purchase at a greatly reduced price.

Three-Bedroom, Two-Bath (C1140-32) House Plan

•······.···\'i~J?''c:\i~ a/::~'f'./

Three-Bedroom, Two-Bath (C1100-32) House Plan

Three-Bedroom, One Bathroom (C1300-31 )House Plan

Three-Bedroom, Two-Bath (C1396-32) House Plan Three Bedroom, Three Bathroom (C1600-33(2)) House Plan

Two-Story, Four-Bedroom, Three Bath (C1830-43) Octagonal Three-Bedroom, Two-Bath (C1550-32)

Two-Bedroom, One-Bathroom (C1010-21) Three-Bedroom, One-Bathroom (C1090-31) House Plan

Stop by NMHC's central office in Garapan fbr details or call 234-7689/7670/6866/9447.

Three-Bedroom, One-Bathroom (C1330-31) House Plan

Three-Bedroom, Two-Bathroom (C1290-32) House Plan

Two-Bedroom, One Bathroom (960-21) House Plan

Three-Bedroom, Two-Bathroom (C1320-32)

16MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND V(EWSW~DNESDAY DECEMOiawa tells PM

to keep his word

~ .

Homeless peopl; and their supporters burn trash _in s,tre~t a.s they confront helmeted municipal workers (foreground) m Nlshman ward, Osaka, western Japan Monday morning. AP

Obuchi to visit Italy; Germany and franc~

TOKYO(Reuters)-J~pan'sPrime~1lnisterKeizo()~u~hiWillvi.sit France, Italy and Germany and meet with leader~ .there from J~n~ary 6 to 13, the govemmentsaicJ,pn:Monday ... · > < .•.. ·.•• .•.·.•. <.> < >

Obuchi is scheduled tome~tFrenchPresidentJacques Ghll'llsar1d Prime Minister Lionel J ospin; ItaJian Pfl'!sidenJOsc:µ: .LMigi ~calfai;p and Prime MinisteT 'Mas~imo D'Alema, Pope Jahn Paul, Genniin President Roman Herzog and Chance\lorOerhard Schroeder, Deputy Cabinet Secretary Mitsuhiro Uesugi said. · . ·. .

The premier will be accompanied by Economic Planning Agency chief Taichi Sakaiya and Hirotaro Higuchi, bead ofObuchi's Ect,c nomic Strategy Council. . . . . . .

Uesugi said the trip was aimed at strengthening reJa1:wns of amity and cooperation between Japan and the European nations.

By Yoko Nishikawa TOKYO (Reuters) - Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's plans for a coalition to help him pass financial legislation hit a snag on Monday after policy disagreements with his expected co::1\ition paroier forced him to postpone a meeting with the party leader.

Obuchi, president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Pmty, was to have met with Liberal Party leader Ichiro Ozawa on Monday to iron out final details of the planned coalition, which the premier reportedly wanted to launch around January 6.

But Ozawa told a news conference he thought members of the government ;nd Obuchi's LDP were less thaneagertocarry out the policies.

"I cannot feel their zeal to keep the promise and decisively implement policies we agreed on," Ozawa said.

111e two pmties remained at odds over security policy, with news repmts saying the LDP was balking at Liberal proposals for more active participation by Japan 'smilitm)' in logistical support for U.N. policekeeping operations.

Monday's meeting was to have fleshed out an earlier agreement on establishing principles for using Japan's military under the pacifist postwar Constitution. Ozawa has long called for the Self-Defence Forces to shoulder a greater international role in his bid to make Japan a "nonnal country."

But Ozawa, who reportedly was to have been offered the home af-

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ... WHO ARE THE VICTIMS?

Women are attacked about six times more oflcn by offenders with whom they had an intimate rclntinnship lhan were nwk violence victims.

Nearly 30 percent of all female homicide victims were known to have been killed by their husbands, former husbands or boyfriends.

In contrast, just over 3 percent of male homicide victims were known to have been killed by their wives, former wives or girlfriends.

Husbands, former husbands, boyfriends and ex-boyfriends committed more than one million violent acts against women.

Family members or other people they knew committed more than 2.7 million violent acts against won1cn.

Husbands, former husbands. boyfriends and ex-boyfriends committed 26 percent of rapes and sexL1a\ assaults.

45 percent of all violent attacks against female victims 12 years old and older by multiple offenders involve offenders they know.

• The rate of intimate-offenders attacks on women separated from their husbands was about 3 times higher than that of divorced women and about 25 times higher than that of married women.

Wcm1en of all races were equally vulnerable to attacks by intimates.

Female victims of violence were more likely to be injured when attacked by someone they knew than female victims of violence who were attacked by strangers.

Every Home A Safe Home There's NO EXCUSE for Family Violence

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lchiro Ozawa

fairs post in the new government, pressed Obuchi to keep his word and implement policies they agreed in November when they decided to fonn a coalition government.

"The promise of a prime minister is a serious matter," Ozawa said.

Working-level meetings were continuing on Monday between the two parties, and news reports said Obuchi and Ozawa might still meet on Monday night.

The coalition would create a stronger parliamentary power base for the LDP, which has a comfortable majority in the 500-seatHouse of Representatives, or Lower House, but lacks a majority in the 252-seat Upper House, or House of Councillors.

The LDP, with 104 seats in the Upper House, will still be short of a majority because the Liberals have only 12 seats. But the LDP would expect to easily win the support of independents and smaller parties to make up the remaining 11-seat gap.

The government and LDP have been reluctant to allow more active involvement by the SDF in United Nations peacekeeping operations. citing constitutional restrictions.

Ozawa demanded that the govemment clarify the criteria for the SDF to pruticipate in U.N.-sponsored activity in a set of bills on U.S.-Japan defence cooperation guidelines to be deliberated in a parliamentary session starting in January.

Government spokesman Hiromu Nonaka was.quoted as hinting that

Keizo Obuchi

the planned coalition could be scrapped if Ozawa's proposal on security issues required a revision of the official interpretation of the U.S.-drafted constitution, something the LDP opposes.

"If they (the Liberal Party) seek a new interpretation of the constitution including Article 9, we may have to go back to square one. The constitution must be discussed in the Diet (parliament)," Nonaka said during a trip to Okinawa, according to Japanese media.

Article 9 bars Japan from using military force to settle any international dispute. Japan bas said it can use military force only when attacked.

Ozawa said he did not care if his party did not get a cabinet post in the cabinet reshuffle.

"I have told the prime minister a few times the Liberal Party would not ask for a cabinet post so long as policies we had agreed on would be implemented," Ozawa said.

Although the home affairs portfolio would help Ozawa implement his call to reduce the number of parliament members and cabinet posts, media reports said Ozawa was unhappy with the post, which he held IO years ago. He was said to be seeking a higher portfolio, including the designation of deputy premier.

Ozawa proposed the two parties form several teams todiscuss policy issues so that the new coalition would be able to jointly submit necessary bills in the January parliamentm)' session which starts on January 19.

Yearen_d shoppe~s stroll underneath a huge decoration featuring Rabbit, Chinese zo~1ac calendar's !'Yr,:rbol for the year 1999 at Tokyo's Asakusa shopping and tounst d1stnct Monday. Struggling in the worst recession, people hope the year of rabbits will make the economy leap and bound up. AP

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1998 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-17

HK exports, production fall HONG KONG (AP) - Weaker demand for Hong Kong products led to a sharp decline in exports and industrial production, while the territory's tradr: deficit narrowed, the government said Monday.

Exports fell by 9.3 percent in November, compared with the same month 1 ast year, to I 13 .I billion Hong Kong dollars (U.S. $ 14.5 billion).

The slackened demand for Hong Kong products took a toll on industrial production, which fell by I 0.2 percent in the JulySeptember quarter, compared with the same period a year earlier.

Output of the food, beverage, and tobacco industries fell by 15.8 percent. Basic metals and fabricated metal products' output also fell by 14.7 percent. Production in the textile industry also fell sharply, by 13.2 percent.

A government spokesman attributed the expo1t decline to a plunge in demand from Japan, other East Asian economies bit by the regional financial tutmoil, and, in recent months, a drop in European and U.S. demand.

For the first 1 1 months of the yem·, exports fell 6.9 percent and imports, hit by falling domestic demand, dropped 11 percent, an

economic report said. Products that come in from main

land China _ and then are re-exported elsewhere_ were off by 8.2 percent, whi\edomesticexports fell by 15.8 percent in the first 11 months of 1998.

The Chinese-made products make up the majority of Hong Kong's exports.

Exports to mainland China also continued to fall, thegovemmentsaid.

Meanwhile, weak domestic demand led to a smaller trade deficit of 74.7 billion Hong Kong dollars (U.S.$9.6billion)inthe I I-month period, compared with a 145.8 billion Hong Kongdollm·(U.S. $ 18.7 billion) deficit in the same period last year, the repon said.

The November deficit amounted to 700 million Hong Kong dollars (U.S. $ 89.7 million), or just 0.6 percent of the value of imports.

The decline in industrial production was also partially due to the relocation of production to mainland China, the government said.

Siu Kei-fun, sales supervisor at the Fu Yu h_erbal medicine company, left, prepares a Chinese herbal medicine prescription as another unidentified worker sorts out roots 1n Hong Kong Monday. The government wants to develop Hong Kong as an international center for Chinese medi1?ine and has been actively funding such research projects. Health authorities in recent years have also tightened control of the industry. AP

Moody's considered most influential rating agency TOKYO (AP) - Japanese companies consider Moody's Investors Service to have the biggest impact of any ratings agency on their funding and investment decisions, but they said foreign rating companies tend to underestimate Japanese corporations, a think-tank said Monday.

The survey of Japanese companies by the Japan Center for International Finance said twothirds of respondents expressed concern that agencies Moody's and Standard and Poor's have excessive influence in the markets, hindering sound competition from other rating companies.

Because of the outstanding market share of these two companies, which is estimated to be around 80 percent combined, companies tapping global markets have little choice but to ask for a rating from these globally intluenti:11 companies, JCIF said.

adept at predicting business failures in Japan than in the United States.

For example, of the 25 Japanese companies which Moody's five years ago rated at or below the speculative "Ba" level, none has been declared in default, whereas in the United States, the chances for companies rated "Ba" by Moody's to be in default within five years averaged 20 percent in the 1990s, JCIF said.

"The data suggest that Moody's ratings on Japanese firms up until now may have taken lightly intrinsic structural factors in Japanese corporate governance which have kept the rate of default low," JCIF said.

JCIF surveyed 264 companies including financial institutions from June to August this year. More than half, or 149, responded to questions about problems and evaluations of each rating company.

JCIF's survey covered Moody's, Standard and Poor's, Fitch IBCA, Thomson BankWatch, Japan Credit Rating Agency, and Japan Rating and Investment Information.

Singapore's production slides further SINGAPORE (AP) Singapore's manufacturing output, a key economic indicator, shrank 3.3 percent last month compared to the same period a year ago, the government Economic Development Board said Monday.

November's contraction was less severe than October's yearon-year dip of 7.5 percent, but deeper than the 0.8 percent decline in September, the board said.

Production in the fields of precision, transport and process engineering slumped IO percent in November compared to the previous year.

But the electronics sector, which accounts for the largest proportion of the counU)''s industrial output, managed a 0.4 percent gain last month.

T11e board said in a statement that the growth in electronics "was due to higher output of computers. computer peripherals, printed circuit boards ... and telecommunications equipment in response to orders from the U.S. and Europe."

Production in the chemicals industry _including petroleum. petrochemicals. pharn1aceuticals and specialty chemicals _ grew 5.1 percent compared with November last year, it said.

About 60 percent of the respondents also called for all rating companies to boost their accountability on rating actions, claiming that a lack of sufficient explanation on a rating action has often led to confusion among investors.

U.S. agencies have downgraded the debt ratings of a number of top-flight Japanese companies in recent years as the country grapples with the Asian financial crisis and the worst recession in decades at home. Some in Japan, however, have questioned the accuracy of the ratings.

Companies generally had high marks for S and P and Moody's for their high-quality analytical reports, and the scope and magnitude of their rating coverage.

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The JCIF report said the ratings agencies seemed to be less

Fitch IBCA was regarded as providing the best investor information on structured finance.

Japanese rating agencies were considered slightly better than others in their analysis and rating performance for Japanese companies.

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Th;ilaiidAYSe~I~ ~ f{rowfli-in '99 BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -Thailand's recession-stricken economy should grow 0.9 percent next year after shrinking 7 .8 percent in 1998. a national planning board reported Monday.

Wirat Wattanasiritham. secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Board. told government economic ministers tl;at the major external factors would be cxpo11 performance. exchange rates and the state of global markets.

Exports are forecast to expand 4.8 percent next year in dollar terms. Wirat said, after a contraction this year that the central bank has estimated at 6. 7 percent to 6. 9 percent.

ll1e central bank and the board curTentlv develop their own economic p-rojections. Finance MinisterT,llTin Nimmanhaeminda has

said a project is under way to develop a unified system by 2000.

Tan-in told reporters after the meeting that both institutions are basing forec:1sts on an average exch,~1ge rate for the Thai bahtof 36 to 37 per U.S. dollar.

The economy. will expand at not less than 0.9 percent, Tan-in said.

ll1ailand posted some of the highest economic rates in the w;rld, about 8 percent, during a boom in the early 1990s.

The bubble burst last year when the then-government floated the baht after an unsuccessful defense against speculators, triggering a n{eltdown that spread economic crisis in much of Asia.

Thailand's recession has been the worst since World War TL TI1e jobless rate has nearly.tripled and many financial institutions have

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been shut down or nationalized. Since taking power a year ago,

Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai's

17 .2 billion bailout mrnnged by the International Monetary Fund has restored a measure of confi-

The baht has regained about half the value it lost and the stock market has staged a mild recov-

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Wife of jailed former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Azizah Ismail, left, walk~ with Nurul lzzah, third woman from left,and Nurul Nuha, fifth woman from left, and the lawyers after the tnal Monday, in Kuala Lumpur. Lawyers defending that blood samples were taken from Anwar Ibrahim while he was unconscious. AP

Malaysia Health Ministry plays down report about deadly virus KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - The Health Ministry played down a news report on Monday that said mandatory vaccinations would be given to 10,000 residents in a town outside Kuala Lumpur to prevent the outbreak of a deadly virus.

"The outbreak is already over. We r.lon 't want to panic everybody," said Tee Ahsian, an official in the Ministry's Disease Control Unit.

According to a report in Monday's Star newspaper, some l 0,000 people living and working in the vicinity of 16 pig farms in the town of Shah Alam were told to register for vaccinations against Japanese encephalitis.

Health officials have been

monitoring a rise in cases of the virus, which is believed to be passed to people by mosquitoes that have bitten infected pigs. Twenty cases have been reported in the past year, including seven deaths.

Mos teases of the disease have been reported in the western state of Perak and in Sarawak state on Borneo island. None have been reported in Shah Alam, 25 kilometers ( 16 miles) west of the capital.

Izhar Kadarman, the head of the municipal council's health department, was quoted as saying the health ministry considered the municipality a high risk area, however, due to the num-ber of pig farms. ·

Tee, of the ministry, said that

Shah Alam had not been specified as a high risk area, since no cases of the disease have been reported there. She added a census was still being taken to determine the number of people potentially at risk.

The ministry has, however, advised workers on pig farms to be vaccinated, Tee said.

According to a ministry report last month, the disease, which attacks the brain, is not transmitted by eating pork. S yrnptoms include high fever and headaches for up to a week, muscle and back aches, vomiting, drowsiness and a coma several days later.

ln Malaysia, there are strict rules governing the sale of pork, · which canriot be eaten by the country's Muslim majority.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 30, 1998 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-19 ' ·~~--- ··-

Indonesia riots erupt

Indonesia Muslim youths hurl rocks at brothels in Belawan on Sumatra island, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) northwest of Jakarta in this image made from television Friday. Violence broke out in the red-fight district when several thousand Muslims staged a protest to demand that the local government curb prostitution during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which began a week ago. AP

Taiwan orders plastics company to take back waste from Cambodia TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)- The Taiwan government on Monday ordered Formosa Plastics to ship back 3,000 tons of mercury-laced waste it had dumped in Cambodia, saying its toxic level slightly exceeded safety standards.

The company questioned the methodology of the tests, performed by an environmental group, and made no commitments about shipping the waste back to Taiwan.

Formosa Front, saying earlier government analyses showed the waste met the safety standards.

Lee Chih-chun, general manager of the company, said it will send a team of European and U.S. specialists to Cambodia to conduct its own sampling and tests before deciding whether to ship the waste back.

In a statement, the company

said, "we will take full responsibility for this unfortunate incident, which has caused jitters among the Cambodian government and its people."

After the incident is settled, it sair.l, it will "make consolations" to the Cambodian people, including paying for the expenses of a Japanese team that analyzed the waste.

By IRWAN FIRDAUS JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -Mobs armed with sickles and swords on Monday battled each otherand hurled gasoline bombs at houses and shops in an Indonesian provincial town.

At least 22 people were injured and hundreds of residents fled their homes.

ll1e riots in the town of Poso on Sulawesi island were triggered by weekend brawls between rival gangs of youths. The unrest escalated partly into attacks by townspeople on the homes of migrants from the main island of Java.

But the motive for much of the violence was unclear, with mobs attacking stores and houses at random. Rioters set afire as many as 20 buildings and threw stones at the bus station. a local resident. Hajj Fatma. said by telephone.

"The center of the town was blackened from the smoke billowing into the sky," Fatma said. She was preparing food for civilian guards who patrolled neighborhoods, fearing more violence.

At least 100 families fled to a mountain outside Poso while others sought shelter with relatives. One witness said he saw eight tmckloads of rioters drive into his neighborhood.

"I have to go because they 're coming here," he said by telephone before hanging up.

Police and soldiers were also deployed to protect government buildings and mosques and churches in Paso, 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) no11heast of Jaka11a. Shops were closed and buses stayed off the streets.

A nurse at the local hospital said by telephone that 22 people were injured, including one man whose neck had been cut by a sword.

Other victims bled from head wounds after being hit by rocks. Indonesia has endured sporadic riots this year amid economic hm·dshipand rising ethnic and religious tensions.

Deadly riots in Jakarta helped force former President Suharto to quit in May after 32 years of authmitarian mle.

Wearing protective clothing, Cambodian soldiers fill a barrel during the collection of industrial waste in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Wednesday. Initial test results show that 3,000 tons of mercury-tainted waste dumped recently in coastal Cambodia are highly toxic, a Taiwanese environmental group said Friday. AP

Five deaths have been blamed on the waste_ a dock worker who died a day after cleaning the hold of the ship that brought it, and four more killed in road accidents in a panic-stricken exodus from the area where it was discovcn:d more than two weeks ago.

Stop Light Nile Club The government's Environ

mental Protection Bureau ~aid tests of the waste samples show a mercury level of 0.284 parts per million, compared with the 0.2 parts per mil I ion safety standard set by the government.

The samples were taken back from the dump site in Cambodia Saturday by the environmental group Green Formosa Front.

"It poses no immediate health threat and we urge Cambodians not to panic," Fu Shu-chiang. head of the Burcau 's Waste Control Department told a news conference.

.. But we want the waste to be shipped back to Taiwan before other alternatives can be considered."

The Cambodi:111 government has asked Taiwan to take the waste back, accusing Taiwan or trying to dump toxic waste in poor countries.

But Formosa Plastics, which generated the waste, questioned the sampling method used by

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TWA says 'sickout' is over B JIM SALTER tween Timrsday and Sunday, leav- TWA spokesman] 1111 Brown said.

ST.y LOUIS (AP) . A holiday ing thousands stranded over t~1e 'Tm sure there were peoRle who

k d f · k \I b Tr.

11 · holidays·1tTWA'sLambe1tAtr· werevcrymuchmccnsed, Brown.

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· - · b f , II· t· ns 90 work twice as hard to retam their caused widespread flight cancel- num er o c_ance .110 • _ -

lations the airline said cost it mil- came on Christmas Day. _ business."

lions of dollars. The U.S. airline claimed flight Operations had returned to nor- attendants stag~d _a sickout durmg

For some, that will be a tall task.

mal Mondav. contract negouauons. The u~1on The work stoppage resulted in denied orchestrating a job action:.

"I think it is tmibly in-esponsible what they are doing," said

Continued on page 2~ about 200 flight cancellations be- "We 're back to nonnal today,

II _J

DEATH ANNOUNCEMENT Jn ~ meH11YUf °t

Ambrosio Reyes

Camacho Born: December 7, 1947 Died: December 27, 1998

PREDECEASED BY:

Mother: ~ lurii'I Reves Ci'lmi'lc:hu Brother: FrnrH-.isc:o· R. Cami'lcho

Fillher: lose Son Nicolas Cilmacho Fc1ther-1IrLc1w: Napoleon Legilspi Poblete.

SURVIVED BY: Wi1e: Mil. Theres<1 Poblde Comacho Son: Ch<1rles Ev<1ns Poblete Cc1mc1cho Brother 8" Sisters-lirLc1w: Sister e; Brother-in-Lc1w:

Vicente f; Mulou Com<1cho. lune C. Poblete. D<1niel r; :\fo~~ie Cmnucho. ~forie Ann C. Poblete lose R_. Cmnucho. luc1n R_eyes C<1stro

Mother-in-Lc1w: Ambros AnQel: Vir<,iniil Cerniilz Pob\de Trishio Diurme C. Poblete

The remains is still ot c1-1c. Ni~htly Ros<1ry is being said at 8:00pm at the fomily residence

in Kogm1in IL The Funerol will be announced of c1 lotcr d1ite.

Thank you. TIIE FAMILY

------------------_----_-----, L•

SJECONJD YJEAJfl ANNIIVlElflSAl~Y

Fermin Muna Quitugua ,1\so kno\\'11 ·" (Fermin Ankoi)

\\'t)ul.J lib: to in\'itc .1!\ rt.:l.1ti\'l'S, :md friends to join us in l''·"'cr I'm llllr Bdm·cd l-lusb,111d, F.nhcr,

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\),\llY MASS AS fOLLOWS:

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On Sunday, January 3, 1999 at 6:00 am Mass will be offered at St. Jude Church. We the family would like to invite everyone to join

us for breakfast at the Social Hall.

eJ/iadz 'lfo.u, 'tf~ !Ve. Si 'lfu'uA Mc.'cv.1e. t!J.()}/, alJ ~ ~ LUISA MATAGOLAI-QUITUGUA YAN I FAMILIA

---- -----

Ciibans, Haitians hit Fla. beaches

By Angus MacSwan MIAMI (Reuters) - A wave of Cuban and Haitian illegal immi orants has hit south Florida be:ches in the past few days, probably hoping U.S. authorities had let their guard down over the holiday season, officials said on Monday.

Authorities believed smugglers using speed boats were behind all but one of eight landings between West Palm Beach and the Florida Keys, Border Patrol special agent Keith Roberts said.

"There are certainly signs that smugglers believe we are not fully manned at this time and that public sentiment is against keeping people incarcerated over the holidays," he told Reuters.

A total of 46 Cubans and 30 Haitians had been picked up as well as six Jamaican females since Saturday.

One group of 18 Cubans, including four children, landed on the shore at Miami Beach's trendy Ocean Drive on Monday morning.

"Otherthen being a little wet they were all in good shape except one man we sent to hospital," Roberts said.

11,ey had been brought in by speed boat, a typical smuggling method.

Two children were among a

group of seven Cuban migrants rounded up a few miles (kms) further south at Key Biscayne_ Authorities also seized a 30-foot (IO metres) fishing vessel.

"They are bringing in children again, which always makes things more difficult," Roberts said.

The 30 Haitians landed in two separate boatloads further north at West Palm Beach.

All the illegal immigrants had been detained while immigration authorities interviewed them.

Most Cubans who reach U.Sshores after fleeing their communist-ruled· homeland are eventually allowed to stay although the fate of Haitians is more precarious_

Over the years thousands of Cu bans, Hai ti ans and others driven from their homelands by

poverty, turmoil or. repression have tried to reach Florida, often making their way on rafts or flimsy boats.

This year saw a surge in the involvement of smuggling gangs, charging from between $1,000 to $5,000 per head.

In the case of Cubans, wouldbe migrants are typically dropped at small islands in the Bahamas, then picked up and run into the south Florida coast in speed boats.

Jose Basulto, leader of the Cuban exile organisation Brothers to the Rescue, said he had received a call from two Cubans on Saturday who had crossed the seas by raft.

They had come ashore at Key Largo, where two German tourists gave them money for a taxi to Little Havana, heart of Miami's Cuban community. They called Basulto from a convenience store in "Calle Ocho" (8th St.) asking him to help them.

Basulto said his organisation, which sends up private planes to scour the Florida Straits for migrants, might increase its weekly patrols if the surge continued.

"We have always condemned cases of smuggling," Basulto told Reuters. "U;fortu-nately it seems that there (are) always people who are willing to take advantage of the suffering of our (Cuban) people and the result is what you saw recently."

He was referring to an incident in which 14 Cubans drowned off the Miami coast after their speedboat capsized on Dec 17.

Two Cuban U.S. residents, who survived along with seven others, arc now in a Miami jail charged with alien smuggling.

The Coast Guard, meanwhile, said it would return eight Cubans to Cuba on Monday who had been picked up at sea last week. bringing to about 1,000 the number of Cu bans rescued by the Coast Guard this year.

Under a 1996 agreement between Havana and Washington, which ended a long-standing-U.S. policy of granting virtually automatic asylum to migrants. nearly all Cubans found at sea are returned to the island_

A U.S._ Coast Guard vessel pull~ up next to a half submerged powerboat follow_ing a fatal boat(ng accident near Elliot Key, Fla. The boat, carrying Cuban~ fleeing their homeland, capsized in the choppy Atlantic, killing eight people, the largest number of smuggled refugees ever to die in waters off the southeastern U.S. coast. AP

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30 , 1998 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS A!',/[)~J_E:Y.,-S-21 -~-~----------- ----------------- --- --------~---- ---~~------

Russia trims armed forces

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV MOSCOW(AP)-PrcsidentBoris Yeltsin said Monday that Russia's armed forces have been cut to 1.2 million troops.down from 1.5 million troops a year ago, and meeting the government's tm·get for reducing the militm-y.

Yeltsin spoke during a meeting with Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev, who briefed the president on the progress of aimy refom1.

"1l1e trn·get is met, the mission is accomplished," Yeltsin summed up, as reporters listened in.

The government has been gradually trimming the bloated and underfunded military, which had about 5 million men during the 1980s.

There are no plans to cut the military below 1.2 million_ still a huge burden for the cash-strapped Russian government, struggling with the gravest economic crisis since the 1991 Soviet collapse.

The Russian military barely functions, lacking funds to buy new weapons or maintain its aging arsenal.

Critics advocate deeper cuts, citing abysmal conditions in the military.

M ilitm)' officials have acknowledged they are short of funds to feed and dress troops. Begging soldiers are a common sight on the streets of Russian cities.

In 1996, Yeltsin pledged to tum the militrn)' into an all-volunteer force and end conscription by the year 2000, but the government later dropped the plan, saying it could not afford a professional mrny.

During the meeting, Yeltsin telephoned Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov to say the government must allocate 3.6 percent of next year's budget to the military_

Russia's coffers arc so bare that the entire 1999 budget calls for government spending of just 575 billion rubles($ 29 billion).

By comparison, the United

Boris Yeltsin

States government collects and spends more than$ 30 billion in an average week.

Sergeyev said, however, that the sum would be enough for the military and thanked Yeltsin for a promised rise in military salaries next year. In the past, the government has usually failed to meet spending promises.

During their meeting, Yeltsin also praised Sergeyev for starting the deployment of the new TopolM ballistic missiles, designed as a backbone of Russia's strategic missile force.

On Sunday, the minister inaugurated the first I OTopol-M missiles at the Tatishchevo missile base, some 650 kilometers (400 miles) south of Moscow.

"We have achieved a very important goal. We have planned to deploy the new Topol-M missiles and we did it on time," Yeltsin said.

The deployment was a major step for Russia's beleaguered military. The government committed scarce resources to the Topol-M, due to replace aging missiles to be cut under the START II mms reduction agreement with the United States.

Russia and the United States signed START II in 1993,andthe U~S. Senate approved it in 1996, but the Communist-dominated Russian parliament has stalled ratification,claiming it would hurt Russia's security.

Isra~l: Baj~~~!~ans violate al)t'f)ort deal JERl)SALEM (Reuters) -J$rael aeeusedthe Palestinian Authority onMond,1y ofstoppi:ng Israeli security officialsJnltnin° specting an EgyRtiill'l plane ~t ' Gaza's new airport artcl thre,\t, ened tq blocl<incomingf!ightsif further inspections were not al,

lowed. -·· .....•.. -·:_.· > Israel's foreign ministJ-y said it

had registered a "sharpprotes(' to the Palestinian Authority for barring the inspection on Sup<foY of an Egyptian executive jetcafrying Palestinian President Yasscr Arnfat, his entourage and other passengers.

''Israel cannot accept the landing of aircraft if the Palestinian Authority does not peimit a full security examination as set forth in the agreement concerning the operation of the airport," a foreign ministry statement said.

Fayez 2'.eidan, director of the Gaza)nternational Airpmt and he.adof tfa~f ,llestinian C?ivil Avia. ti011Aut1~9rity ;decli?edco11101ent . orntl1elsraeliprotest. -... -.

-A seruor Pitle~.tini,)ll security official "'1hOJ'efu~qtobe identis fled said Israel had "fabricated'' the incident.

f~uch a problem ni;ver haps pened,''the official said, )The Jsmeli teamwas not al

lowed tocpnducl an examination of the aircraft's cargo or of the travel documents in the possession of the passengers and the crew. accompanying Chairman Arafat" s small entourage;· the ls" raeli statement said.

Arafat imiu gurnted Gaza International Airport in November as a symbol of Palestinian stntehood and a sign of peacemaking progress with Israel.

0 S°*PPORO

EW YEAR SPECIAL DINNER-BRUNCH BUFFET

SEArOOD r111R DIRRER

Dec. 30th, Jan. 1st, 3rd Adult: $19.70 Kids 4-12: $9.75

All You Can Eat Seafood Dinner Buffet

$10.00 - All You Can Drink Sapporo Beer, Paul Mason White & Red Wine, Johnnie Walker, Red Label, IW-Harper Bourbon

Opens: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

new YEAR SPECllll BRUftCII . , __ _

Jan. 1st 1999 All You Can Eat Brunch Buffet

Adult: $18.00 Kids 4 -12: $12.00 (20% OFF Locals)

Try Our New Mini Sapporo Can On Special

Opens: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

. INVITATION FOR ums' ' . - · . · CIJC~IFB-99-0006 - · .

. ·. · December 30, 1998 · · . · ' . ' . . . . ,

The Office of the Executive Director. Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC). is solicitin~ sealed bids for the construction of the ROTA WATER WELi. DRILLING PROJECT. Ror;i_ Co11111101111·calr/J oi'tJi,, Northern rv1ari~rna Island:,: (CN1\11l). The scaled hid.i..; shall he idenlil°it·d on the outside of 1/1L' l'll\'1..:lo11r..' hy t!JL· ln\·it;iti, ,n !'or Bids No_ Cl/C-IFB-9')-0()[)6. Bids in duplic11c 11ill bc ,1,-ccp1c·d ar rite Office u( 1I1c CI1id, l'r\lc'Urcr11c1t1

and Supply. cue. at Lower Base:, Saipan until 2:UO p.rn .. on January 29. 1 lJ<JlJ. at \\'hil'l1 tune and place II ill be publicly openeu and read aloud.

A bid guarantee of 15 percent of the total bid price just accompany the bids. The security may be in cash, certified check, cashier's check. or other form acceptable 10 the CNMI government made payable to the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation .

The bidder is required to submit with his proposal a copy of his CNMI Business perrnit in compliancl! with the Contractor's Registration and Licensing Laws of the CNMI.

This project is funded by a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEM:\). The award of this project is contingent upon receipt of approval from FEMA.

The project consists of furnishing all the neccssarJ' labor, materials, equipment, tools and services necessary for drilling of three (3) wells in Rota.

A non-refundable payment of $50.00 is required for each set of Plans, Specifications. and Proposal Forms. available on or after January 4, 1999 at the Water Division Office. cue. Saipan. A pre-bid conference for this project is schcdulcu at 10:30 a.m .. on January 15, 19'19. at the: CUC Conference Room. Rola. A project site visit is scheduled following the pre-bid meeting.

Attention is called to the Labor Standard Provisions for Wage Rate Dc'terrnination of the CNMI Classification and Salary Struclure Plans and that payment of not kss than the minimum salaries and wa~cs as set forth in the Specifications must be paid on this project -

ClJC rcscrws the right to reject any or all bids and waive any imperfection in the bid in the interest of the g OV e rn llH.! 11 t.

All inquiries should be din:cted to Rob Carruth at tekphonc number (670) 322-93~3.

TIMOTHY P. VILLAGOMEZ Executive Director

22-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-WEDNESDAY- DECEMBER 30 . 1998 ----·- --------

TWA . . . ~011!i_n_ued from_pa~r:_2~

Bill B,m-ett. whose flight to Raleigh, No11h Carolina, was delayed five hours Sunday.

"!tis ridiculou, to inconvenience

Iraqi ... Continued frnm pa~~-2

cooperating with U.N. arms inspectors.

Iraq. which warned the United States and Britain on Sunday that it would fire at planes flying over its territory. said four Iraqis were killed when the U.S. jets fired missiles at its air defence positions.

An Iraqi military spokesman, quoted by the official Iraqi News Agency. said its air defences had probably shot down a Western military aircraft and that a search was under way for the wreckage of the plane and its pilot.

Tiie United States dismissed the claim. "All coalition aircraft returned without any damage or injuries," a U.S. Defence Department spokesman said.

National Security Council spokesman David Leavy said: "It's totally not true. All our air crew rerumed safely to bases. This is just more propaganda from (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein."

Clinton said the U.S. attack on the Iraqi missile battery was appropriate and that the United States would continue to enforce no-fly zones in the north and south of the country.

"Our pilot, \1avc the authority to protect themselves if they are attacked. They took appropriate action today in responding to Iraq's actions,"he said. ··we will continue to enforce the no-fly zones."

Clinton said he was "proud" of U.S. pilots involved in the latest action. They had "attacked because they were attacked," he said.

Iraq's U.N. envoy scoffed at U.S. comments that its pilots acted in self-defence.

"They (the U.S.)said they acted in their o\.vn defence as if Floridn was attacked, .. Ambassador Nizar

Lott ... Continued from page 2

while both served in the House. Senators close to Lott widely

believe the movement to oust Clinton lacks the 67 votes to succeed.

Fellow Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran said he hasn't talked to Lott in weeks. "But it's not as if this kind of thing is new to him,"Cochran said Monday. He noted that Lott served on the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate proceedings, which forced President Richard Nixon lo resign in 197 4 before a formal i mpcachment vote was held in the House.

"He would like to be able to please everybody but he knows he can't," Cochran added.

Whatever happens, said Lott's Democratic counterpart, the proceedings must

people during the Christmas holiday."

Tiie disrnptions of the holiday flights were the latest in a long line of setbacks for TWA.

The airline has been losing money for a decade and made two llips to bankrnptcy court.

Hamdoon told Reuters. "Iraq has always said that there

is no way that it could recognise the no-fly zones. They are illegal and they have not been estab-1 ished by United Nations resolutions," he said.

The planes, based in Incirlik in Turkey, were enforcing the nofly zone above the 36th parallel, established since the end of the 1991 Gulf War to protect Kurds from any attack by forces loyal to Saddam.

The operation, previously known as Provide Comfort, was renamed Northern Watch following the withdrawal of French aircraft at the end of I 996.

Clinton said that "no-fly zones have been and will remain an important part of our containment policy" against Saddam.

"Because we effectively control the skies over Iraq, Saddam has been unable to use air power against his own people or lash out again at his neighbours," Clinton said in a statement at the start of a speech at an unrelated White House event.

The United States enforces the no-fly zone jointly with Britain. Their planes also patrol a no-fly zone that stretches from the border line with Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan to the 33rd parallel just south of Baghdad.

Iraq does not recognise the nofly zones and calls them a breach of international law and the U.N. Charter. The zones have not been authorised by the U.N. Security Council.

Permanent Security Council member Russia, which strongly opposed Operation Desert Fox, urged restraint on Monday after the clash in northern Iraq.

··we consider that after the recent Iraq crisis it is important now not to allow any worsening of the situation in this region," the Russi:m Foreign Minisiry said in a statement from Moscow.

have more credibility with voters than did the House's party-line passage of impeachment articles on Dec. 19.

"I believe that the Senate is going to set a very high standard for civility, for bipartisanship," Democratic Leader Tom Daschle said Sunday. "We really want to demonstrate that now that we're the ones on trial, as well, that we can live up to people's expectations."

In a sense, Lott himself is on trial as he makes these decisions.

Overshadowed in the past by departing House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Lott is the new leader of the Republican Party. His decisions will have lasting effects if he runs for higher office.

"Lott has got to know that the further you push this thing, the uglier it can get," said Barry Friedman, a constitut i ona J law professor at

EMO. Continued from page 3

municipal government to maintain the island.

According to the five people, Alamagan's apparent abnormality began as early as two weeks ago when they heard a loud

54 companies Continued from page 3

number of alien workers, who now outnumber local residents.

But with the onset of the economic slump brought about by the ongoing Asian economic crisis, the number of alien workers' permits being issued has dropped significantly.

CPA. . . Continued from page 3

It suggested that CPA should raise its rates by 30 percent in fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year 2002, as well as reduce its personnel costs by I 5 percent in FY2000 and FY2001 to mitigate the negative financial impact of the garment industry pullout.

Palacios said an increase in nonaviation fees will enable the Ports Authority to generate enough funds for the bond payment and, at the same time, lower the proposed 30 percent increase in port fees.

This,accordingtoPalacios, will prevent any adverse effects on the Marianas Visitors Authority's and Aviation Task Force's program to entice more foreign airline com-

Gutierrez ... Continued from page 3

Gutierrez, in his veto message, said, "TI, is legislation needs many corrections. It seems to have been hurriedly written and apparently

Child care.

one should be from a social services organization. All other members should be service consumers.

Council members would serve without pay, but would be reim-

Final ... Continued from page 3

several bills over the last week, but also vetoed many. To override the governor's veto, a minimum of 14 legislative votes are needed to en-

Vanderbilt University. Lott enters this period some

what on the defensive and with heavy political considerations. He recently got wide coverage and criticism for comparing homosexuals to alcoholics and over reports that he spoke to a white supremacist group. Lott's spokesman said he had no recollection of the group or firsthand knowledge of its views.

On the eve of the I-louse's impeachment vote, Lott was alone among top Republican leaders when he criticized

explosion that created the crack. Guerrero said as of their moni

toring yesterday, the smoke being emitted is getting lighter and clearer.

He said they are planning to go to the island early next month to replace the old seismograph which is being used to monitor the ac-

Last October's numbers, according to an administration report, were 79 percent less than figures from the same period last year.

The report stated that 750 permits were issued last October compared to3,62 l permits issued in Oct. 1997.

There were, moreover, 25, l 9 I permits issued from January to October of this year, which is

panies to serve the CNMI. He said the Ports Authority's

financial obligation is forcing the CPA to raise landing fees and the "least that we can do is raise it lower than the proposed 30 percent by tapping on non-aviation charges."

Palacios stressed that CPA will negotiate with its vendors and tenants on the possibility of increasing rental and lease fees.

MV A officials earlier branded as "untimely" the Commonwealth Ports Authority's plan to increase port fees. Board member Marian Aldan-Pierce said Ports Authority officials should first consider sitting with the MV A leadership to discuss the adverse effects any increase in airport fees would have on the Commonwealth's dwindling tourism industry.

MVA board consultant JM

did not receive a review by any legal counsel for sufficiency of language."

Gutierrez cited numerous typographical and grammatical errors, including language which is not legally sufficient.

Gutierrez said that when the

bur~ed for "reasonable and necessary expenses" they incurred while performing their duties.

Funding would come from the Office of the Governor.

Within six months after its establishment, the council should present a family child care plan to the governor, which has to approve it, and the Legislature.

act the measures into Jaw. One of the bills likely for

consideration is Bill 609, the touted early retirement bill that rewards· those who retire early.

Unpingco said the veto override considerations will be spearheaded by the bills' re-

Clinton's strike on Iraq. On congressional matters,

Lott has taken heat for a lackluster legislative year, putting pressure on him to get the trial behind the Senate and move on to the his party's agenda of tax cuts and health and education reforms.

"There's a very good possibility that Republicans could lose control of the Senate in the next couple of years if they don't repair their image," said Edwards, who now teaches at Harvard University.

tivity of the volcano. As of now, the EMO, he said is

being helped by the volcano observatory based in Hawaii in monitoring the conditions atAlamagan.

The same office was also sharing tips on handling Alamagan including giving some precautionary measures, he said.

13. 8 percent less than figures from the same period last year.

There were 33,402 permits issued in 1997.

Forth is year, the "peak" months so far were March-4,028 permits- and June-4,890.

Starting from July, however, the figures gradually declined from 2,479 to 2,157 in August, 2,161 in September and 750 in October.

Guerrero, on the other hand, said there are still other avenues that the CPA can tap to increase its revenues without raising port fees which, he added, may affect visitor arrivals since it will be discouraging airline companies to fly to CNMI as frequent as possible.

At the same time, MV A board chairman Dave Sablan said this should be addressed by both the officials of the Visitors Authority and the CPA in a discussion. "We will have to meet up and talk with them."

CPA is contemplating at increasing its current$0.85 landing fee at the airport to $1.40 for signatory airlines. Officials said this is necessary as this is one of the two options left for the Ports Authority to pay its bonds by March 2008.

errors are corrected, "new legislation concerning the Guam Board of Allied Health Examiners needs to be enacted. The current law is sketchy and insufficient for the growth of the many professions now considered allied health professions."

The council would also be authorized to certify child care facilities that meet its standards.

Introduced last Feb. 20, S.B. 11-25 was passed by the Senate last July 31 and by the House of Representatives last Nov. 25 with amendments.

The Senate accepted the House amendments last Dec. 17.

spective sponsors in all cases. He added that he will make

time for all senators to offer some final words, especially for those who are not returning to the 25th Guam Legislature.

Session begins at I 0:30 a.m. at the Legislative Session Hall in Hagatna.

Atalig ... Continued from page a the state demonstrate that special and unusual circumstances exist to warrant the oversight of t_he professional fees and expenses of the executor and service providers."

He added that "the volume and complexity of the billings submitted by the executor for the court's approval and the concerns raised by the claimants" has all the grounds.

Happy ... Continued from page 5

suicide. homicide - part of their "medical" care. Opportunities for prevention arc Jost every time we do a "well child exam" and fail to discuss these common, and l 00% preventable, concerns.

Families also need to be aware of the importance of all of these problems.

Ask your pediatrician about accidents and safety.

Find ways to reduce risks to your own children. At the very least, use a car seat or seat belt every time you travel in a motor vehicle.

Teenagers need to be asked about risks of suicide or self-injury.

A surprising number of teens and even pre-teens have made a

Guam ... Continued from page 10

President's office conference room, Administration building in Mangilao. Please call 735-5635 for details.

GTA directors meeting The Guam Telephone

Authority's board of directors

Ordot . .. Continued from page 5

resembled a brown-gray fog rolling down the mountainsides before being swept out to sea near Agat.

Arceo said that two preliminary tests were conducted yesterday to determine if there are any harmful substances in the smoke which may be cmTied by the wind miles away to neighboring villages.

The air was tested on-site and more tests are slated lo be carried in Santa Rita, Piti, Agat, and other neighboring communities.

Eye ... <:;ontinuedf~om~pag~S

The eye doctor, however. cautions that people should be wary about the artificial tear drops that they buy from drug stores.

"Some of them, although they have moisturizers, co~ntain chemicals that can harm the eyes and people shou Id choose the right one," he said, adding that moisturizers can be used every hour.

Al the same time, the ophthalmologist reminded diabetics of undergoing complete eye: examination to prevent

CNMI ... ~ontinued frorl! page 7.. rise, as it has in the last 20 years," said Bank of Hawaii regional economist Wali M. Osman.

Deportations ~ontinued fro~ pag_E:_1

talion figures. Zachares has also warned that

suicide attempt. These are not harmless, and if overlooked may lead to disaster. Neither families nor physicians will know if they do not ask.

Keeping children healthy and safe is everyone's responsibility. This will makeagreatNewYear's Resolution!

Manila ... Continued from page 9

Under the system, an applicant will be able to see the current job vacancies that match their qualifications.

The employers for their part, will be able to get information on the available manpower.

The DOLE in Manila recently signed an understanding with several employers federations that pledged full support to the PHILJobNet.

will meet at 6 p.m. on Dec. 30 in the GTA conference room, Administration Building in Tumon.

Those with disabilities who need special accommodations, auxiliary aid or services may contact and submit their request to the board secretary at 479-8607.

Arceo said that the vast amount of carbon monoxide is located within the landfill itself, resulting from all the smoldering material.

Arceo said that GFD will continue to try and extinguish the fire, adding that as soon as the smoldering pile of rubber tires was under control they could go in and extinguish the trash fire.

TI1e preliminary air-quality test results, Arceo said, should be ready today and will be discussed at a 9 a.m. briefing at Civil Defense.

The other air-quality results should be ready between three and five days from today, Arceo said.

them from developing vision impairment leading to blindness.

This practice, he added, is highly reco111111c11c.lcd by the

American Academy of Ophthalmology, as well as by major health care professionals.

Diabetes is a common, serious and chronic disease in which the body does not produce and use insulin properly. It has al ways been among the top ten reasons for morbidity in the CNMI.

If left untreated. diabetes' Jong-term complications include lower extremity amputations, dental disease, kidney failure and blindness.

Osman said CNMI is in the right place to get a reasonable share of the market consistently, given its being the closest US-affiliated territory lo the ··vast pool" of potential tourists.

the departmcnl will once again launch an intensified campaign against illegals who did not avai I of the amnesty program once its effcctivity expires early next year.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1998 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-23

CNMI ... Continued from page 6

Sablan said the policy contradicts government's efforts to increase visitor arrivals in the Commonwealth.

"Tourism is different from em-

Pangelinan . Continued from page 6

Judge Unpingco reminded the jury yesterday that as in all criminal trial cases, the defendant is to be considered as innocent until proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Legislature. Continued from page 1

Clinton's announcement in May 1997 that federal immigration and minimum wage laws should now apply to the islands.

The CNMI's economy, however, ha~ been heavily dependent on the free flow of cheap alien workers, which is allowed by local immi-

Taiwanese. Continued from page 1

Timothy Bellas set a $10,000bail for Pen's temporary release after importation and possession of drugs charges were filed.

The Taiwanese national arrived at about past 9 p.m. last December 26, on board a Continental

Unsigned ... Continued from page 1

"TI1ere are a number of matters that are not 1esolved," Moylan said.

'"What's going on now reeks of party politics."

Moylru1 was 1-efeITing to DemocracicmembersJcey Duena,and F1ed Ho1ecky, who voted to ce1tify all offices but did not sign any of the

ployment. MVA 's programs should not co-mingle with DOLI's problems concerning them (Russians)," Sablan said in an earlier Variety interview.

However, Zachares said the policy, which only applies to Russians entering CNMI as tourists, was not meant to adversely affect

He added that the testimony provided by the prosecution comes with a great deal of personal deliberation.

"Remember in our court system it is the burden of the govemment(prosecution) to prove its case against the defendant. The defendant does not need to testify or provide witnesses on their behalf," Unpingco told ju-

gration Jaw. Suspended by then governor

Froilan C. Tenorio following the President' sMay l 9'J7 announcement, the 902 talks are scheduled lo 1esume next month with the visit of the White House's 902 representative, Edward B. Cohen, a deputy solicitorofthe US lnte1ior Department, which is one of the leading "federal takeover" proponents.

Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan heads

flight from Taipei. According to the charge sheet,

his bag was being checked by customs officer Dennis Reyes, at counter 8 of the baggage inspection area at about 9:40p.m., when a white plastic container hidden beneath his clothing was observed.

Sensing it may amount to something, Reyes asked Pen lo take his

senatorial certificates. Moylan said their actions m-e in

consistent. '"I think what they '1e tiying todo is

make us eat our positions. because Joe Mesa and myself ai-eboth legislative employees," Moylan said. "But I don 'tcare. !fl lose my job because of this, then so be it."

Guam Election Commission Deputy Di1-ector Liz Blas said the vaiious coun C,l'ieS ai-e the biggest

MV A's tourism thrust. "All they (incoming Russians)

have to do is request from us a prior authorization before they come here. We just need to know who is coming in and who is not coming in," he said.

Zachares said DOLi wants those in the watch list out.

rors. With that, the charges against

Pangelinan were read q11d the jurors were instructed on how to interpret the ballot The jmythen went into the jury room for deliberations.

Observers of the trial, which lasted nearly 11 days, believe a swift verdict will be handed down.

the CNMI panel. The 902 talks are named after the

Covenant's Section 902, which provides for regular consultations between the federal and commonwealth governments on all matters affecting their relationship.

Ratified by the Northern Maiianas, enacted by Congress and signed by President Gerald Ford in 1976, the Covenant made the islands part of the US.

bag and go with him at the x-ray room where the Taiwanese was subjected to a further check.

There, Reyes along with another customs officer reportedly found the ice which was hidden inside a glass tub and placed inside the plastic container.

Bellas had set the arraigment for Pen's case on January 4, 1999.

hindrance to getting four signatures on the certificates, but added she would accommodate the senators.

"We will provide that letter to them as a last resort, if we cannot get those signatures on the documents," Blas said.

The inaugural Mass for the senators is set fo~9:30 a.m. Sunday, with the inauguration to follow on Monday at 10 a.m. at the legislative Ses-sion Hall. ~

~c!}Jarianas c;yarief.Y:u Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 Qi1} f:11\S

To our valued customers,

For the holiday season period, the Marianas Variety Newspaper

will be published until December 24, 1998

and resume on December 28 to 31 ,

and again will resume on January 4, 1999.

For all your advertising needs, please call Advertising Department.

<if} @?tappJj @7toJi!JaJ/.sl

24-!'vl,\R!ANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-WEDNESDAY- DECEMBER 30.I998

PUBLIC NOTICE All interested resident workers ore

urged to register at the Dept. of Labor & Immigration,

Division of Employment Services for the job/s being advertised in which

you are qualified and available. For further assistance,

please call Alfred A. Pangelinan at Tel. 664-2078.

01 AUTOBODY REPAIRER-Salary:$3.05-3.50 per hour Contact: ROLAND A. AIZON / GENERAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP dba J.H. Enterprises Tel. 234-6710(121 30)W29261

01 NIGHT AUDITOR-Salary:S3.25-3.95 per hour Contact: PACIFIC MICRONESIA CORPORATION dba Da1-lchi Hotel Tel. 234-6412(12,30)W76033

---------------~ -

02 ASSISTANT RESTAURANT MANAGER-Salary:$3.50-5.00 per hour 01 MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR-Salary:S 1,000.00-1,800.00 per month Contact: HOTEL NIKKO SAIPAN, INC. Tel. 322-3311 (12/30)W76037 -~--~--------

01 MECHANIC-Salary:S600.00-1,500.00 per month Contact: EDWIN & BIG BOY MARINE SPORTS, INC. doa Big Boyz II Tel. 235-2690( 12i30)W29266

2:> Sc.Vvli,G t!,ACHINE OPERATORSa\u.ry:S3.D5 oer nour 0~ QU,-.LITY C0 1•1TROL CHECKERSalary:S3.05 per hour 01 MARKETING MANAGER-Salary:S600.00 bi-weekly Contact: COMMONWEAL TH GARMEl~T MFG., l~JC. Tel. 234-7550(12/ 30)'.\'29268

02 c.s.RPENTER-Salarv:S3.05 per hour 01 ELECTR',CIAN-Salary:S3 05 per hcur COl1'.3C'.: JR? Er,JTERPRISES. INC. Tel. 234-GC1Ji12 30)V/29270

01 /,Dr.1/t!ISTR/,TIVc ASS1STMH-Salary:SG3...: .. ;o per rnon:11 Plu.'~ S 1 .50 00 mor:.'h.1/ for houSlfl(J & tood

,fi/01·1:!fl(:(,

Contact: MICi-WNESl/1 MEDIA OISTc11SUTORS IMC. dba Bes'.seller Tel. 2)')-t·F_,i;::·(i2 30)1N29271

81 C0'.)K-Salary:S3.05 per hour Crrn·a~'. (il'.lcGORIO B. & NATALIAM. 1.1/·GGcl ,,:. ct,a M.C.M. Snack Bar Tel. ~·J~ ~2c2( 12. 30)W29272

r, I UfJK-Salary:$3.05 per hour · ,,,,,·a•.· 1.1H & MP.S FELIPE SN

Tel. 322-1417(12/

'· >L~'.': HEPRESEl•ITATIVE-Sal;.!· .· ~:.,~.rI) :;C":r hour 01 S U/,K CONTROL CLERK-Salary:S3.CS per hour 01 SALES SUPERVISOR-Salary:S3.05 per hour Contact: NAINA ENTERPRISES INC. dba Rosh,s Variety Store Tel. 234-6533[12/30)W29274

01 COMPUTER OPERATOR-Salary $3.05-3.50 per hour 01 COMPUTER SPECIALIST-Salary:$3.05-4.00 per hour Contact: PACIFIC PRINTING PRESS, INC. Tel. 233-1917[12/30)W29275

01 STENOGRAPHER-Salary:S4.00-10.00 per hour Contact: JOE HILLdba Hill Law Offices Tel. 234-6806(1/6JW29371

Classified Ads FIRST

01 OPERATIONS MANAGER-Salary:S1 ,050.00-1,800.00 per month Contact: BLACK MICRO CORPORATION Tel. 234-6800(12/30)W76041

01 ACCOUNTANT-Salary:S5.0D per hour Contact: NO KA 01 TERMITE & PEST CONTROL (SAIPAN), INC. Tel. 322-2847(12/30)W29278

01 MASON-Salary:$3.50 per hour Contact: BAE INHWA dba B & P, INC./ Smart Furniture Co. Tel. 287-7007(121 30)W29276

01 AUDIT (ASSISTANT)-Salary:S14.90 per hour 01 AUDIT (ASSISTANT)-Salary:S15.87 per hour 01 AUDIT (ASS1STANTJ-Salary:S15.38 per hour 01 ACCOUNTANT-Salary:$11.54 per hour 01 AUDIT (MANAGERJ-Sal-ary:S5,500.0D per month Contact: DELOITTE & TOUCHE Tel. 322-7337(12/30)W76032

01 BUILDING MAINTENANCE REPAIRER-Salary:S3.05 per hour Contact: JARIDON INCORPORATED Tel. 235-2158(12/30)W29280

01 BUILDING MAINTENANCE REPAIRER-Salary:S3.05 per hour Contact: K.J.S. INCORPORATED Tel. 235-7621 ( 12/30)W29282

01 BUILDING MAINTENANCE REPAIRER-Salary:S3.05 per hour Contact; S.T.R. CO., LTD. Tel. 235-7621 I 12/30)W29283

01 ACCOUNTANT-Salary:S550.00 per month Contact: JAPANESE INTERNATIONAL LTD. dba Palm Boutique Tel. 234-5772[1/13)W29407

01 ADMINISTRATIVEASSISTANT-Sal-3ry·.S3 .05 per hour Contact: SOON SIK CHOI dba Choi's Enterprises Tel. 233-4242( 1 /13)W29406

01 SALES REPRESENTATIVE-Salary:S3.80 per hour Contact: DIAMOND KO PACIFIC CO., LTD. dba Diamond Ko (Spn), Ltd. Tel. 233-6885( 1 / 13) W29405

01 STOCK CLERK (SHOP ASSISTANT)-Salary:$3.05 per l1our Contact: PACIFIC CENTURY INC. dba LJ's s•.ore Tel. 322-8839( 1'13)W29408

01 SALES REPRESENTATII/E-Salary:S3.05 per hour Con•act: r.11DVVEST TRADING CORPORATION cJba K:in!cna's Rc/(11/ TP.I. 235-8752(1 16)Vv'29360

02 !H.E.) OPERMOR EQUIPMEt"T-1 S«lary:S3.00-5.00 per hour Contact FAS MOVING & STORAGE Tel 322-6587(1/6)W29361

01 MAS0N-Sal3ry:S3.05 per hour Contact: D&S cor"STRUCTION, INC. Tel. 234-6397(116)W29370

01 CAMERAOrERATOR-Salary:$6.25 per hour 01 (SCUBA DIVING) SPORTS INSTRUCTOR-Salary:$5.00-7.50 per hour Contact f~ARII\NA SPORT CLUB, INC. Tel. 233-0670( 1/6)W29372

45 SE\oVING MACHINE OPERATORSalary:$3.05-3.60 per hour 04 IRONER [PRESSER) MACHINESalary:$3.05-3.60 per hour 02 COOK-Salary:S3.05-3.60 per hour 01 OPERATIONS ASSISTANT MANAGER-Salary:S3.05-3.60 per hour 04 CUTTER-Salary:S3.05·3.60 per hour 10 CUTTER-Salary:S3.05-3.60 per hour 10 IRONER (PRESSERJ-Salary:S3.05-3.60 per hour 20 SEWING MACHINE OPERATORSalary:S3.05-3.60 per hour 30 TRIMMER-Salary:S3.05-3.60 per hour 05 IRONER (PRESSER) MACHINESalary:$3.05-3.60 per hour 15 SEWING MACHINE OPERATORSalary:$3.05-3.60 per hour 05 CUTTER-Salary:S3.05-3.60 per hour Contact: MICHIGAN, INC. Tel. 234-

01 HOUSEKEEPER CLEANER-Salary:$3.05 per hour Contact: JAIME G. AGLIPAY/GOOO SAMARITAN dba Cocktail Bar/Karaoke Tel. 234-1118(1/6)W29365

01 AUTO MECHANIC-Salary:S3.50-4 .00 per hour 01 BUS CLEANER-Salary:S3.05-4.00 per hour Contact: STS ENTERPRISES, INC. tel. 235·3760(1/6)W29366

01 COOK-Salary:S3.05 per hour Contact: K.C. POON'S INC. dba Poon's Restaurant Tel. 234-6907(1/6)W29364

01 ACCOUNTANT-Satary:S700.00 per month Contact: R.J.A. INCORPORATION dba Dina's Hair Design Tel. 233-3462(1/ 6)W29363

02 HOUSEKEEPING CLEANER-Salary:$3.05-3.60 per hour Contact: PACIFIC MICRONESIA CORPORATION dba Dai-I chi Hotel Tel. 234-6412(1/6)W76208

-------01 GENERAL MANAGER-Sal-ary:SS00.00-3,500.00 per month Contact: SUWASO CORPORATION dba Coral Ocean Point Resort Club Tel. 234-7000( 1/6)W76206 ---------------· ---

03 COOK-Salary:S3. 15 per hour Contact: ROWENA L. O'CONNOR dba K's Dimsum & Noodle House Tel. 234-5684(1/6)W76211

01 BUILDING MAINTENANCE (REPAIRER)-Salary:$3.05 per hour Contact: HUBLIN INVESTMENT CORPORATION dba Hublin Apartments Tel. 235-0526( 1/6)W29357

01 FIRST-AID ATTENDANT-Salary:$3.05 per hour Conlact: UNITED INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION Tel. 235-6888(1/ 6)W29359

01 OPERATIONS MANAGER-Salary: SB00.00-1,500.00 per month Contact: SAIPAN TV PRODUCTION INC Tel. 234-0386[1/13)W29411

01 TRAVEL COUNSELOR-Salary: S4.64 per hour 01 ACCOUNTANT 1-Salary: $5.00 per hour Contacl: UNIVERSE INSURANCE UNDERWRITERS (MIC.), INC. dba Hata Adai International Travel Agency Tel. 234-7134(1/13

:0:cwly Bui Ir. I ;ind" heJroom aparrmems !.oc:ucd :11 I :prcr N:11,_r I fiJL Fu/Jy Furni.,hl'(!. -\ ir (dnlJirioncr 011 t':1d1 ru1nr1. 2..J /Jllur w;Hcr

:iii tm/1:, 011 st·cond tl()ur. /:nmdry facili1.\

Com,ct .122-36117 or pa,, 2.Jo. 1023 h11n,01C infon11Jlion

FOR SALE • Mazda Pick-up '89 Model with extra cab

• Toyota Corolla 1990 with aircon good running condition

Call for bes! offer Tel. 235-8898 anytime.

HOUSE FOR RENT .• 1\m Dedrooins, Semi-furnished • Alr>rondilloncd, 24 firs..watcr • \Vrishrr/Dryer Sp:iCe·fo.hOuse · . • Coble; Lown maintenance and Trash rollertlon inrludl'd .

• Sure and Clrari. Located-In Gnrapnn Area f.'11r.n1rlfl.• lr1fon11ull1~·~1,cuU 2.\6..171$ h1.•1"r1:n H11m-<ipril,

2 llL"tlroom Apartment, Fully IurnishL"tl,

I Bathroom, 24 hrs. Water, !lack-Up

Generator, I Airconditioning 18,000 BTC.

CONTACT: 322-3793/1)4

LET US KEEP CNMI LITTER

FREE.

SAVE THE PLANET

LOVE ALL SERVE ALL

SAIPAN ACCOUNTANT

Hard RocK Cafe Sai;:ian is currentty- seeking (iuaiified ,:,'J~l,canrs for the ;:iosit1on of Accountant with at least five years ex;ierience

Call 233-1625 and ask for ltes Mohammad ror an 1n1erv1cw

. NEEDED . 2 International Cook Contact: Little Stone

Cafeteria San Vicente 235-5258

Wanted ' Immediately

I . . EAt'EKlE~L~U , .

. RESTAURA.NT , WAITRESS-

Apply in person at the 2nd Floor, B.1s1c CossrRucrws Su"PLr CoR1'0R.1T10,\

Beach Road,

Chalan Laulau, Saipan.

Leaving Island 1977 CAD SEVILLE

51,000 miles CALIFORNIA CAR $5,500· Will Finance

also

25" Road Bike '97 $85.00

AB Roller $30.00

322-2471

Located in ChinaTown Suitable for Housing up to 12 employees 24 hrs. water supply

Quiet place

Please inquire at 233-9298/9299 Ask for Cora

farmer wanted No experience necessary. Must be honest. One year contract. Will consider illegal alien. Free housing & food. Call: 235-0526 8:00am to 12:00am

IN THE SUPl'RIOR COURTOFTIIE COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTIIERN

MAK /ANA ISi.ANDS

Bank of Saipan. Plaintiff. \',

Hwang Sun!! Kim. and Grcen\Vorld Corporation. Dcfendams. Ci1·il Action No. 98-11137E

S U~DIONS

To the abol'e named defendants: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and

notified to file any answer you wish to make to the Complaint. a copy of which is given to vou herewith. within twenty (20) days artcr ·,mice of this Summons upon you. and to deliver or mail a copy of your answer to ER IC S. SMITH. the Plaintiff's attorney. whose addrm is P.O. 801 513J. Saipan. MP96950. as soon as practicable after filing your answer or sendinc it 10 the Clerk of Cou~s for filinc. -

Your a'nswer should be in writinc and filed with the Clerk of tl1is Courl at Susupc. Saipan. It may be prepared and signed for you by your counsc I ant! sent 10 lhe Clerk of 1his Court by messenger or mail. It is not necessary for you to appear personally until further notice.

If vou foil 10 file an answer in accordance with. this Summons. Judgment by Default ma1: b:.: t1ken against vou for the relief dC'n1andcd in the compJ;,inr.

By order of the ,tiiovc Courr.

1~·/Ckr~ of Court D:iicd: 9 2·1·9,,

Ready to Operate Restaurant $25,000.00

Contact: 235-0983

2 and 3 hcdroom concrete, Air,conclitioned, Executive homes J'or rent. 50 J'oot swimming pool, free power and water.

Located rm Capital Hill with a wonderl'ul view of Man:tgaha Island, the harbor lagoon, and CX<Juisitc sun~cts. Serious inqt1irics onlv

322-3685 9:00AM - 6:00PM.

Leaving Island Sat. Jan. 2nd, 7:00AM to 4:00PM

House #N-26 Navy Hill Behind Whispering Palms School

Sa I e

grass trimmer, power generator, car and more bargains, bargains, bargains ..

Give Information About Crimes Committed

CALL:234-7272 (PARA)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, I 998 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-25

EEK & MEEK® by Howie Schneider I'LL NEVER ~LO f-bU TI-JOSE f31<:, INvfS'TORS !XAL WITH SJ(l-1 A 1/JILD, ea.JIJ(Y SfaK. MARKET

Garfield@ by Jim Davis

PEANUTS® by Charles M. Schulz 1-JE\', MARCIE .. YOU KNOW THE BOOK WE WERE SUPPOSED TO READ?! READ THE WHOLE Tf.l1N6 ! ----:::::---z

WJ.IAT YOU MEAN IS, YOU SAW WI: MOVIE ONTV ..

BUT I WROTE A 600D REPORT ..

"?.,.__,,...__,

Wf.lAT YOU MEAN 15, YOU COPIED IT OUT OF THE T~UIDE.~

DON'T ASK ME TO " BE A BRIDESMAID i AT YOUR WEDDING, li' MARCIE .. l'M BUSY ! THAT DA'< ..

STELLA WILDER

YOUR BIRTHDAY WEDNESDAY, DEC. 30, 1998 The coming week is sure to present an excess num berof challenges for almost all individuals. Each problem or task will need be addressed in its own unique manner. No two individuals are likely to come to the same conclusion about any of the situations throughout the week. 'Olis is a good week for acceptance and tolerance on all fronts, as ve1y different people uy to reach a common ground. TI1is will allow different groups to communicate and interact in a productive fashion. For the most paii, communication in all its forms is the watchword for the week.

There will be one or two moments this week when the more fmtunate individuals discover that they've been "doing it right" for quite some time. The next step is to do it on purpose! Once this happens, success may seem to come to these individuals as if by magic.

SAG ITT ARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 7) - You can prove your interest in certain unusual topics this week by sticking with them when they seem the least fascinating. (Dec. 8-Dcc. 2 I)- You'll come to a new understanding of an issue that is age-old. Evenings can be special for you this week.

CAPRICORN(Dcc.22-Jan.6) -You'rcnotgoingtowanttogive away any secret infonnation this week, so be sure that your discipline and self-control arc intact. (Jan. 7-Jan. 19) - A private adventure can result in a major discovery this week. Share what you know when the time comes .

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 3) - A little persuasion goes a long way this week. You may actually find that you 're able to do the impossible on more than one occasion. (Feb. 4-Feb. 18) - There's more to the week than fun and games, but guard against being too serious-minded!

PISCES (Feb.19-March 4)You c,m take what was done before and improve it ten-fold. Simply apply your own techniques to the venture and trust your instincts. (March 5-March 20)-Telling the truth is the one absolutely essential clement of a successful week. Avoid falsehood!

ARIES (March 21-April4)-0nce you discover what works for you this week,you 're going to want to stick with it for awhile. Don't be tempted to shift gears prematurely. (April 5-April 19) - TI1e sooner you get your work done this week, the faster you can explore your own unique ideas.

TAURUS (April 20-May 5)It shouldn't be diflicult for you to fool the opposition this week, but take care that you don't st,ut co believe your own cleverdcccption. (May (J-May 20) - Choosing the right steps for you to follow should be as easy as onc-two-lhrce this week. Keep it simple.

GEMINI (May 21-June 6) -You may be asking so many questions this week that you 're not really listening to the answers. Take time to assimilate all the new information. (June 7-June20)-A collaboration pays off this .week as you and a new pminer discover a

a t ! ?

gold mine of opportunity. CANCER (June 21-July 7)

You may be operating under certain misconceptions at this time. Count on a friend or loved one to get you going in the right direction. (July 8-July 22) - Completing homework this week may be tedious, but it will give you anew and valuable perspective.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 7) - You may think that there's no time for anyextranwus ac1ivi1ies this week, but you'll benefit in countless ways by fitting in some fun. (Aug. 8-Aug. 22)-You may have trouble communicating with a partner as the week opens, butsolutions wil I present themselves.

VIRGO(Aug.23-Sept. 7)-You may have Jrouble this week perfrnming certain mu tine tasks. On the other hand, what is most difficult comes naturally to you. (Sept. 8-Sept. 22)You may have the feeling that you 're being watched all week long. Indeed, someone has his eyes on you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-0ct. 7) -You'll be back on track this week after a brief pe1iod of feeling outof-so11sand out-of-sync. l11is week, productivity is surely on the rise. (Oct. 8-0ct. 22) - Give yourself mon: c1.:dit this week for the t11ings t11at you' vc accornpl ished. No one docs things quite like you!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 7) -Know when it's time to call it quil~ this week. It's one thing to work tirelessly for a cause, but it's ;mother to sacrifice too much. (Nov. 8-Nov. 21)- If it's pen;onal rewm"d you·n~ after, you 're going to have to wait. 111is week, scincssncs, count.~.

CROSSWORD PUZZLER ACROSS

1 "Scooby-" 4 Plant firmly 9 Gigantic

12 Click beetle 13 Fathered 14 Bikini top 15 Article 16 Mark left by

a wound 17 Applaud 18 Baseball

great Wills 20 Symbol for

lantalum 21 Vigoda ID 23 The Lion 24 Large

crowds 28 Evil 30 Chemist, e.g. 32 Burden 34 Harem room 35 Abate 36 Indis-

pensable 39 Bernstein,

for short 40 High regard 41 Southern St.

43 Negalive 44 Reverse

(abbr.) 45 Author of "A

Doll's House" 4 7 District in

London 50 Increased by 51 Food scrap 54 Couple 55 African

nation 56 Roman 7 57 H.S. course 58 Pedestal 59 Honest-

DOWN

1 Insecticide inits.

2 Companion of aah

3 Utah city 4 Sends forth 5 Small

universe 6 Donkey's cry 7 Ending wilh

mountain 8 Former N. Y.

Answer to Previous Puzzle

1-21 © 1998 United Feature Syndicate

mayor (inits.) 9 Container

(abbr.) 1 O Mr. Gershwin 11 Hiatus 17 Ala-19 - fresco 20 Heavy weight

21 "I have-to pick with you"

22 They blow in the wind

24 Stomach discomfort

25 Watch lace 26 City on lhe

Ruhr 27 Office worker.

for short 29 Passageway 31 Mounlain on

Crete 33 Take care of

(2 wds.) 37 Sun. talk 38 Affirmed 42 Xenon

symbol 45 Pelvic bones 46 PBS series 47 Fem. holy

person 48 Possess 49 One not inlo

sharing (slang)

50 Butter square 52 Bone of !he

body 53 Even score 55 Catch some

- (sleep)

by Dick Rogers

6DOWN: OPA::l<:,ITE

OF

POOR

H)ll::J ·g '::!did ·g 'lN:31 ·i, 'l::J:3110 ·s '::ll;l:31 ·c; :NMOO ·1Hrn=1 ·or '..l.vti ·5 '3/\1::l ·s ·::101 ·L 'l::J\8d ·s 'No011vs -~ :ssoti:::iv

•••••••••••••••••

Ah adventure for ah~One

who's ever worn diapers.

• •

Wed 7:00 • Thu 7:00 • Fri 2:40-4:50-7:00-9:1 Sat 12:30-2:40-4:50-7:00-9:10 • Sun 12:30-2:40-4:50-7:00

· .... -~~@.\'f.U~. [email protected]}l~~-.. . : mm,m Starts Wednesday, January 6

Advance· Tickets on Sale Now!

..,. ..

26-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-WEDNESDAY- DECEMBER 30, 199£8 ___________________________ _

Detroit Tigers sign Jefferies DETROIT (AP) - Gregg Jefferies, who has failed to live up to his potential since breaking into the major leagues in 1987, agreed Monday to a two-year contract

with the Detroit Tigers worth about $5 million.

Jefferies, a 31-year outfielder, spent more than 3 1/2 seasons with Philadelphia until the Phillies

Middlesbrough star Paul Gascoigne (right) clashes with Liverpool and England player Paul Ince at the Riverside stadium in Middlesbrough Saturday. AP

Mark Johnson to play baseball in Japan NEW YORK (AP)- First baseman Mark Johnson. released by the Anaheim Angels last week. agreed Monday to a one-year contract with the Hanshin Tigers of Japan's Central League.

Johnson. JI, joined the Angels with three weeks remaining last season, and he p/;1yecJ in JO games but bnHcd just .07 J.

I le p/:JyccJ wirh Pi11sburgh from 1995-97 and in four major league seasons had a .236 average with 30 home runs ;md I 04 RBIs.

Hanshin has a team option for 2000.

Volleyball. Continued from page 28

"W c. tlrnsc of us who !1avc participateLI in the dewlopmcnt and witnessed the growth of Rocball as a successful sport, wish you to be better informed of any more 'innovaticms' concerning play action in this type of team net

CNMI. . . C~ntinued from page 2~

rolling and diving skills. They were alsoevaluatedon their

ability to be a team-player. "The girls have to work hard if

they want to remain in the team, "Barcinas said.

Players from Tinian and Rota have not tried-out yet for the National team, but are encouraged to doso.

"I've been in regularcontact with the representatives from those islands. I've asked them to send

sport...Rocball originated out here on the Pacific Rim in Saipan".

Feger further stated in his lctter,"Yollcyball's new trend in rule changes are neither innovative nor coi ncidcntal."

"I hope that with the letters and faxes I've sent, to get positive results. I hope we don't have to go to court, at this time any court battle will be costly,"added Feger.

some of their players over to join in the upcoming Jam Attack tournament. That would give the coaches a good opportunity to asses their abilities,"added Barcinas.

However Barcinas said that the coaches will also travel to Tinian and Rota to conduct player try-outs if there is enough interest in the two islands.

The Jam Attack tournament will be held from January 8 until the 10th.

There is a $150.00 fee for the tournament, plus $6.00 for player insurance cost. The tournament will be played at Ada gym.

traded him to Anaheim last Aug. 28. He became a free agent after the season.

He hit .294 with eight homers and 48 RBIs for the Phillies, then batted .347 with one homer and IO RBIs in 72 at-bats with the Angels.

In another deal, Detroit acquired outfielder Karim Garcia from Arizona for outfielder Luis Gonzalez and cash.

''Today's moves address both the present and future of the Detroit Tigers," Tigers general manager Randy Smith said. "Gregg Jefferies is one of the game's top hitters with excellent ability to put the ball in play from both sides of the plate."

Jefferies spent five seasons with

the New York Mets but never turned into the power-hitting star they hoped he would become. New York dealt him to Kansas City after the 1991 season. He spent one year with the Royals and two with the St. Louis Cardinals, then joined the Phillies following the 1994-95 strike.

Jefferies, a switch-hitter who has played first, second and the outfield, has a .292 career batting average with 118 homers and 631 RBIs.

He ranks eighth among active players in walks-to-strikeouts ratio (443/327) and was second to Tony Gwynn last year with just one strikeout per I 8.3 at-bats.

Jefferies bounced back last season following a career-worst .256

average in 1997, when he played with a strained hamstring and an injured thumb.

Detroit, which has a club option for 2001, has not finalized the exact split or Jefferies' deal.

Garcia, 22, played I I 3 games with the Diamondbacks last season, hitting .222 with nine homers and 43 RBIs.

"Karim Garcia is a top powerhitting prospect who we believe has not yet reached his potential and has a high ceiling for the future," Smith said.

Gonzalez, 31, joined the Tigers in 1998 as a free agent, signing a $4 million, two-year deal. He hit .267 in 154 games last season with 23 home runs, 71 RBIs and 12 steals.

Jaguars secure AFC Central By EDDIE PELLS

JACKSONVILLE, Florida ( AP)-Rookie Jonathan Quinn made huge strides in his second career start Monday night. Still, the Jacksonville Jaguars would love to see him return to the bench next week.

Stai1ing for the second straight game in place of the injured Mark Brunell, Quinn threw for a touchdown and ran for one as the Jaguars defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-3.

With the Steelers (7-9) already eliminated from the playoffs and the Jaguars ( 11-5) having secured the AFC Central title, this was billed as a meaningless game to close the 1998 season.

The Jags had other thoughts, knowing a loss would have made them only the third division winner in NFL history - joining the I 969 Rams and 1943 Redskins - to enter the postseason on a three-game losing streak.

"It was very, very important for us to win tonight. .. said coach Tom Coughlin. "We talked alJ week about the confidence and momentum that would feed

BANMI ... Continued from page 28

"We want to keep the basketball season short so that afterwards we can then concentrate in gathering a team for the South Pacific Games,"said Venus.

A II ba~ketball games are scheduled to be played at Ada 6,ym.

"The public is reminded that smoking and betelnut chewing are prohibited within the gym.

Sports ... Continued from page 28

qualifications to BANMI Sccreuuy Mike White at his law office in Susupe. The telephone number to reach him is 234-6547.

SEDA All sponsors and team captains

:u·c reminded to get your sign up sheets for the upcoming datt season turned in right away. You may fax them to 234-2747.

from a win. If you studied the faces of the teams that won and lost (Sunday), you could see the difference."

Quinn's I 0-for-19, 192-yard perfmmance helped the Jaguars hit the playoffs on a high note.

Next. however, they wait and hope the ankle Brunell sprained four weeks ago is better by Sunday's playoff game against the New England Patriots.

"Quinn, he stepped up tonight, he prepared well all week," said tailback Fred Taylor. "Just to come in and win this one tonight aml build a little confidence going into the playoffs, I think that's great.,.

The Jaguars kept Pittsburgh out of the end zone, but their 20thranked run defense still allowed 139 yards to Jerome Bettis, who will have surgery Wednesday to clean out his ailing left knee.

The knee couldn't prevent Bettis from totaling I 04 yards by halftime and surpassing the century mark for the eighth straight time on Monday night, extending his own record.

KonJcll Stcw,1rt had another subpar game, finishing I 7-for-37

Guam ... (?ontinued from page 1

According to Erenbaurn, the Immigration and Nationality Act provides E-1 (treaty trndcr) mid E-2 (treaty investor) vis,L, to non-immignml, seeking to reside tempcrarily in the United States to tntde or invesL

"An investment of $1,CXXJ,CXXJ or $500,CXX>iftheinvestmentisinarnral mea or uu-gcted area of unemployment is required for an individual seeking classification a~ an employment creation immigrant investor under section 203 (b) (5) of the AcL

'"n1is section also requires that within a two-year period of conditional residence, the specified amount of capital be invested in a new commercial enterprise mid used to c1eate I Oful I-time perrnanentjobsforUnitcd States workers," Eienbaum said.

I nan intcrvicw,Pc1ezsaid thereaie a lot of afnucnt investors in the AsiaPacilic region who could be attrnctcd to invest in Guam using the INS investor provisions.

for 17 4 yards and two interceptions. Unlike the last two games, coach Bill Cowher let him finish.

Still, the Steelers couldn't avoid their firstsub-.500 record since they finished 7-9 in 1991, which was also the last time they failed to win the AFC Central.

The game began undera thick, pea-soup fog that cleared as the first half progressed. By the time the half was over the Jaguars had a 14-3 lead.

Quinn's first scoring play came after he escaped a collapsing pocket and spun toward his left into the end zone for a 15-yard run helped by a great block downfield from receiver Jimmy Smith.

On the next drive, Quinn hit Keenan McCarde II for a 64-yard gain, then converted on a 9-yard screen pass to Taylor for a touchdown.

Taylor scored again in the third quarter on a 12-y:u-d rnn to finish the season with 17 touchdowns, tied for second in the league this season with Minnesota Vikings rookie Randy Moss.

,vn1ercm-c m,ITTy businessmen who could be persuaded to avail of this," Perez said.

In fact, Perez said mm1y businessmen in Hong Kong rnc considc1ing 1elocating because of the hand-over of that tenitory to the People's Republic oFChina.

I le said Guam could attract these wealthy investors in the same way that Canada has been attracting many Asian i1:vestors.

"With the Asian economic crisis, our local leader.; should be mounting an aggressive campaign to lu1c potential investors into Guam. We should be marketing our island as a stable Ameiican tenito1y. l11is is a big plus and we should capitalize on it," Pe1ez said.

Perez added that he plans to initiate talks with the Guam Economic Development Authority and the Office of the Governor to facilitate the marketing of Guam :is an investor destination under the INS treaty and trader classifications.

WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 30, 1998 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VJEWS-27

Vikings, Broncos look super

Charlton Athletic's Richard Rufus (left) and Arsenal's French midfielder Emmanuel Petit leap for a high ball during their FA Premier league clash at The Valley in southeast London Monday. Arsenal won the match 1-0. AP

San Francisco 49ers enter playoffs with questions

By Dennis Georgatos SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Oddly, there are questions about Steve Mariucci 's future with the San Francisco 49ers. Maybe Bill Wabh is coming back in a front office role. Maybe not. Who's in charge, anyway?

"That's a good question," Mariucci said Monday, trying to answer who wou Id even make the decision to re-hire the 67-yearold Walsh should the Hall of Fame coacli want to re join the organization he led to three Super Bowl wins in the 1980s.

Even as the 49crs ( 12-4) began prer,ar;nions to play host to the Green Bay Packers ( 11-5) in Sunday's wi Id card-playoff game, Mariucci confronted questions about his deadlocked contract extension talks and rumors about his job security.

Running back Terry Kirby said he thought it was unfair Mariucci had to c;en deal with that kind of

speculation. "I think it's a joke," Kirby said.

"I definitely think he 'sestablished himselF as a winning coach."

Despite Mariucci ,; 26-8 record in two seasons as San Francisco's coach, including a 17-1 mark at home, there has been speculation Sunday's game could amount to a referendum on his future with the 49ers. His only home loss came to the Packers in last January's NFC title game.

Much of the rumors have centered on the possibility Green Ray coach Mike 1-Iolmgrencouldleave to take on a dual role of coachgeneral manager with the 49crs and that would mean Mariucci would be the odd man out.

"It's what we deal with as coaches," said Mariucci. "So, you just bury yourself in game preparation and you do the best you can. If that's good cnou"h "!'Cat. If that's not good cno~l;,"'thcn that's not up to me to decide."

NFL TEAM STATISTICS AMERICAN CONFERENCE NATIONAL CONFERENCE East tllJ

w L T Pel. PF PA w L T Pel PF PA x-NY. Jels 12 4 0 750 416 266 x·Dallas 10 6 0 .625 381 275 y·Miami 10 6 0 .625 321 265 y·Ari10na 9 7 0 .563 325 378 y-Butt~o 10 6 0 .625 400 333 N.Y Giants 8 8 0 .500 287 309 y-New England 9 7 0 .563 337 329 Washington 6 10 0 .375 319 421 Indianapolis 3 13 0 .188 310 444 Philadelphia 3 13 0 .188 161 344

~ Central x-Jacksonville 11 5 0 .688 392 338 x·Minnesola IS 1 0 .938 556 2%

Tennessee 8 8 0 .500 330 320 y-Green Bay 11 5 0 .688 408 319 Tampa Bay 8 8 0 .500 314 295 P~sburgh 7 9 0 .438 263 3-03 Oetroil 5 11 0 .313 306 378 Ballill'IJre 6 10 0 .375 269 335 Chicago 4 12 0 250 276 368 Cincinnati 3 13 0 .188 268 452

)fu/ 1fuJ x-Atlanta 14 2 0 .875 442 289 X·Denver 14 2 0 .875 501 309 y-San Francisco 12 4 0 .750 479 328 Oakland 8 8 0 .500 288 356

Sea~e 8 B 0 .500 372 310 New Orleans 6 10 0 .375 305 359

Kansas Ci~ 7 9 0 .438 327 363 Carolina 4 12 0 250 336 413 Sl. Louis 4 12 0 250 285 378 San Diego 5 11 0 313 241 342 X·won division title y-wild-card qualifier

By DAVE GOLDBERG NEWYORK(AP)-lfthe Minnesota Vikings win the Super Bowl. they may look back to Nov. I as the most important day of the season.

That's when they lost for the only time this season -27-24 in Tampa. The loss allowed them to concentrate on the rest of the season without the pressure of trying to go unbeaten. The Denver Broncos carried such a burden in starting 13-0.

So make the Vikings the favorite to win the Super Bowl tl, they enter the playoffs relaxed rn1d relatively healthy. And make the JeL, a decent bet to upset the Broncos for the Ame1ican Football Conference title because Bill P,m:ells ha, his team peaking perfectly for the pcsL<;e,t,on.

Forget the big-name teams- the 49ers, Packers and Cowboys, all Su-

per Bowl winner.; this decade. At best, they have rn1 ouL,ide chm1ce to reach the conference title gmne, but little chm1ce of winning in Minnesota.

"I was hoping for a little more momentum, "Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren said after the Packers stumbled to a 16-13 win against Chicago on Sunday.

"We didn't function :L, well as I'd have liked. We were a little sloppy, but we won the game and that's what I wa, hoping for going into the playoffs."

A look at the playoffs by conference.

American Football Conference Denver ( 14-2) remains the fa

vorite. The Broncos will be home, where

they've won 24 sD';light regulm·-season games. "n1cy also got some of their momentum back by beating the

Sea.hawks 28-21 on Sunday. But it could get a little scary for

Denver if the Jets come to Mile High for the AFC title game. Parcells has been to three Super Bowls and he's had all three of those teams (the 1986 and 1990 GianL, and the 1996 Pal:Iiots) playing their bestatsea,on 'send, just the way his team is playing now.

"Dm1m ! What kind of coach is he. really?" a,ked Keyshawn Johnson after the JeL, beat the Patriot, 31-10 Sunday, dominating them in a game that mem1t more to New England.

"You take a team from 1-15 to I 2-4tothepostscason to the AFC East championship. It's crazy."

Actually, there was a midway point - 9-7 last year in Parcells' first season with the Jets. And it's not really crazy given Parcells· style -assembling a hard-working group of veterans who set the tone for younger players.

NBA season may be cancelled By CHRIS SHERIDAN

NEW YORK (AP)-The commissioner of the U.S. National Basketball Association wants the players to vote on his "final" offer to end a 6-month lockout by owners. But the union won't allow it.

That's where things stood Monday on Day 181 of the NBA lockout. And if nothing changes for another I Odays, David Stem says the entire basketball season will be canceled.

"We do not anticipate any further negotiations between now and January 7," the commissioner said. "If the players have something to tell us, we 'II take it back to our (labor) committee,

but the likelihood is that the season will be canceled Jan. 7."

TI1e league and the union held separate media conference calls, each side settling into the familiar roles of optimists (players) vs. pessimists (owners).

Stem, in some of his strongest and most sarcastic remarks of the lockout. said the players' "rnnaway"negotiatingcommittee will be to blame if there is no agreement by Jan. 7.

That's the date of a Board of Governors meeting at which Stem predicted there will be an overwhelming majority .of owners voting to cancel the entire season.

Union director Billy Hunter, still confident that a deal is pos-

sible, called for a resumption of talks between both sides' negotiating committees.

"I'm convinced that if that does happen, there's a strong possibility that an agreement could be reached," Hunter said.

··we've done everything that we believe is conceivable, and we have been earnest in our efforts to make a deal. It comes down to horse trading, and if they arc inclined to trad~ further, we have ample time to save the season."

The sides met for several hours Sunday outside Denver, with the talks breaking off after each side made sev~ era! concessions.

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28-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-WEDNESDAY- DECEMBER 30, 1998

SPOBTS I basketball opens Jan 4

By Tony Celis Variety News Staff

THE Basketball Association of the Northern Marianas Islands (BANMI) is once again set to open its regular season ..

Opening date has been set for January 4 at Ada gym, beginning at 7 p.m., between Saipan Stevedore and Hooters in the first basketball game. Following the first ballgame will be, STS Big Wheel~rs vs. Local Stars at, 8:30 p.m.

Eight men's basketball teams are ;igned up for this year's competition.

The mens teams for this year are; Saipan Stevedore, Hooters, STS Big Wheelers, Local Stars, Flycrs,~Ol'Aces, Brothers and Lite.

and are therefore not in the schedule of play as of yesterday.

All eight men's teams will play a double elimination rounds during the regular season, while the finals will be a best-of-three series competition.

All games will follow the FIBA rules.

On Monday Jan 4, the opening ballgame will start at 7 p.m. The second game will start at 8:30 p.m. or ten minutes immediately following the first game.

Including Mondays, other basketball games are scheduled to be played on Wednesdays and Fridays as well.

Although four women's teams have shown interest in participating in this year's BANMI league, they (women's teams) haven't paid their entrance fees

Earlier the league elected its officers, the results are; Abner Venus was elected the association's president, Tony Rogolofoi as vice president, and Mike White remains the secretary and treasurer.

Continued on page 26 Tommy Brooks, trainer of former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, tapes up Tyson's hands while Tyson reads the newspaper prior to starting his workout at a Phoenix gym on Wednesday. . AP

Volleyball's 'innovative rules' .: upset Saipan Rocball founder ; '.~ By Tony Celis the US mainland, of the possible ~olleyball 's system o'. serve, .;1 Variety News Staff unlawful use of rocball 's rules, side-out, and court pomt play i1 ROCBALL founder James Jeger started his investigation. is a game fertile with absent \"\ Feger isn't very happy these Satisfied that he (Jeger) had objectives. Afte~ al~o~t one f,

;'! days. According to Feger the enough evidence, Feger began a hundred years of ms1gmficant rJ (.! volleyball association in the mailing and fax campaign. changes to volleyball's repeti- ft \ U.S mainland have been adopt- According to Feger, letters and tious rules of play, the major Vl :'! ing rules from rocball and in- faxes have been sent to about I 00 National and International Vol- fl !,; co~-poratingthem,astheirown, sports organizations, colleges, leyball Associations have rJ (: into their set of rules without news publishers, and unjudiciously began adopting ["j fJ ackno:vledgementtotheWorld manufactuersofsportsequipment Rocball's rules of play in ~n ~} tJ Organized R_o:bal(, Inc's. . manufactuers, etc. worldwide. effort t~ e~~ance volleyball s ,~ I j After rece1vmg 111format1on ln a letter received by the Vari- play action . J ~-j from students returning from ety, Feger wrote 'The point is, Continued on page 26 '.~ i ·--~---r,----- __ ........_ _____ ·-~-~------._' ___ _..._ . --------~-------~-~

.. ,., ·_,.'

CNMI women's volleyball national team gets first cut

By Tony Cells Variety News Staff

EARLIER this month, headcoach Jonas Barcinas, on the CNMI National Volleyball team had the task of making the first team cut.

After the first team cut there remains 15 potential players presently still in the roster who are practicing for a spot in the CNMI's National Volleyball team.

The team is being put together for the South Pacific Games (SPG) which is slated to begin in May of next year.

The 1999 SPG will be hosted by Guam. The final cut will be made sometime in February, and will trim the

current 15 players down to the SPG allowable 12 players. Player cuts were based on perfonnance and attitude. According to Barcinas there was an excellent tum out at the try-outs. Players were evaluated in their personnal attitudes, as well as their

ablities in; serving, overhand and underhand passes, spikes, blocks, · Continued on page 26

SPORTS NOTES Volleyball

THE annual Jam Attack volleyball tournament is slated for

. January 8 through I 0. The tournament will be held

at Ada gym. There is a $150. team en

trance fee as well as a$6. player insurance fee .

For more information please • call Jonas Barcinas at, 288-. 7682.

BANMI The Basketball Association

· of the Northern Marianas Is; lands (BANMI) is seeking ap

plications for head coaches and assistant coaches for both the CNMI' s men and women's basketball teams which will compete in next year's South Pacific Games (SPG) in Guam.

Worlc! Champion Jetski rider Christopher Barretto of Guam will be heard and seen all over Japan in an hour long feature on J Wave FM radio and a national T~ company, about the 17-year-old's accomplishments. PhotobyEduardoC.Slguenza

Interested applicant's should submit a letter.and statement of

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