Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 Gov't … · Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 ~...

.._,, ·i "'tRSIT'( Of JjAWAII LIBRARY

arianas %riety;~ Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 ~ evvs

Gov't fast-trac EICs By Aldwin R. Fajardo Variety News Staff Governor wants all possible sources of money looked at

DESPITE seriously depleted coffers, the government is expediting the identification of funds to pay for the long-delayed Earned Income Credits [EiC] which should have already been issued by end-December of 1998.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio said the administration is now looking at all possible sources of cash to pay recipients of the tax incentive.

EiC is a tax break given to low

income-earning residents of the Northern Mariana Islands who have dependents, under Public Law 9-22.

Tenorio said he has asked the Department of Finance to fast track the identification offunds to finally· release the more than $6 million in total EiC checks that have now become overdue.

Finance Secretary Lucy Nielsen had earlier said that EICs earned

during the fiscal year. 1997 will have to be paid by the end of calendar year 1998.

Tenorio said, however, that his administration is facing a dilemma in terms of looking for possible financial resources amid the projected revenue deficit of $32.5 million for fiscal year 1999.

"We want to settle this, as soon as possible. But we are still trying to look for more funds," Tenorio

Garment pull-out to hike shipping costs By Aldwin R. Fajardo Variety News Staff

THE EVENTUAL pull-out of the garment industry from Saipan is expected to drag consumer prices up, since the apparel manufacturing sector virtual I y supports the Com·monwealth 's cargo segments.

In a study, financial consult-

ant Booz Allen & Hamilton said not only will a significant loss in garment exports have a material impact on the Commonwealth Ports Authority's remaining cargo segments, it will also essentially eliminate container backhaul.

As a result, this will likely drive up the transportation costs for Saipan imports.

With the exception of garment

· exports, the seaport primarily, or at least 83 percent, handles imported commodi~ies like petroleum products, container cargo and construction materials.

Saipan 's container traffic is heavily imbalanced with nearly three times as many loads boundfor the island than origi-

Continued on page 2"3

Miss CNMI Universe Helene Lizama (center) joins the US Navy officers of the USNS Spica which made a port call on Saipan last Friday.

Staym.an insists Governor agreed 'in general terms' to work out 'takeover'

By Zaldy Dandan Variety News Staff

THE U.S. Interior Depai1ment's Insular Affairs Office on Friday maintained that Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio agreed with President Clinton "in general terms" to work on the appropriate application of federal immigration anJ minimum wage laws to the CNMI.

Insular Affairs Director Allen P. Stayman, in a letter faxed to .the Variety, said the President

--~·· ..

Allen P. Stayman

and the governor had a "face to face conversation" in which Tenorio supposedly expressed agreement.

"We checked with the White House and know of no communication from the govemor ... tosuggest otherwise," Stayman said.

The governor met with the President on Guam last November.

Stayman said the President's i

special 902 representative, Inte- :

Contlnueo on page 23

said, adding that some sources have already been identified. He did not elaborate, though.

Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan previously disclosed that the government is considering an EIC-payment scheme where recipients of the tax break may have to be paid on a quarterly oron a semi-annual basis.

This is the last batch of EIC refund checks which the government has to release in as much as

Continued on page 23 Pedro P. Tenorio

US class action suit looms over 'garment labor abuse'

By Mar-Vic C. Munar Variety News Staff

A NEW York law firm is set to lodge three class action suits against the nation's largest apparel suppliers and retailers, which are allegedly engaged in a conspiracy "that has forced thousands of foreign garment workers into indentured servitude," according to reports by two

1 mainland-based dailies. ! The lawsuits, which are ex[ pected to be filed on Wednes! day, are triggered by accusa[ tions of sweatshop conditions in [ Saipan 's garment companies [ which supply brand name prod-

ucts. The targeted companies, ac

cording to Women's Wear Daily, include Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Gap, Inc, J.C. Penny, Sears, Crew Nordstrom and Oshkosh.

Women's Wear said the lawsuits will demand $1 billion in unpaid wages and other claims "on behalf of the 40,000 current and former sweatshop workers who charge that major American brands and retailers profited as a result of racketeering conspiracy with unscrupulous _gar- j ment _contractors loc~ted_~·_:.·_· I · Continued on page 23 !

Legislature bla111ed for education Iness

Variety News Staff GRT is not a suitable and stable HAGATNA-Departmentof sourceoffundingforeducation !; Revenue and Taxation Direc- because during good times, ! ,

' ~ I I i 1 tor Joseph Duenas has blaJ11ed there will be a lot of money but ; 1

ll the Guam Legislature for the during bad times like the situa- / i (j lay-offs and other difficulties tionGuamisinrightnow,there: ! r.J , ' ~j facing the Department of Edu- will be less money. · [.:J rJ cation. "Andthisisexactlywhathap- 1•

(;,tl_ Duenas scored specifically pened," Duenas said. . •. · i~ the Legislature's move to over- He added that there are other } i, ride the Governor's veto of a sectors in education like the '.' [:. billthattiedDOEfundingto88 University of Guam and the J ~ percent of gross receipt taxes Guam Community College that ': f' (GRT). are scrambling but not suffer- f

f: In his veto '.°essage,. Gov. ing as much as DOE because ['j rL~~:· G~~rr~~1~~:~-------~~~~~ued-o~-pa~~ -2-3 /.;I k::.:.,.:....:!.;.z..~~_:~...j • 1~ • •~ ... :r;1 ... Mu..;.:U.:.....:.~~..:~r ... :•..:.~,~{.~_,<;.~~1'.'?···L,... ~~.w.,...,.J

Illegal Chinese migrants found off Guam

HONOLULU (AP)-About 60 undocumented migrants from China were discovered aboard two foreign vessels the U.S. Coast Guard boarded Sunday in waters off Guam.

A Coast Guard C-130 aircraft out of Hawaii was on a routine law enforcement patrol within the

exclusive economic zone when it spotted the vessels Saturday south of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, Lt. Thomas Robinson said.

The vessels, which were headed toward nearby Guam, were in very poor condition, had no fishing equipment and ~eren 't display-

Contlnued on page 26 1'1 "'

2-MARIANAS VARIETYNEWS AND VII:W_S:MONDAY-JAN_UARYJL 199_9_

Kosovo violence rises By Anatoly Verbin

BELGRADE (Reuters)- Violence escalated in the Serbian province of Kosovo as the Yugoslav army pounded ethnic Albanian strongholds after the guen-illa Kosovo Liberation Army (KLAJ cap!Ured eight Yugoslav a1mv soldiers.

A. Yugoslav army convoy of armoured vehicles and tanks arrived in the village of Stari Trg. some 40 km (25 miles) northwest of the regional capital Pristina. on Saturday. a day after the capture of the s~ldiers who are thought to be held by the KLA guerrillas in nearby mountains.

But the am1y units in Stari Tng did not move during the day. allowing the team from the Kosovo Verifi~ation Mission (KVM) time

to negotiate the release of the soldiers.

KYM spokesman Heinz Nitsch told Reuters the captives were alive and that unam1ed members from the team of monitors set up by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe were with them.

"The hostages are well but not released yet," he said. ··we are growing more and more optimistic."

Meanwhile. some 30 km (18 mi !es) to the east of S tari Trg and across the mountains where many KLA forces are based. Yugoslav army tanks went into action in the reeion of Podujevo. - The newOSCEchairman, Nor

wegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek. on a visit to Albania.

Five killed, 7 hurt in Cairo .. ·buildiI1g•.colJaps~ CAIRO, Egypt (AP)-,- .Five people were killed and seven injured when a six-story apartmerit buildingcollapsedearlySunday, police said_ Rescue workers were attempting to reach at least 15 others feared trapped in the rubble, they said.

Among the dead was a 13-year-old boy, police said. AnAP Television News team later saw rescue workers retrieve one body and an injured person from the debris_

Witnesses said the foundation of the building, in Cairo's western Giza province, may have been undermined by construction at an adjacent site.

Workers had dug some 5 meters {yards) into the earth next door to lay the foundation for a new building, they said.

AI-AkhbardailyreportedSunday that the construction foreman had been detained and the owner of the building under con-

..

structionwas being sought The apartment building coV

lapsed about 2 a,m. (2400 gmt Saturday). It was not immediately known how many people were inside at the time, poUce said.

The walls of two nearby build~ ings were damaged bythebuildingthatcollapsed and their residents were evacuated, polire said.

Rescue crews worked with jackhammers and saws to cut through piles of debris. Dozens of riot police cordoned pff the area, keeping back scores of curious on-lookers and others who said they had relatives in the building.

One man at the site, Ahmed Abdel-Aziz, told APTN that he was helping to try to firid • his brother and sister-in-law and their four children.

"From the early morning, Continued on page 22

Yugoslav army soldiers sit on a tank in the village of Stari Trg Saturday. Yugoslav army launched action in the village to release their eight soldiers seized by ethnic Albanian rebels of KLA-Kosovo Liberation Army. AP

urged the KLA to release the soldiers, but also said Yugoslav forces overreacted.

"At the same time it is important to underline thatthe Yugoslav build-up is out of proportion to the situation and we also appeal to the Yugoslav authorities to show their utmost restraint," he told reporters.

Reuters correspondents saw several tanks rapid firing in the direction of the villages of Lapastica and Gorna Lapastica, nestling in forest covered mountains and controlled by the KLA.

The shelling ended shortly after 4 p.m. ( 1500 GMT) on Saturday.

Podu jevo was deserted except

for fast-moving, armoured Serbian police vehicles carrying servicemen with automatic rines at the ready.

Along the Pristina-Podujevo road, atleast 50 other Yugoslav tanks and A.PCs were deployed, some camounaged with hay, others behind village homes with barrels aimed at the hills.

The Serbian-run Media Centre in Pristina said police had come under "Albanian terrorist" fire during an operation in the same area to help Serbian refugees return to the village of Perane. Three policemen were slightly wounded.

The centre also said Serbian police killed three KLA fighters in combat uniforms when they attacked a police patrol in the western region of Decani.

An OSCE spokesman confirmed there had been fighting in the Decani area but could not confirm the number of casualties.

Despite growing tensions and violence, many Kosovo watchers said the situation was unlikely to return to an all-out war, at least fornow, while Kosovo is covered

Contmuea on page 22

China, US to revive hum.an rights talks amid crackdown

By Paul Eckert BEUING (Reuters) - China and the United States will reopen talks on human rights on Monday after a five-year hiatus amid a Chinese political crackdown that has called into doubt U.S. policy towards the communist giant.

Worldwide human rights groups and U.S. Congress have urgedapostponementofthetalks because of the crackdown, which has put rights abuses atop a I ist of U.S. grievances with Beijing over trade and security issues.

Despite the storm clouds, both Chinese and U.S. officials have stated hopes that the closed-door discussions in WashingtononJanuary 11-12 will help ease confrontation over human rights.

"The Chinese side hopes that on the basis of equality and mutual respect that the two sides can have an exchange of views in a frank, serious and constructive manner," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said.

A U.S. State Department official said the United States was "approaching the talks in the spirit of

the commitment to a candid dialogue on human rights."

He added that the meetings "will provide an opportunity for us to discuss the recent disturbing development, in the Chinese government's treatment of the democracy movement."

In late December. China sentenced three activists to lengthy jail terms for trying to form an opposition party to challenge the Communist Party's monop<Jly on power.

Veteran activist Xu Wen Ii was Continued on page 22

Ozawa warns of delay for Japanese coalition

By Jon Herskovitz TOKYO (Reuters) -- Japanese opposition b1Jcr ld1irnOzawasaid on Sunday the fine details of a coalition agreement with the rnling Liberal Democratic Party could delay the political alliance.

"The pace of the policy talks has been slow." Ozawa said adding that it might be difficult to clear up sticking points prior to TI1ursday 's planned cabinet reshuffle.

Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi said he would reshuffle his cabinet to make way for a coalition government with Ozawa's Liberal Pm1y. but Ozawa said that the wording of a coalition accord "still remains a huge problem."

lchiro Ozawa

participate in ll.N. peace-keeping forces.

Last Thursday. Ozawa's Liberal Party and the LOP reached a broad agreement to lift a ban on the participation of Japan's Self-Defence Forces in U.N. peace-keeping forces.

Shinto priest leads other 19 followers pray in the cold water with two huge ice blocks at Tokyo's Teppozulnari Shrine Sunday in the annual ritual icy bathing to hope their health stays better for this year. AP

Ozawa said on a TV Asahi national programme that the coalition delay would come if the two parties could not reconcile policy points such as the new cabinet lineup and the rules by which Japan's Self-Defence Forces (SDF) could

Japan's 1992 U.N. Peacekeeping Cooperation Law prohibits the SDF from pm1icipating in U.N.

Contimieffon page 22

ti : I ~:

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1999-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND V!EWS-3 - --------·-~--·· ----- ---·- -- - ---- -------------- . ··---- --

s at visa pla11 By Haidee V. Eugenio Variety News Staff

REQUIRING all visitors to secure a visa first before entering the Commonwealth is detrimental to the local tourism industry, the Marianas Visitors Authority voiced out.

MV A Board chairman David Sablan said a federal takeover of CNMI labor and immigration laws, as well as the government's own proposal to impose strict visa requirement on all visitors is likely to jeopardize whatever has been started to boost the islands' prime industry.

"If they take overour immigration rules, the rule is a lot more stringent. They might even require some of the nations or countries' citizens to have visa

David M. Sablan

before they visit the CNMI. This is going tq be backward for us," Sablan said in an interview.

He stressed that the ongoing CNMI labor and immigration

reforms have yielded positive results, and threats of federal takeover are least welcome.

"There is nothing magic about this whole thing. We know what our problems are (and) we are addressing these issues. and I think that we are the best people to address these problems more than any feds because they have to start from the bottom to work up," said the Board chair.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio, however. earlier dismissed.speculations that the visa requirement may discourage tourists from visiting the CNMI due to additional transactions.

"That may be dealt with but I think it will not be like that," he

Mf.il~fI~ffir~:i~~~.its .. ·~i~ ..... ~~ ....• ffl.~~<i1.fl•· .. lol~ijffl<;.·.ac:timty' • BYR~11J··p Acij~,···2 .>.··· {.} .H9.(J~amCha~ beeJ:l<ldllll1Iit/or• ···.· molithjvere~¢.hidui~d to .. visit .~t$~i~f l~[iij~g~······•• ·~M£)~~~;~·••1~•·•1ci£~t~··•J~···rlle·· .·····tf~;Jt:;!:s~ss i~present • me11tQff.iq~~.i4\ti~psM; JU<>nic, · ~ortliei:flp~rtpftge§n:ia1ns1apctit .....• • .. Jlrllep;~w ~a\d •• his.·office ·has

tt?f.i11g qr1otp¢(•Yq!paµp .qn·· · ·v,~rramei;laftei, .. ••.··•<··i.·.>·><<·· ...••. ·. • onlr .. .ibo~t$1)2 millipn ~nder Al)atahUl})sl~d; >•i\• t• J . Tlie.:BMQ,however, couJg.not • ·tile prese11tfi:>£aj bµqgetto•fi,

·• 'Th~.~OU!l{J¢we11t~~S}~~µ~<i . g~taBl~aj'erpictull:>Off\nat<lhan 's ••.. · · nance its oper~tions,Qriginally, · b~relY(three wey:1?:i ~ft~r ,Mt>· •·••·· tfhl so11~Itio11 <ill~ Io ~h¢ •. lack • of ... • EMO. a.s~eqf'i:ih $}.Jmi[Uon.

.. ,c\}4m~iclijl~ij1~~l~~1~§q11f .•..•. · .. p11<l~et. i•· r···· Tr\/··. ti·.·.•)·.· •·•··•· ·· Ouenefo•·•said'.tf\ere•.was.·.no .• s.lmJ j~htll~\ ~h?~$g~j~f 9-f / f}u1n-erpJaii:lit gmr}aj<eipt1g am9U11tth~t•Jms• h¢efrset•a~ide ·· I.\Qnqima.J ai:;~yitj1• r•.• . /f•.··· >9ef91P ~N?s~r·•t~e.in ~grQ~p ··· ···•underthepre~ntbudgetf6rthe •.•. J'h?~~p;~tj)lqaji11o;mpye.~ qfy9lf~?-?l()$\~~ fr?fDJ:l.~f.~ii t() ¥1qnitormgi~f J\larnag'.111•··and

··········""H".~P.i};o···· ..•. r.••.•.•.rA·.••.eisa.········· ·. ·· .. :slt~ .d~.r .•. ·.B;nd·······•.• .... +. (iqqdu<it I.\ ~ttidy op, Alamagan's Anatahan because their sudden ..••. awau tO••· ·na lS an ·an · sM~Jti8p/ ... >. . .. > ti· ·••·· ~~ijvif'y•1~i/i~S\lllfOl'~!!en/' i,~:::11,r,;1a111:,:t-llt~i

.•.••...•.•.. Gw·.·· .. ·.·.···.·.·.·.·h·u ..•. ·.··.·.·.•.e.·1· .. ·c·.·.rr.·.···"··· .• ·.··.·.··.•.e .... · .. • ... · .. ·.rh·.· .. •.·.q .•... ;,···.·.• .. •.~·.·., .. ·.·.·• .. sa ...... a•.·.•.··.·.·• .. ·1•.1 .. ·.•s.•.d ... •.• .. ·o•.·.· .. ·.• .. • .. • .. ' ..•... ~ ... ·.• .. •.• .. ·.•. ·.·•.·.~.·.··:···.··.L.•.· .•. · .. ···.~A.· .. · .. ··• ... · ..... ·.• .. n·.·.·s.·.·.·.• .. -a.'·.·.·.• .. •.• .. m .••..•. ·.·• .. ·Wl.·_· .. ·.·.li .... ·• .. • .. • ... r.·.·.·n·.•.·.n:.· ..•.• g··.•·.··.··. ··.·.···· ~~'t'~}!l!l.\iN?~~W~".Y~!y •.. ~ju ~~,k'~cl<ljti9ll<1l•fllncl$ .. or II = uc.,au Jr.~. . frf1f Pf>P~d tq p¢ p~ tl-.~ islaj¥1 tl-.is < not .

said, a~ he expressed no objection to the proposed imposition of visas for non-resident workers and tourists coming to the CNMI.

"The idea is not bad. If that is to make sure that we keep track of the number of visitors coming over to the CNMI, then I will support that," the governor

said. The proposai came from the

Department of Labor and Immigration and a number of legislators.

DOLi is currently working with the Management Systems Designers in developing a new tracking system to monitor the flow of visitors to the Commonwealth.

"'Ccco-:cn"tircn-ccuc:-e-c.a"o:-cn~p-cca-=-g e-=--22

Lamorena panel asked to support sports funding

By Jojo Santo Tomas Variety News Staff

HAGA TNA - Gov.Carl T.C. Gutierrez has asked the Legislature's Committee on Tourism for a $350.000 appropriation to keep interscholastic sports funded.

The Department of Education recently announced the suspension of interscholastic sports due to budget shortfalls they are experiencing as a result of the Asian Economic Crisis.

" ... While I do not enjoy having to come up with band-aid solutions to this recurring problem, in the absence of a more sweeping legislative mandate that would ensure the permanent stability of interscholastic sports. I wou Id ask that any funding sources identified for(the South Pacific Games) be increased by $350,000 to include the costs for interscholastic sports,"Gutierrez wrote Committee Chair, Sen. Tony Lamorena.

The DOE budget is derived from revenue earned by the Gross Receipts Tax.

Because of the economic down-

Tony Lamorena

tum, DOE has suffered due to a lack of economic activity, which in turn has led to lower GRT outputs.

Gutierrez also appealed for a think tank of his office, DOE an<l legislators to come up with a real solution.

"I would also ask that you and your colleagues look at a possible proposal to permanize interscholastic sports, so that this program does riot constantly come under the whip of administrators. nor is it the sacrificial lamb in times of economic challenges," he wrote.

NMC yet to receive gov't financial aid

CNMI gets ready for Cohen visit

Agnes McPhetres

By Louie C. Alonso Variety News Staff

THE Northern Marianas College can sti II manage well until the end of the fiscal year even with the limited resources it has, according to NMC President Agnes McPhetres.

NMC is projecting a budget shortfall of $500,000, McPhetres said.

"We could still operate even with the shortfall that's why I froze all the activities. We also cut off all the travels, did

not give annual increments and freeze the hiring of vacant positions except for the urgent faculty and administrative positions," McPhetres sai<l.

She said NMC is using its tuition money for operation because NMC is not getting appropriated funds for operations.

McPhetres said that during last fiscal year, NMC used tuitioo money for the last two payrolls.

"This fiscal year, we may have to use the tuition money because the 13 .4 percent budget cut is so much that we may not be able to survive without utilizing tuition funds to continue our operation," she added.

She also said that NMC suspended new programs and travels under local funds because the legislature did not appropriate funding for travel.

NMC only allows federallyfunded travels that require attendance by an NMC reprsentati ve.

-·., •• cl~

By Aldwin R. Fajardo Variety News Staff

THECNMigovernment is pinning hopes that the forthcoming informal talks with the United States next week wi 11 strengthen the apparently dampened relationship between the two incumbencies.

President Bill Clinton's special representative Edward Cohen is scheduled to arrive or. Saipan on January 18 but actual discussions with government officials and business leaders will start the following day.

In a letter to Cohen, CNMI Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan said meetings with business leaders from th; Saipan Chamber of Commerce. as well as the Hotel, Contractor and Garment Manufacturers associations have been arranged.

"We have also reserwd time for our discussions of the various issues that relate to the relationship between the Commonwealth and Federal governments ...... he stressed.

Sablan. who also chairs the CNMl 902 negotiating panel.

stressed that representatives from the Northern Marianas will be given the opportunity to apress their concerns during the inforn1al talks with Cohen.

"We will basically listen to what Mr. Cohen has to say about the Northern Marianas. as well as the federal government· s concerns. And we also would like him to get a ch!ar picture of what lies ahead our island when we are stripped of our control over immigration and minimum wage.'' Sablan said.

Continued on page 22

Leon GueITero calls hearing

Carlotta Leon Guerrero

By Jojo Santo Tomas Variety News Staff

HAGATNA ~ Si:n. Carlotta Leon GuerT<:rn. who chairs the Committee on Transportation. Telecommunications and Micronesian Affairs, has schedued the first public hearing of the 25th Guam Legislature.

On the agenda are two bills. Bill 45 is an actto amend a current law, relative lo the priority placement procedures of Guam Telephone Authority Employees.

The second. Bill 46. is a repeal and reenal'tment of Public Law 24-36 relative to the establishment of an employee finanl'ial advisor and a Guam Telephone Authority Employee Coordinating Committee.

Both bills are geared to the imminent privatization of the Guam Telephone Authority.

Last year. a law was passed giving some job security to current GTA employees when the privatization does occur.

WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND

Is the country going Y2Krazy? IN SOME states. people are stockpiling food and fuel. Others are building bomb shelters and emptying bank accounts or planning other ways to ride out the apocalypse.

There are hotlines you can call to find out how you will be affected. Therapists are available to help you cope with the grief and anxiety of not knowing if your garage-door opener will be working a year from now.

Then there is the growing number of folks who think the whole thing is a sham. That it'll take care of itself.

Tl;c truth about the dreaded Millennium Bug is probably somewhere in between, say experts we've spoken to.

With 355 days and counting before the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 3 I. 1999. millennium hype is already getting out of hand. Nothing has received more ink than the dreaded computer bug now known simply as Y2K. More than 600.000 Web sites are 110w dedicated to the subject. with wildly varying predictions about the crisis to come.

Briefly. for anyone who's been stuck in a cave the last two years: During the first 30 years of the modern information revolution. about 160 billion lines of code were written to help run almost every aspect of our daily lives. Programs were written to do C\'crything from balance your monthly checkbook to launch nuclear missiles.

But the brilliant folks who designed these programs were too busy to look at a calendar. Had they done so. one of them might have realized that the century would soon be ending. This oversight presented a problem. since all their programming used only two digits to indicate the year. instead of four. Unless something is done. computers all over the world will read next year's date as 1900. riot 2000.

The prospect of a worldwide computer crash has put many of the same brilliant people to work on fixing the mess they made.

"There is actually a broad range of scenarios," says Bruce Webster, co-chair of a Washington. D.C.-based Y2K group. "The problem with having only two pictures for the future is that when people realize the Pollyanna-everything-will-be-fine viewpoint is not correct there will be mass panic because then everyone will assume it has to be the other end of the spectrum."

Stories abound of mishaps while testing computers by running the clocks ahead to December 31, 1999: A 500 megawatt British power plant failed when an embedded chip undetected by programmers shut down a sensor in a smoke stack. Computers at a U.S. water-treatment facility confused daily functions and dumped all chemicals into the water at once, rendering the water toxic.

As the date gets closer. a couple of things arc becoming clear: ~ Cash is king. Fixing the problem has turned out to be more expensive and

harder than originally forecast. It's a labor-intensi\'e undertaking, and cutting corners won't work. Douglass Carmichael, president of a Washington Y2K consulting company, believes "the original picture was very simple-minded." Companies in the lead, Carmichael told us. are now revising original budgets. Companies with financial or credit problems may have trouble raising the money they need to fix their systems.

Last year, AT&T predicted that $375 million would correct their Y2K problems. Now, the company expects to spend $900 million and has bumped back i1s readiness date.

- Uncle Sam can't help. He has his own problems. Companies that got an early start on fixing the bug arc now almost

prepared. But some firms have resisted the inevitable because they fear their efforts will be wasted if their contractors or vendors don't do the same. Carmichael says some firms are counting on a government bailout, though there's been no sign of one yet.

"(These companies) are not looking at the big picture," Carmichael says. "They are still thinking of Y2K as a technical problem, when societal impacts are the greater problem."

The federal government itself has come under criticism for being late to the party. Although key federal agencies like the Pentagon and the Social Security Administration swear they'll have the problem corrected, others lag far behind.

- The worst disruptions will likely occur overseas, especially poorer nations where computer systems are old and not easily replaced.

Says Webster: "Technologically, we can deal with this. It may take a while, people may be without phone or power for a day, a week or as much as a month, but we have the technology to fix every problem we encounter.

"Where we could see massive problems, is if the public panics or loses faith in our ability to correct problems."

By David T. Hughes For the Variety

Welcome, fellow 'Net travelers By DAVID T_ HUGHES

For the Variety "Welcome fellow 'Net Travellers" is the greeting anyone going to my web page receives. Today, I extend it to what I hope are -LOTS- of new readers. They would be the recipients of new computer systems or even modems during the holiday season.

I can see all of you out there - eyes shining, excitement building as you explore you mew goodies. After the games are played, the CDs listened to and a few letters written in 72 colors arc printed you will then start looking at how to get on the Internet.

Microsoft and computer manufacturers make it so easy for you nowadays. All you have to do is look around and find a service that you like, click on the icon, put in your plastic number and away you go.

Statistics say that most of you will sec the America Online logo and be drawn to the online giant as surely as a moth is drawn to a name. How can you resist - after all, there's a great movie out RIGHT NOW showing how romantic email can be.

Loyal readers of this column will know what's coming next (grin.) Guess what'I AOL is NOT an Internet provider.

They're an onlinc service that allows you to go through their computer systems and their software onto the Internet.

Now, don't get me wrong. I encourage everyone who received a new computer or modem this season to give AOL a try. It has some great services that are a part of their proprietary services.

It's hard to argue with success, and many of you will find that AOL will fit all your needs.

If so, then by all means stay with the folks over at Dulles when your free time expires.

AOL offers all sorts of doo-dads including their (in?)famous chat rooms and email to other AOL users. Wanna buy something? You 're going to be in the RIGHT place for that.

Many other computer makers also have software already loaded on your computer that will allow you to automatically set up a real Internet account on providers such as AT&T, Mind Spring or other national companies.

Depending on how you want to use the Internet those national giants can give you all kinds of perks, such as 24/7 tech support (if you can find a tech that actually knows how to fix your problem), lots of

places to access the Internet across the country, etc. Before you decide permanently whether you are

going to stick with AOL er a national provider be sure and check out your local Internet providers. You may find the service is better, more responsive to your individual needs and can cost less.

That's what for the past year I've used a McLean company called WizardNet (www.wizard.net).

It's run by agroupofyoungfolks who put money back into their systems and they KNOW their customers.

There are all kinds of WizardNets across the country created and staffed by folks who care about providing services, not necessarily finding where the next thousand modems are going to come from.

My point to the legion of new 'Net users who will be joining us during and after this holiday season is not to let your computer manufacturer choose your Internet provider for you. Check with your friends and see who they use and whether they are satisfied. If not, then that's a provider you can scratch off your list.

Sue 'em Kudos to the barristers over at AOL. They may

be the Internet's salvation when it comes to the scourge of the digital highway: spam.

For you newbies out there "spam" docs not refer to the meat product "Spam" produced by Hormel and consumed in great quantities on Guam and Saipan.

Lower-case spam is the unsolicited email that crams your email box from cretins who try to sell you something, tout you to their porn web site, send a chain letter, etc.

What AOL did was to electronically hunt down spammers, advise them nicely not to send any more unrequested mail to their users or be sued for trespassing.

Some fools didn't take AOL's lawyers at their word and the giant squashed them in federal court. Undisclosed damages were awarded AOL but it seems the spammers boarded up their doors and high-tailed it outta dodge.

Bravo guys! Now lets see some other ISPsnotify spammers not to trespass or be sued. Pretty soon, spamming could be a best-forgotten problem of the past.

(

__________________________________ __:_M:...:O:...:N~D::...:A:__:__Y·_:...:• J:...:A_:_:_N~U::...:A:...:R::__:_:_Y'. 11, 1999 -MARIA_N_A_s_· _v A_R_I_El_'Y_N_E!-'?__A_NJ)_ V__II_c:~S-5

Car sales pick up in Dec. By Haidee v_ Eugenio

Variety News Staff THETOTALnumberofcarssold in December 1998 went up by approximately 39 percent com-

pared to the November sales portfolio, according to the latest data from the Commonwealth Auto Dealers Association (CADA).

There were l 22 cars sold in

December, while November posted a mere sales of 88 units. ·

The December figures, however, is stil I 20 perce;t lower than the cars sold during the same pe-

Jones urges Speaker: 'Let's push for better-drafted bills'

Dino M. Jones

By Zaldy Dandan Variety News Staff

HOUSE Minority Leader Dino M. Jones (D-Prec. 4, Saipan) is urging his colleagues in the House of Representatives to work close I y with executive departments and other government agencies in an effort to improve or repeal any existing laws affecting the CNMI's economic and social condition.

Jones said there is also a need to enact carefully drafted lcgisla-

tion that is both "clear and unambiguous."

In a letter to Speaker Diego T. Benavente (R-Prec. 2, Saipan), Jones said the chairs of the House standing con,mittees should ask the depmtments and agencies to recommend any such improvement on existing laws.

Jones noted that ce1tain laws were enacted in a "piecemeal" fashion, resulting in several related laws that are "a cause of i1Titation and unnecessary confusion."

He said the House should take the lead in developing a more workable and orderly system of enacting legislation.

Jones said House standing committees should likewise askdepa11-ments and agencies to review bills before getting an opinion from the Attorney General's Office. which usually reviews bills that were already passed by the Legislature and are awaiting the govemor's signature.

Jones at the same time said com-

Diego T. Benavente

prehensive bills shou Id ·'undergo the diligent deliberations of the full House." He did not elaborate.

He suggested, moreover, that any pre-filed bill shou Id contain as full and as detailed information as possible.

"I am sure the 'completeness' of introduced bills will facilitate greatly the work of a committee and consequently newly enacted laws will receive a clear and unambiguousinterpretation,''Jonessaid.

Tenorio: No fee exemptions for garment, construction investors

By Zaldy M. Dandan

Variety News Staff THE CI-Ii\lR of the Senate Committee on Resources. Development and Program said Thursday that the bill seeking to reduce thc $ I 00,000 fee currently paid by new foreign in\'estors would not apply to new manpower agencies. night clubs. bars and construction companies.

Sen. Juan P. Tenorio (R-Saipan) said such businesses should not be exempted from the fee, adding that there is a need to bar ··t1y-bynight" op.::rations.

I-le said the Senate version of House Bill 11- 13 I would grant ··relief' only to legitimate new investments, particularly Japa-

Juan P. Tenorio

nese. "Though we should not put too

many restrictions on new investments, we should also point out that without thc $100,000 fee re-

quirement we had a lot of labor and immigration problems." Tenorio said.

"We need new investments, but we're hoping that they would not necessarily be labor-intensive. like garment manufacturing, and that there is a review mechanism in place so that only lcgitimatc businesscs that pose no major impact on our environment and social fabric could come in ...

Tenorio said his committee is currently completing the substitute draft for H.B. 11- 13 I, which could lower. by 90 percent, the $1 00.000 foreign investment certificate fee.

Tenorio earlier said that the


· Bill to scrap 30% bonus up at House LEGISLATION that would scrap the 30 percent retirement bonus is likely to be introduced in this week's session of the House of Representatives, which is also expected to act on a bill seeking to guarantee recently retired public school teachers that they will get their bonus once the government secures funding for it.

Rep. Karl T. Reyes (R-Prec. I, Saipan). the ,hair or the House Committee on Ways ;md Means, said Thursday that the subcommittee headed by Rep. Manuel i\.

Tenorio (R-Prec. I. Saipan) has aln::ady drafted the bill that would repeal the bonus, which has been described as one of the: main culprits behind tht: government's cu1Tent J'inancial condition.

Reyes said he will propose the passage of the bill when the House holds its first session for this year.

The bonus costs the govemmc::nt some $2 million to $3 million a year, he said, adding that the law creating the bonus was mcant to be a one-time thing.

Reyes said the CNM I already

has a "vcry generous" rctiremcnt setup even without the bonus.

Thc I Iousc may :dso take up thc Senate bill that would shorten the six-month amnesty period for illegal aliens. as well as allow a garment manufacturer to bring in 300 alien workers. Reyes said.

Introduced by Senate Floor Lcade1· Pcte P. Reyes (R-Saipan) and co-sponsored by six other senators. S.13. 11-93 would allow I.a Mode to bring in 300 alicn workers.

Continued-on page 23

riod in 1997 when the regional economic crisis was not y~t felt by the local economy.

There were 122 brand new cars sold during the last month of 1998, which is far less than the 152 units sold in December 1997.

At the outset of 1998, car sales in the CNMI started to plunge every month compared to the monthly records of the previous year. The release of the tax rebate and refunds has not spu1Ted consumcr spending for cars, a view that was earlier shared by CADA officials.

Joeten Motors slightly toppled its closest rival Micro! Corporation as the former sold 37 units of Nissan. Ford and Honda, while

the latter sold a total of 35 units of Toyota and GM during the month of December.

Triple J Motors· was able to maintain its number three position with a total of30sold units of Hyundai and Mitsubishi.

Kcico Motors came in fourth with a total of 12 sold units of Dodge, Jeep and Kia. while Midway Motors was able to sell eight units of Mazda during the mo~th under review.

Meanwhile. the sales or second-hand or used cars further dipped in December 1998 with only 66 units sold, compared to the sales portfolio of previous months: 76 in November: IO I in October; and 69 in September.

r---------------------~ : MEIJI CHEESE KARL 1 1 Opc./3bx/cs ..

l i,P sa(J·~ I Reg. Price: S33.50

Expiration Date: Feb. 1999 I Sale Good While Supply Lasts.

I Cash & Carry Only! (No Limit)

-----------------: ~.~ s~C~l~! ~:!~R~!d~!~!:LaSa~~~d~c ;:,,~:;Y I ~ _Tel: (670/ 23.5-9778 • Fax: 1670)235-9768

Busmes.~ Hours: 9 am · 6 pm. Aforulay to Saturday ~---------------------~

BAR&GRILL HOME OF THE "GREEN FLASH"

l#•I•l•J

Due to the current economic crisis oleai

beach bar & grill is slashing all prices

Daily specials from $6.50 to $7.50. All include soup or salad, garlic toast and iced tea.

Sandwiches $4 50 to $6.75. A wider selection of sandwiches now available.

Mexican Food - Saturday night is Tex Mex Specials. Pnces range from S3.00 to S6.00

Lunch - Call your order in 20 minules belorehand and your order will be ready when you arrive. All lood can be served to lake out.

DRINK::, .. " >'. BEER · LIQUOR Regular $2.50, .... Happy Hour .... S2.00 Well· ........... S3.25, Happy Hour .. S2.75

Call - ............ $3.50, Happy Hour .. $3.00 Premium· ... $4.00, Happy Hour .. S3.50

Premium $3.25, .... Happy Hour .... S2.75 San Miguel S2. 75, .... Happy Hour .... S2.25 Steinlager/4 xxxx -S2.75 - 2.25

SUNSET SPECIAL- II you are present .:ind actually w11ness a "Gree1 Flash" yo~r next dr,nk is FRE!: 1

We oiler a wide seleclron of food and dnnk ar verr re.isonable prices. 1.1 adc1t1on we rave t'.•;o electronic dan machines. 4 Cherry Master mc1chines and a CD Jukebo~ with a w1je selection of music. Horseshoes are also avc1ilable on U1e beach upon req,Jest.

PARTIES -We can handle private par1ies on our spacious pal10 overlookmg tile beach lor up to 60 pers:ins

COMING SOON· Wednesday night wet T-so,~ contests

We are located on Beach Road in San Jose. Call 235-1756, 1757, Fax 235-1759 lor inlormaticn and reservations.

Transportation available lor parties of six or more.

COMING SOON!!!

HIGH OXYGEN BOTTLED DRINKING WATER

"21st Century New Discovery"

HEALTH CARE SPECIALTIES/ TRI MARKETING

Tel: 322-2783

By Erfc F. Say Variety News Staff

HAGA TNA-'-- A group created to srudy measures on how to avoid computer glitches expected to occur in Y2K held.its first meeting Friday with just five ofits 11 members in.atten· dance.. .. .

Fqrtiler s~oator George Bamba. said Council oriYear 2000, created hy an executive order 'issued. by Goy. Carl Gutierrez in December, is a partnering ofprivate business and government agencies.

"Cooperationis essential between the private sector and government," Bamba said, adding,"if a company or ifa government agency is not compliant, it could. cause our

CNMI INSURANCE MOYLANS PACIRCA

computers to crash. We must · work to in,terface with each other."

The Department of Interior has designated $3 .. millfo.ri •for U.S. J'ettit.ories toh~lp inake the chimg~s necessary to .. be. corn"pfiartt., .... ~ainba .}air:·· "Ciµ.µp hopes t? g~.t .a large share pf that rnql}ey/' ....... ·· .· · .. · .. .

. "Wehayeajr~aqy~ll)VQrkd iri*.?1J!¥si~OIJ.thr@gli1he .. • C:C>J?lilissi~ <:mf lllait®~·pµtwe ··needn10rehelp .. W7."".illlookto . hiring a(:OOSUltamQllcefµ11ding isa1~iiaplean~the.1Ji~clingprtt.· cess.co-mr1e~e4,'·.•rt! saj~,. T/

J'he·•coundl pl~~s· ~o.tnee~ again .oni::e.ac:onsult1mtjsil)· place arid will. ann.otincfwben and• Wli.ere .the• next meeting wiU take plai;e. · ·

MUSCLE SPASM

• SHOULDER PAIN

• HEADACHES

U.S. LICENSED BOARD CERTIFIED DOCTORS

.· ... ;:.,:.· ._-. 2a~~eA·o~.(222s1 .. ' .. " --- . ~ . ' , '" ' ~. . '

warehouse Floor Space located at the Port of Saipan will be available for

occupancy in early 1999. To reserve a space or for more details,

please contact: Mr. Joannes R. Taimanao

Telephone: (670) 322-8569 Facsimile: (670) 322-8568

e-mail address: [email protected]

Ada lawyers call in first witness in poll fraud trial Gutierrez makes brief appearance in court

By Eric F. Say Variety News Staff

HAGATNA-An employee of the Department of Public Health and Social Services stood as the first prosecution witness in the trial of the election fraud case against Gov. Carl T. Gutierrez and Lt. Gov. Madeleine · Bordallo, which began Friday.

Carolyn Garrido, a registrar at the public health department, showed death certificates of 31 deceased persons whose names were allegedly used by illegal voters.

Gov. Carl T.C. Gutierrez showed up briefly at the courtroom, but did not have any active participation in the proceedings.

He arrived shortly after the attorneys from opposing sides de-

Carl T. Gutierrsz

livered their respective opening arguments before Superior Court Judge Joaquin Manibusan.

The fraud charges were lodged by Republican candidates, former governor Joseph Ada and ex-senator Felix Camacho , who claimed

the November election was attended by massive fraud.

The plaintiffs have produced a voters' list that included non-U.S. citizens. minors, and a number of deceased persons.

Inhisopeningargument,Ada's. lawyer Curtis Van de veld alleged that soliciting illegal votes has been a "political maneuver" of Gutierrez since he was a senator.

.Gutierrez's counsel Randy Cunliffe denied Van de veld's statements.

Piles of election documents filled the comers of the courtroom.

Because validation of such pieces of evidence would be timeconsuming, court observers expect the trial to last longer than the estimated five to 10 days.

Second case against Bruneman described in 1996 testimony

By Eric F. Say Variety News Staff

HAGATNA - Documents submitted to .a grand jury in 1996 told details about other charges of attempted sexual a~sault against Beau Bruneman.

Bruneman, who was recently aquitted of rape and murder charges involving the death of four-year-old D' Anna 01\ey, is still not a free man. He is accused of several charges stemming from a December 1995 incident involving a then 16-year-old girl from Yigo.

Bruneman has been called back to court on Jan. 19 for trial setting.

According to a testimony given to a grand jury in May 1996 by the complainant. Dawn Hanohano. Bruncman trie<l to sexually assault heron two occasions.

Hanohano sai<l in her testimony that she met Bruneman

in evening of Dec. 15, 1995 with eight other people skateboarding together.

They had been drinking and "hanging out" in Marianas Terrace. She said she knew Beau Bruneman 's brother, Jack, from school.

She said she, Jack, and Beau wenttoYigo7-l l tobuybeerand chips.

"We went back to Marianas, then Beau wanted to find his fiiend Joe,'' Hanohano said in her testimony.

"'I had my uncle's van and I drove him to a place were Joe would go to hang-out behind Subway."

Hanohano said it was there that Bruneman pushed her against the van and then slid the door open. forcing himself inside an<l on top of her.

"lie brushe<l on me while trying to lay on top of me- I wrestlc<l with him and got free. He told me

he was sorry and could she drop him home," Hanohano said in her testimony.

Upon entering North Cupa Court, Hanohano said Bruneman told her to stop at the end of the street.

"He tried again to force my clothing off and tried to drag me into a jungle area but I was kicking and screaming and able to get away again."

A· police officer, Raul Chargualaf, however, responded to a call from a neighbor where Hanohono had fled on South Cupa Court.

In his testimony, Chargualaf said that he met a Richard Pablo, who told him a woman was screaming, "'This guy tried to rape me ... Pablo told Chargualaf that he knew Hanohono and that she was safe inside with his wife.

Chargulaf said in his testimony that he spotted a man at the end


Birds preempt homestead expansion By Jojo Dass

Variety News Staff THE CNM! government's efforts to provide more homesteads arc facing a "major" challenge: birds.

And if government can have its way, birds classified as endangered or threatened will be transferred to a sanctuary somewhere in the Northern Islands so that expansion of homestead sites can continue in the.populated areas.

"Birds are going to be a major challenge in our homestead development. ff the US Fish and Wildlife Service is going to make it an issue and they are going to hold us from opening homestead subdivisions because of the birds, I don't know what's going to happen," said Division of Public Lands (DPL) Director Bertha Leon Guerrero, in an interview.

Guerrero lamented that the federal government's efforts to save

certain Pacific bird species from extinction are ironically adversely affecting DPL' s efforts to open new homestead sites.

"Birds fly around. They can just fly to Pagan for heaven's sake or a conservation site in the Northern Islands. I'm sure there 'sabundance of them over there," said Guerrero.

The USFWS has come up with a regulation requiring developers - private and government - to mitigate the loss of certain bird species like the reed warbler and the Tinian monarch due to construction projects.

The regulation,encapsulated in an "incidental take permit requirement," holds developers responsible for making up for the loss of endangered or threatened birds at the construction site by ensuring that the species are depopulated in a given area at the developer's

Bertha Leon Guerrero

expense. Guerrero said the regulation is

time-consuming and costly. "Not only does it cost us a lot of

lands. It is costing us a lot of money. In addition to us setting aside land (for the birds). we will pay to mitigate the birds. Oh my god! They (USFWS) are impos-


' r

' ' ' . I

i.i.:1,·.'

' ;•

\

f: . ',

t

~.~.·.·ii ¥ !"1 '}] ;··:·,·····.·.··1··

·''·':··

:t' ···.1

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1999-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-7

Retirement Fund assets up by $10.5M in month

CK apartment burglarized By Rene P. Acosta Variety News Staff

ROBBERS broke into a Chalan Kanoa apartment before the weekend, running away with cash and valuable items, police reported.

By Haidee V. Eugenio Variety News Staff

WHILE many investments have suffered considerable losses due to the tough economic times, the value of stock market-invested assets of the N.MI Retirement Fund rose by around $10.5 million in a one-month period. it was disclosed.

From $282.4 million in September, the value of stock investments climbed to$292.9 in October, according to the Fund's latest money managers' report.

The bulk of the total assets available for the Fund members' benefits always comes from stock market investments. Stock investments are monies which are managed by the Fun<l 's invest-

ment or money managers. The report, which was presented

during last week's Board of Trustees meeting, also shows that the allocation of assets as of endOctober were 72.4 percent equities versus 60 percent policy allocation; 21.3 percent fixed income securities versus 35 percent policy, and 6.3 percent cash as opposed to the five percent required policy allocation.

Equities were allocated to 88.91 percent domestic, 7.44percent international, and 3.65 percent Asian assets, the report said.

Board chairman Vicente Camacho said the market has performed well during the period under review.

"It's not ba<l at all," Camacho

said during the meeting. Among the Fune! 's money man

agers, the Atalanta SosnoffCapital Corporation posted the highest value of investment return as of encl-October with $3.396 million or a 4.7 percent rate of return.

Next in rank is the Renaissance Investment Management with $3.392 million worth of investment return (4.8 percent return).

The Provident Investment Counsel came in third with $1.935 million worth of investment return, representing 2.6 percent retum Invesco Asia had $883,044 worth of investment return or a 12.6 percent rate of return ..

BEA International ranked next with $402,522 or 2.6 percent in-


The incident occured at an apaitment being rented by three Chinese nationals identified a5 Jun Zhou Xia, Jun Qiu Shi, 20, and Seng Ying, 26.

The victims are gannent factory workers employed at NET' Corporation. According to DPS spokesperson Rose Ada, the victims called up the

police and informed them about the robbery they discovered afterretuming from work

Among those that were stolen were a total of $102 ca5h, one hundred Chinese yuan, an electronic dictionary, and an Olympus camera.

Ada said the suspects entered the apartment through its door which was left unlocked by the victims.

The door's knob was destroyed. Meanwhile, a Filipino national, identified as 34-yearoldJose Diaz, is now

fighting for his life at the Commonwealth Health Center (CBC) after he was beaten up by still unidentified per.;ons.

Daiz sustained a fractured skull along with bruises and contusions all over his·txxly, Adasaid.

The victim was reportedly beaten up while he and his unidentified friends were attending a gathering held at the beach side of d1e Dr. Jack's Bar and Grill in Susupe early Friday morning.

Fund: Bill puts pension plan at risk (Specializing in auto-accessories) Next to WRS School, CK.

By Haidee V. Eugenio Variety News Staff

THE BILL that proposes to allow Retirement Fund members to secureash011-term personal loan from the Fund is likely to 'jeopardize" some $2 million payment for the pension disbursement of its members in a month, and therefore should be scrapped, according to Fund acting Administrator Fred F. Camacho.

The funds needed to implement the "loan Program" proposed by Senate Bill 11-80 will come from members' contribution reserves which are invested in the local economy and in stock markets in

the U.S. Europe an<l Asia. Camacho said this bill is viola

tive of the cun"Cnt Investment Pol icy Statement, an<l will alter the current <liversification policy that may not be prudent an<l fic!uci:uy proper.

'This will jeopardize the cash flow required to pay for the semimonthly pension disbursement presently averaging approximately $2 million per month." he said.

Camacho brought up the issue during last week's meeting of the members of the Board of Trustees. The Board agreed to Camacho's position.

While Camacho expressed his support on the rational behind the

New KES classrooms By Louie C. Alonso Variety News Staff

FOUR new classrooms will be inaugurated at the Koblcrvillc Elementary School tomorrow.

The new classrooms at Kobervillc are part of the Public School System's 60 emergency classrooms project.

PSS Capital Improvement Project Coordinator Christopher Fryling sai<l the a<lditional classroooms have brought to 44 the number or classrooms compktcd by the flctcl1cr Pacific Corporation, the contractor for the project which financc<l through federal and local funds .

The emergency classrooms project was initiated two years ago to address the overcrowding problem in all CNMI public schools. [t was delaye<l several times due to problems suITounding the contract.

Fryling said the remaining 16 classrooms, which will form the new Dandan Elementary School, are expected to be completed next month.

PSS expects that the new Dan<lan school would operate as soon as it is completed.

Teno: Rebates early next time By Aldwin R. Fajardo Variety News Staff

GOVERNOR Pedro P. Tenorio has assured Northern Marianas taxpayers that his administration is now working at issuing rebate checks as scheduled, in an apparent attempt to arTest a repetition of last year's delay in the release of tax refun<ls.

Tenorio said works are now underway to improve rebate processing system, adding that his administration is determined at giving out income tax forms as scheduled to give the Department of Finance enough time to pro-

ccss an<l release the checks promptly.

"The tax rebates will be out as scheduled. As a matter of fact, I want to see these people receiving their checks as early as possible," the local chief executive told reporters in an interview during the wccken<l.

The government's issuance of rebate checks was <lelaye<l for more than two months during the last tax year. In 1998, the first batch of rebates was released in August when it is normally mailed out during the month of May.

Continued oil page 23

introduction of Senate Bill 11-80. he said this does not represent the sentiment of the Retirement Fund members.

We carry Auto accessory products; Auto-Alarm, Spoiler, Fancy Horn & Lights, Seat covers, Fog Lights, Tinting film. Antenna, Fender trim, Headlight & taillight Shade, Fancy Steering Wheels, Aerovisor & Ven/shade, and many more.

He said the financing amingemcnt intended by the bill is presently offered by the Commonwe:ilth Government Employees

I[ we do not have it in our shop, we'll special order it [or you ... · · better still we make it for you of your own design.

3A's POLYSHINE is supported by trained technicians with minimum 5 years experience on the job. We are obsessed with customers' satisfaction.

Continued on page 23 TEL: 235-8938

Got a New Year's Resolution?

ONTHE

NET AND

Sign up in January with either:

[m PACIFICA~ liil_nr1anas · - - ~lectronics

and get: FREE Activation

($25 savings)

FREE Plumeria Magnet Frame!

{while supplies last)

Yg,'.,,: .

. >~.-.

~·

Sign up for 1 year,

pay 10 months in

advance, and get

2 MONTHS FREE!

$3495* Only per month

"With GTE P,1cirica Ion!] distance, re!gulnr price jus1 SJ9.95

I cj i =J PACIFI~~ PEOPLE MOVING I DEASSM

www.gtepacifica.net • Saipan 682-2745 • Rota 532-3599 •Tinian 433-0210

8-MAR!ANAS V AR!ETY NEWS AND VIEWS-MONDAY- JANUARY 11. 1999

Guam. revs up for tax filing season

Variety News Staff HAGATNA-The annual filing of tax returns is expected to start in the last week of this month, and tax officials said they are ready.

Director Joseph Duenas of the Department of Revenue and Taxation said his agency has already completed the preparations for the tax filing season. "We have our forms ready and we have updated our computers," Duenas said.

According to Duenas, there have been changes in the 1998 tax forms and most of the new forms have already come in. "We 're getting rid of the old forms although we also intend to keep some for filing purposes."

Duenas admitted that tax revenues are not where he'd like them to be at this time of the year but he said this has nothing to do with tax collection.

"The general economic condition is the one that affects government revenues that fund government operations. Our tax collection efforts have always been efficient and maxi-mized." - .

Filing of individual tax returns can start by the last week of January because employers are required to give employees their W-2 forms by Jan. 31.

The 1999 Miss NM/ Candidates from left, Cherlyn Cabrera, Emily Atalig, Aileen Farley, Miyuki Hill, Georgina Hocog, Esther Kani and Michelle Sablan take a photo with guest Brandon Lizama (center) at the La Fiesta Christmas Carnival recently. Photo by Frank M. Eliptico

"Of course we are always encouraging people to file early. There are always a group of people that will file early in the last week of January and the first two weeks of February. Then, the rate slows down and then speed up again towards the end of March."

Duenas said his department will not install more phone lines and extend work hours as the Internal Revenue Service in the mainland has done. "We have always been able to handle the crowd without having to adopt those measures. In the three years I've been here, we've never had any problems."

Job cuts to risk GovGuam services, warns Duenas

He added that Guam's population is growing at a fast rate and may even be closer to the 200,000 figure now. "But we're able to handle the workload that we have. And the tax processing part of the department is probably the most automated part of the department."

According to Duenas, last-minute filing is always a problem but the department has always been able to address this.

"We set up little areas where people simply filing returns can go to so thatthey don't have to get in line. Because at the last minute, believe it or not, people are still getting forms."

Even with the economic slowdown, Duenas said his department will work to get refunds out as soon as possible. "For the past three years, we've always had refunds out. It really depends on the legislature."

Variety News Staff HAGATNA - Guam's tax chief has warned the Legislature that its call for job cuts in the government would adversely affect essential services offered by the government.

Describing the legislature's proposal as unrealistic, Revenue and Taxation Director Joseph Duenas said the Guam Legislature has a misconception that the GovGuam is big and unwieldy.

"It is not. I'm tired of people saying that we have I 4,000 people employed by the government because it seems like that's an awful lot of people,"

PUBLIC NOTICE· OF POSSIBLE IMPACT TO A FLOODPLAIN The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development. Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) is considering an application for financial assistance through Citizens Security Bank (Guam). The specific elements of this proposed action are:

A guaranteed Business & Industry Loan for Jesus T. Lizama owner of The Victoria! Hotel, Garapan, Saipan.

If implemented, the proposed action could directly or indirectly impact 0.29 acres (1142 sq. m) of flood plain. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of this possible result and to request comments concerning (1) the impacts of the proposed action; (2) alternative sites or actions that would avoid these impacts, and (3) methods that could be used to reduce these impacts.

The proposed action is available for review at the following USDA, Rural Development Office:

USDA, Rural Development Room 303, First Hawaiian Bank Bldg. 400 Route 8 Mongmong, Guam 96927 (671) 472-7361

Any person interested in commenting on the proposed action may do so by sending such comments within 30 days following the date of this publication to the above USDA, Rural Development Office. A general location map of the proposed action is shown herein.

/

I

. I

o,

i

--t-MICRO BEACH

GARAPAN, SAIPAN

/

I

i

Duena said. "But 4,000 of those employees don't require tax money. They work for enterprises that are governmentowned but don't use tax dollars for their own operations."

Duenas said agencies like the Guam Power Authority, Guam Telephone Authority, Port of Authority of Guam, and the Guam International Airport Authority have their own funding sources. He said the Guam Port Authority, for instance, gets revenue from leases, rents, and royalties.

"What I collect in tax dollars doesn't have anything to do with the 4,000 employees employed by these agencies."

Out of the l 0,000 GovGuam employees left, Duenas said about 6,000 work in education, leaving only 4,000 for the rest.

"And when you take out the public safety workers like police and correction personnel, the nu mbcr gets down to 3,000," Duena said. "These 3,000 people have to pick up your garbage, collect your taxes, and do a myriad of other essential jobs. So when people talk about cutting 1500 employees, where are you going to cut?"

He added, "There arc only 3,000 employees who don't have anything to do with priority sectors like education, health and welfare, and public safety. And these people arc front-line workers, too, who perform essential services."

According to Duenas, the

legislature must make some hard choices and must be prepared for difficu It trade-offs that job cuts would inevitably bring.

He said many people don't really understand where the government money goes.

Out of every dollar spent by GovGuam in fiscal year 1998. Duenas said 67 cents went to three areas: education (40 cents); health and welfare programs (14 cents): and public safety ( 13 cents).

When the Legislature talks about cutting spending, Duenas said it would most likely come from those three priority areas because they take up the biggest chunk of GovGuam 's budget.

"It's easy to get lost in the maze when you get to see a list of departments and their budgets. But when you group the departments by what they Jo - like puhlic safety is composed of Guam Police Department. Guam Fire Department, Department of Corrections. et cetera - we all want to fund those," Ducna said.

·· The senators are speaking from both sides of their mouths. They say they are for education, but they say they want to cut the size of government of which c<luc.~tion is the biggest sector. I'm not saying that you might not find some duplication in terms of clerical staff or whatever. But l don't think the amount will be significant."

Didn't get your paper today?

On Guam call: (671} 649-4678 or e-mail us at: [email protected]

Office hours: 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1999-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND V.!_EWS-9

CRM·warns vs coral mining By Jojo Dass Variety News Staff

A TANAPAG resident has been warned to refrain from extrncting coral for lime production or race a daily$ I 0,(X)() fine, according to Coastal Resource Management (CRM) Director Felipe Q. Atalig.

The resident, whom Atalig refused to identify, had been issued

a simil;u· warning last month for conducting an unauthorized shoreline clearing last month.

The resident, according to Atalig 's notice, apparently did not know a pem1it is required for a shoreline clearing.

·'Please be informed that in the future, prior to initiating any activity within 150 feet from the Mean

Makeshift toilet at Pathway irks CRM

By Jojo Dass Variety News Staff

COASTAL Resource Management (CRM) Director Felipe Q. Atalig is irked over the presence of a tin-box restroom at the joggers pathway near the 13 Fishermen Memorial Monument along 13each Road.

.. We have not been able to find the real owner who has erected and barricaded the property," said Atalig in an interview last week.

J\tal is? said CR M · s enforcement staff is- currently working with other concerned gov.:rn1m:nt agencies to have the eyesore removed.

I-le said CRM has started cnf orcing a $10.000 daily fine on whoever turns out to be responsible for the construction or the restroom.

Atal ig said the total amount may soon be enough to actually build a house at the site.

.. It is not in the best interest of the public and it is in violation of the CRM rules and regulations." he said.

Beach Road pathway joggers have been inquiring CRM about the makeshift restroom which was erected inside a parcel of land by

the beach enclosed with signs stating the area is a private property.

The makeshift restroom has been there since last month.

In a related development me:111-while. Atalig said CRM is pushing through with its plan to rame permits for jetski operators despite opposition from some quarters including jetski owners .

Atalig said the Marianas Visitors A~thority (MVA) and the Department of Commerce have made recommendations to make the permit issu,mcc beneficial to all applicants.

However. Atalig said none of the recommendations is pennissible under the CRM rnles and re;?ulations.

':.We are now formulating the regulations and other requirements that will govern this raffle. The regulations must be promul;?atcd ,;ml must be advised to all pcrmitecs." said Atalig.

"It is mandatory that we draft the regulations." he added.

Among documents to be required fr~m applicants is a certified financial statement "to show that they are serious and capable to run the operation," said Atalig.

DOLI to enforce judgments for monetary compensation

By Jojo Dass Variety News Slaff

GOVERNMENT is stepping up its drive to enforce administrative orders on money claims issued against erring employers.

In an interview, DOLi Secretary Mark Zachares said the department will likewise concentrate first on collecting awards issued to workers and try to reach a settlement with the concerned employer on the liquidated damages.

"Rigr,t now, I want the judgments enforced," said Zachares. "What we want to collect first is the underlying amount that

is ordered. We can liquid ate damages and we can add penalties on it, but what we really need to get is what the workers are truly owed," he added.

"My main concern is to get the underlying amount." Zachares said DOLi has actually' started collecting money

claims for aggrieved nonresident workers through demand letters being churned out by Assist. Atty. Gen. Aaron Williams .

"Actually we are getting collections. We are sending out demand letters to employers. People are coming forward, are paying for the judgments," said Zachares.

He conceded though that acting on cases regarding employers who have left the island and abandoned their workers due to the economic crisis "is a problem." ·

There arc nearly 50 such cases covering the last few months of 1998 alone.

The new thrust came in light of mounting concerns from affected nonresident workers who claimed they have yet to actually receive monetary awards ordered for them by DOLi's

Continued on page23

High Water mark (MHWM), any place within a wetland, and at the pon and industrial area. that you consult with our office so we can :issist you on whether a CRM permit is necessary or not," Atalig said.

"In another matter, our office has been informed that you arc cu1Tently conducting coral taking

for the production of lime," He further wrote.

"l advise tlrnt you cease this operation ... should CRM finds that you continue to take coral for the production of lime, CRM may take necessary action against your activity and fines may be imposed of up to $10,000 a day," Atalig warned.

The CRM, meantime, has likewise issued a notice reminding a hotel in San Antonio to seek n~cessary permits for its operation of an ocean kayak rc~tal shop.

Atalig, in his letter to the hotel's general manager, said the hotel is not allowed to opernte a kayak rental shop for its guests without the necessary permits.

Candidates for the 1999 Little Miss CNMI gather in their native island attire during pageant night Saturday at the Dai-ichi Hotel. Photo by Louie C. Alonso

lH_:f R:o·c.K 'B0Tl0M Py·. , ... H;-.; : ·. u·· ·-·.-· · .··: : !. :0, .. \, 'R· ·i~

. ' . .: ; : ·: . : .''

. • . ; ,I . , '

,, : ' ' :',-- ,: .

Eb.lliL111ii, lliii

1.75

10-MARIANA:S VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-MONDAY- JANUARY 11, 1999

PSS seeks closer links with PREL

Rita H. /nos


Tl IE Public School System looks fornard to buildin!! closer ties with the Pacific R-e,ources for Education and Leaming \PREL) with the opening PREL's CN'.\11 Sc1,icc Center. Education Commissioner Rita H. !nos said.

"] am \·er\ excited that PREL ·, door is ag:1in wide open for us ... saiJ lnos. \\'ho was PREL'sdeputy dirc:ctor before heading PSS.

"] :1m \'cry excited about the

opportunity to have a home network and branch out to the various resources that the PREL has to offer to the educational system and the community ... ]nos added.

PREL maintains a central office in Hawaii and service centers in Americ:m Samoa. Guam. Yap State.

PREL ·s service center on Saipan is located at the Marina Heights Business Park in Puerto Rico.

The center will be handled by Jean O!opai. who wil! function as the coordinator between PREL and PSS.

Olopai used to work for the PSS as a teacher. counselor and registrar of the Marianas High School. Director of Admissions and Records and Dean of Stu dent Affairs at the Northern Marianas College.

Last December. Olopai retired from PSS. where she last work as Research. Information and Training Officer and Staff Development Coordinator.

COMPUTER SERVICE ANO SALES

100% Pure Customer Satisfaction!

·tt Doesn't Gel Any Better Than This"

BEACH ROAD CHALAN LAOLAO (Next to Triple J Motors and CNMI Travel) Phone 235-6111, Fax 235-6714

~ nnn Northern Mariana Islands Museum OF HISTORY & CULTURE

PUBLIC NOTICE l'l'K\I /SI 10 !'I 'Bil( l.i,11', 11. (i(J\'IX\OR IHmO r. 'IE\ORIO,\\ll lJGO\'l'R\OR. JE\l'.S !(SABI.,\\. lilROl ·, lll ll!E BU,\Rll OF GOl'ER\OR.\ OF THE C'U.1!.110.\\\'EAI.TII .IIUSEU\I 011 I IS TORY A\D Cl •UllRE. ,IRE llkl<Ell Y lill'l\ri .IOTICE OF,\ BO,\Rll \11:t:·ll'.,G TO BE 111'1.IJ 0.\ \IONIJA Y. J,1,l'ARY I!. 1999 ,\1'900 ·\ .. 11 .IT TIIE C.\.'.11 .lll'SEl;II OF Ill STORY ,\SD CU.Tl'RE I\ GARAl'A\. INTERISfED PERSONS ARE \\!'I.CO.Ille TOXIT!o.\lJ. FOR \!ORE I.\FUR\l,\TIU.\. l'I.L\SECO.\TACTTIIE \IIJSEl'M /,TTEL. ~() 66~21r,o OR FAX \0. 1,6.!.2110

.IGE.\D.1

I CJ!] to Ordr:r I! .-i.~w1;iin ()ur.rnm 111. ,\p;irm~I of !'re", iou, \linut,:~ · ~kding of So,,:mb.:r ]{,, l'f.lS l\' Ri:pom -

.\ C11mm1lll'L' l\,·ports I. 1:\t:(U\l\i: Cnmm11tcc 2. Cul',,:ui1m~ ('{lmmi!li:i.: '\ir:--,1u.: :,·L....,pon. (ll'rm:i.n)

ll ('h::ir', R..:p,in 1 \\,r,hin~1r,r .. D.C,'[rip bi.:ct:l,\t: D1rcdnr\ Hcpor. I \lu<,,.·um \'1rn:i.1ion ~ StJff :\(\I\ l!l\:'i >. IJ,,nJ\1,1m 4 (',mtr~i;t~ · \'1di:1J Docur:1cntJr.; c·.1n<1,: f!uus,: 5. Ph~~1 .. ;il l'l;mt · Airrnn. Cil·ncrJtur Futl S1or.rg,:: Suhs.id,:ntL' \lo:.itoring

\". Old Busi:.m A ~lu,cum \'isitJt10n :-.;umlX'r~ B Apt·, Bill of SJk :ind ('onccpcion Col!i.:ctiun C. l.i.:a.5(.' Op1ion on KJJ/ingall Building - \'oti: D. Admini~1r:11iH· M.:111crs - CirJphic Di.:si~n~·r.Si.:crr:IJI'}' ll E. Admi~\wn Fee~ · /'romu/g;itwn md Frn.inrnl Amiurw. F. Un L1[)dat,: (i. 13;icl-L'p (il.'ni:rator Fud Tan~ J Ciifl Shop -St:1 L'p Cnsts

I. Additii,nol Boi,ls (lUASl!Rl'S OF'lllE CO.\CEl'Clm1 r Swch for SJl,:ablr lll!'ms · Ceramic \lugs. Wood C.ir ... ings, lkproduclion

\'I. ~r: .... Businl'S':i kwclr,

A. Ethibi1 Plans for \brch Isl I. Con~truction of lJisrlay Ca~ for Shir Model 2 [JPW C:i.rp,..·ntry Sh11p Consiruc1ion of Display l)o~cs for Po1~ \ l'urcha.,;c of l.u...:al Mat,r1ah - Wood. Ho~. Paint Glut'.. !'.le

B. l:.l{llipment SL>t<l\ I. GatrwJy 2[1JO CompultrTrmsfcrrrJ from Budicl and MJna~c:mi:ru Offict: 2. PurchJ\~ and/or Sul1ci1;i1ion of A/\' Equipmt:nl. lligital Cam;r.1, Scannt'l', Printt-r .I. SL"curi1y ~kasurt:s · CC!\1 Svskm for Museum

C Othrr Maum · \'ll. Mi\CcllJflL'Oll'j h~m~ for Discussion \'!JI. Announcemi:nts IX. Adj0ummen1

Hrnnan T. Gucnr:m. Chairman Jonu,ry7. l'l99

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

be covered, contact Lalla at 234-6341

Little Miss CNMI contestants beam during the evening gown portion of the pageant Saturday evening. Photo by Louie C. Alonso

IT&E offers unlimited Internet By Tanya M.C. Mendiola Variety News Staff

HAGATNA - IT&E, a local long distance telecommunications company, plans to unveil another new offer today to complement its long list of improvements in the telecommunications arena of Internet service.

IT&E will offer Unlimited Internet plan with Talaya 2000 beginning today for what they deem one low monthly rate. The

service will provide users access to the World Wide Web, Electronic Mail and Usenet newsgroups.

The plan is considered the highlight of a number upgrades to the Talaya 2000 Internet service. The improvements include a multi Tl backbone network which enables the Talaya server to provide faster service to accommodate traffic to and from the World Wide Web.

The Unlimited plan is available to clients of single-user accounts such as students, educators. business and residential users.

For more information about the Unlimited Internet from Talaya 2000 offer, call IT&E Customer Service at 646-8886, fax inquiries to 646-4723, Email to custtam@it&e.net. or visit theTalaya 2000 website at www .ite.nct/talay a/unlimited.

. 'KTG1'{ t9 air Ameri~an· Music Awards By Tanya M.C. Mendiola Variety News Staff

HAGATNA-KTGM-ABCTV 14 will air the 26th Annual "American Music Awards" tomorrow. Jan 12.

The live broadcast will feature

hottest headliners and legends from years before. -

The show can be viewed on Channel 14, over-the-air and on the same channel on Marianas Cable Vision at 11 a.m. and will be rebroadcast on Monday, Jan. 18 at 8 p.m.

• • • ELECTRONIC DARTS NOW AVAILABLE! • • We are now accepting applications for • e interested teams for the Bud Light Dart League e e that starts January 20th. e • 9 Ball Tournament • • • • _ ~---- ~ -~v!!! M~nday !~-~~· _______________ •

: I !,~~!~~!~,~~!,~n2!:~;;/; : • SELECTED BEER & MIXED DRINK SPECIALS EVERYNIGHT! •

• HAPPY HOUR: • Mon-Fri 5:00PM - 8:00PM • Sat & Sun 3:00Pm - 8:00PM

• HAPPY HOUR TABLE FEES • • AS LOW AS $5,00 PER HOUR! •

••••••••••••••••

The three-hour show will be hosted by twooftoday's brightest young stars, American Music Award winner musician/actress, Brandy, and actress Melissa Joan Hart, best known by young audiences for her former role as starof Nickelodeon "C!arrisa Knows It All" and currently in the starring role of ABC "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" among other acting credits.

Brandy will perform some of her hit songs with other music stars. Set to perform at the awards are teen heartthrobs the Backstreet Boys. rap artist Coolio, countrv stars Garth brooks and Trish~ Yearwood who will duet, and numerous other special musical guests. Legendary performers inc I ude Elvis Costello, Cher, Whitney Houston and Blondie who will make her first appear- · ance in 16 years.

Presenters include Tatyana Ali, Dru Hill, Everclear, Daisy Fuentes, and other music, television and film stars.

Twenty publicly voted awards in eight categories will be awarded to nominees chosen at an earlier date for best male and female artist, album, group, new artist will be given in the categories of Pop/Rock, Soul/Rhythm and Blues and Country.

Awards will also be presented in Adult Contemporary, Rap/

Continued on page-2.2

\·:, ;··, r ..

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1999 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-11

In Marshalls. Micronesia

Big spending fails to bring health results

By Giff Johnson· For the Variety

MAJURO - Despite spending two-to-five times more money per person for health than neighboring islands in the South Pacific, the Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia's (FSM) key health indicators show little difference, or in some cases are worse.

A report on a series of Health Priorities Seminars held in the Marshall Islands and FSM last year, prepared by the Pohnpeibased Jesuit organization Micronesian Seminar, compared spending by governments in six South Pacific nations - Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, W. Samoa and Kiribati - with the Marshalls and the states of the FSM.

''On a per capita basis, Micronesia spends anywhere from two-to-five times what is spent on health care in the (six) South Pacific nations," the report said.

A comparison of health indicators such as birth rate, infant mortality rate, total fertility and life expectancy showed that in many cases the Marshall Islands and FSM had poorer (or similar) indications of health in the population.

For example, Tonga spent just $34 per capita on health care according to 1994 data cited by the report, compared to the Marshall Islands' $185 per capita spending. Yet Tonga1ts infant mortality rate was 12 per thousand compared to the Marshalls 29; its total

fertility rate (children per woman of child bearing age) was 3.7 compared to 5.7 for the Marshall Islands, and life expectancy was 72 years compared to 64 for the Mars halls.

Local health officials said one reason they believe that statistics show islanders are healthier in the South Pacific is that these nations have the benefit of large land areas, where islanders actively farm, eating nutritious local foods from their gardens.

In contrast, two thirds of the 60,000 Marshall Islanders live crowded in two urban centers on small coral atolls that leave little room for growing local fruits and vegetables. People's diet is based largely on imported food, and as a consequence diabetes and hypertension are among the leading health problems, local officials said.

The figures in the Micronesian Seminar report also show that even the Marshalls, which had the worst doctor-patient ratio compared to the Micronesia (2,269 people per doctor), had a better ratio of doctors to the population than Fiji (3,069), Vanuatu (8,200) and other countries.

Still, the health status in the Marsha! 1 Islands and FS M didn't reflect the higher per capita spending and doctor-patient ration in the nmth Pacific, the report indicated. A possible reason for this was noted in the report's conclusion which said greater emphasis needs to be placed on prevention rather than hospital treatment.

FSM Conwess general. elections set for Mar. 2 PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSMIS) - The FSM National Elections will be held on the 2nd of March this year and the close of nomination petition is the 16th of this month .

The nomination petition must be submitted to the National election Commissioners no later than 45 days before the scheduled elections day.

The National Election Director is based at the FSM National Government while the four National Election Commissions are based in their respective states.

The Election Director is Max Mallarmc at the National Government and at the State Governments are John Thomas in Pohnpei; Isaen Neth in Chuuk; Kun Olter in Kosrae and Fran Defngin in Yap.

The last day to print official and specimen ballots is January 26, at least 35 days before the election.

National Election Director shall print official ballots and samples and submit copies to the national election commissioners who will then give copies to members of various boards

and candidates. January 30 is the last day to

nominate substitute candidates. A nomination of a substitute

candid:ite has to be made 31 days prior to the election days.

The last day to request to vote at another polling place is the 23rd of February.

All ~oters shall have the right to vote on election days at a polling place other than the polling place at which he is legally registered to vote if he notifies the national election commissioner in writing at least seven days before the election.

Any registered voter qualified to vote by absentee ballot may, not more than 120 days. but before the close of the polling place on the day of thee lection, request the national election commissioner in writing for an absentee ballot to be voted at the election.

The request shall include information stating the voter's voting precinct,election district, reason for being absent, address to which he wishes his ballot fo1warded and the establishment of his right to a ballot.

"A better balance between curative and preventive services must be struck," said the Micronesian Seminar. "The greatest burden of disease in (the Marshall Islands and FSM) among children and adults is preventable disease, while the bulk of resources is still being directed toward inpatient treatment of diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, and malnutrition among children."

Within the FSM, the per capita spending on health ranged from a low of $80 in Chuuk to a high of $185 in Yap, the Micronesian Seminar report said.

The Solomon Islands had the lowest per capita spending of the six nations in the south, devoting just $9 per person, while Kiribati was the highest at $38 per person.

With the exception of Fiji these South Pacific islands spent a larger percentage of their funding on rural health facilities and dispensaries than did either the Marshalls or the FSM. In addition, while none · of the six South Pacific nations spent more than two percent of their health care budgets on offisland medical referrals (and three spent nothing), the Marshall Islands spent 14 percent and the FSM states averaged 13.25 percent of their budgets on off-island referrals.

The Micronesian Seminar report said that health and community leaders in the Marshall Islands and FSM agreed that money now spent on medical referrals should be reallocated to public health and preventive health services.

Fiji economy· is still ·weak

'

SUV A (Pacnews) - Fiji's economy is still recovering from last year's haltering but growth is forecast for this year.

The Reserve Bank says the Fiji economy is estimated to have contracted by 3.2 percent last year.

But it expects to see a growth of two to three percent this year because of the break in the prolonged drought in the sugar cane belts, and the impkmentation of the cane rehabilitation scheme.

The Bank says there are indications that activity in the building and construction sector continues to increase due to the construction of tourist related projects and shopping complexes, along with increased activity in the wholesale and retai I sectors.

Fiji's external sector continues to perform well.

Foreign exchange reserves stand at more than 760 million dollars (380 million US dollars), equivalent to almost six months of imports.

The commercial banks' average lending rate has dropped from 11 percent in October 1997 to 9.2 percent.

However. interest rates on deposits with commercial banks have also dropped.

·~~lf,~5~!:~l'I' ··to·i·•Marshalls.·•a.rrives··<· ByG!ffJohn®n Fer the Van'ety . • . .•

sues, fbe Ambassador commended President Kabua for .''your govemment's.recentcomrcitment to keeping the island~ pf the Marsha!.l Islands free of

1\1,\JUll() ./. NewAustr;atian . ~~b~ssitdptf?the~arshflHis~cis %i!JJ?thy C;ole presenty(l rir diplomatic credemials to . > nuclear .wa$tet ...... · .·

. Pmsidet1tlinata Kabua a11d. de~ . ···PresidentKabua said thaithe Iivind clie<:ks toTu~d a variety strong relationship between tile qfpc:>l))tnUnity and zovernment Marshall Islands and Austral.ia projects in Ma.juro·lastThurs- need~ noelab<:JratiOIJ, addirlg day> thanhe two nations were "part-

The Ambassador, who is ners" in the South Pacific Fo-based in Pohnpe1 in.the Feder, atedJlta.tes of !v1icronesia, .is

. ip.aking his hrsfvisit.··to. the M~tiB:ltX~lflnds thi~ *1ee~. . . .. J'ellifti'J¥ia'sengagen:l(:ntwi~

.... its Pac.iyc.family·is ~ll-Lll.11d .• i.ingprtinttoevery A1.1srralian," C:c:>lyfqld !(abu~ at •.. a .formal

•·· ~re!!\qny.I/'Youraspiratiops 1<\~S~ a, safe and pro~perou~ ifumre for your people: are the

s?,tne,;ts ours." ·•.·· ' ... · .. · ... · ... · .•. .· <'file arnbassad?r spoke allouf Australi~'s11ewthr~·yearaid policy f of the Pacific that "sharpens its effectivene~s by providiti& f lrar ~4 consistent guide-}py5; arth~.sillne tiITl'; remainil)g flt;?;,,;ible aml re~onsive to cdsis?' J . • •·:.· ·· i . Ori regional cooperation is,

rum. He recognized Australia for

its continuing economic aid to the Marshall Islands, emphasizing the key role in dcvelopmen t that the. Australian

· Embassys small graJ1ts scheme program has played for communities in the Marshall fslands.

Cole delivered checks for more than $27,000 to support computer purchases for.Majuro

· Hospital's "te]e-medicine" internet-based medical consultatiunprogram and the Ministry of Finance tax collection depa1tment.

The funding will also support community. sports programs in Majuro and one remote outer island community.

US to make atoll into nat'l wildlife preserve HONOLULU (Pacnews)-Privately-owned Palmyra Atoll. located about a thousand miles south of Honolulu, wil! be acquired by the US government and turned into a national wildlife preserve.

The purchase and preservation of the atol! is being made possible by a government appropriation of $8 million, to which

private conservation funds will be added.

Palmyra is made up of 52 islets and is home to large numbers of rare tropical fish. giant clams and threatened turtles.

It also is a breeding ground for migratory sea birds.

The atoll currently is owned Continu-ea on page 22

Northern Mariana Islands

RETIREMENT Fu ND

Request for Proposal (Rl<~P99-004) !.,andscaping Maintenance

The NMI Reti1emenl Fvnd is requesting proposals from plivale firms for londscoping ond grounds mointenonce selVices of the Retirement Fund Building located in Capitol Hill. -

The scope of work includes bi-weekly visits for o pe1iod of 12 months to pe1form the following se1Vices: l. Cut gross growing within the p1emises including areas along the

boundoiy pe1imete1 and the area fronting the moin highway 2. Cut and remove gross and weeds in ga1den areas. flagpoles

concrete base ond di1ectional signs. etc. 3. T1im hedges ond periodicolly p1une flowers ond trees as needed. 4. Dispose cigarette butt bins or containers p1ovided for such purpose. 5. Cleon parking area of trash ond other debris thot may obstruct lraffic

flow or pose safety hazards to vehicles and visitors. 6. Woter plonts and trees on eveiy visit and apply fertilizer eveiy three

monlhs.

Interested firms requiring additional information should contact the Acting Administrator of the NMI Retirement Fund.

All p1oposols must be submitted no later than 4:00 p.m., Januaiy 29. 1999 to the following address:

Acting Administrator NMI Retirement Fund (RFP 99-04)

Fi1st Floor. NMI Retirement fund Building Capitol Hill

P.O. Box 1247 Saipon, MP 96950

T11e Fund 1ese1ves the 1ight to 1ejeci any 01 all p1oposols submitted in its inte1est.

Devotees show different expressions as they hold unto the rope that will pull the carriage carrying the Black Nazarene during a procession for its feast day Saturday in Manila. Barefoot catholic devotees mostly males make it a vow to pull the rope in their belief that it will bring good luck and good health. AP

Filipinos exasperated over crime, criminals

By Jim Gomez MA:\ILA, Philippines (AP) -An uproar over a Supreme Court decision postponing what would be the Philippines' first execution in 23 years illustrates many Filipinos· exasperation with crime.

Just three hours before Leo Echegaray. a house painter convicted of raping his 10-year-old stepdaughter. was to be puttodeath

_Monday.the court said it wanted to give Congress six months to review the law allowing capital pun-

ishment. The Philippines abolished the

death penalty in 1987. a year after dictator Ferdinand Marcos was overthrown in a popular revolt, and it was widely seen as an ugly vestige of his era.

However. a series of sensational murder cases involving members of wealthy families and a rise in other crimes prompted Congress to bring back capital punishment in 1994 for "'heinous" crimes such as murder. kidnapping. rape and drug

Northern Mariana Islands

RETIREMENT Fu ND llcqucst for Proposal (Rl-'1199-003)

Air Conditionin~ and Vire Alarm System .l1aintcnanee

The Hf.11 Re:,remer,I Fund 1s requesting lor p1oposals from privale firms for the Mecl1an1-cal Ma1n1enance of its Air Cond11!oning and Fire Alarm Systems in the Retirement Funa Bu1ld1ng located 1n Cap,tol Hill

There are 17 Trane Manufactured air conditioning urn1s _of various BTU's servicing three floors of the Relirement Fund Bldg. as follows:

2 each 191,000 BTU 2 each 122,100 BTU 6 each 47,500 BTU 2 each 57,000 BTU 1 each 14,400 BTU 2 each 72,000 BTU

Air Conditioning System: Contraclor is expected to provided service and maintenance of the Air Cond1t1onmg System 1n accordance with the manufacturer's recommended service guidelines including but not limited to the following

Every three months: inspect thermoslat setting; check damper air intake, air register and supply register grill._ Every six months: clean condensers and evaporator filters.

Fire Alarm System: Contractor is required to conduct periodic testing and servicing of the units. Between periodic testing and servicing intervals, Contractor must perform operation checks monthly to ensure proper and reliable operation of the syslem.

Interested firms or ind1v1duals may visit the NMI Retirement Fund Office to review or obtain copies of the service maintenance manual.

All proposals must be submitted no later than 4:00 p.m_ January 29, 1999 to the following address:

Acting Administrator NMI Retirement Fund (RFP 99-03)

First Floor, NMI Retirement Fund Building Capitol Hill

P.O_ Bo, 1247 Sa1pan. MP 96950

The Fund reserves the right to re1ect any or all propooa!, :,:,~c,i!ted in its interest.

traffic k.i n g. The Supreme Court's decision

to postpone Echegaray's execution outraged many, with some warning that citizens might be forced to take the law into their own hands. -

Others were jubilant. After hearing of the decision, more than 100 Catholic priests, nuns and human rights activists erupted into cheers and a church bell rang outside the national penitentiary in the Manila suburb where Echegaray was waiting death.

Nearby, relatives of crime victims who had come to show their support for the death penalty were shocked. ·

"What about my child? What about my child?" asked Eduardo Chan. sohhing as he displayc:u a photograph of his 12-year-old daughter, who was gang-raped by drng addicts, killed and dumped in a septic tank in 1995.

··Even if you file cases, nothing happens because they don't have the nerve to can-y out punishments,'· the 45-year-old carpenter said.

Chan's companions in a group called Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption told similar tales.

One man's 12-year-old daughter also was raped and murdered, while a woman told ofherteen-age son, who was tortured and beheaded by students in a fraternity hazing.

A day after the court's decision, bomb threats sent police squads to the Supreme Court building. Unsigned leaflets scattered outside the building warned of a rise in anticrime vigilantes.

On Thursday, hundreds of noisy protesters demonstrated outside the court, demanding the i mpcachmcnt of the eight justices who had voted to stay Echegaray's execution.

Anti-crime advocate Teresita Ang-See said crimes like rape, kidnapping and murder have increased

continued on -pa9e-:t2

Tidal waves kill at least six in RP ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP) - Tidal waves smashed into coastal villages in the southern Philippines. killing at least six people, officials said Saturday. Twelve people are missing.

Waves as high as 20 feet battered several towns on the remote island town of Sitangkai in TawiTawi province during a storm late Wednesday, the local government said.

Most of the missing were fishermen, the officials said.

Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali also said many houses built on wooden stilts were washed out to sea. The victims had been in homes destroyed by the waves, Sahali said.

Sitangkai, which is close to the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah, is about 650 miles south of Manila.

r~Il'l1~,~~ffl9~tt by-_ •• _.-~ .. ijtfi?Y-•:•-•~~~Cl.l.ti'\.1"~8

........

~ALAfAI'l',~NG, Manila tet had put .up. a ''management -(PHNO):--A short ~nounce- _team" to tllk:e over the n;1tional rnentwithm the 30-minute."Ulat flagcamer,accorctingmEspinfo, saBayan" (Reportto the Nation) Espiritu describedthe takeover of PresidentEstradatouchedupon by the former Cathay ex¥tives a solution to the problems of the as a "total change of manage-aµing flagcanierPhilippi~e Air- ment'' for PAL. lines, aJJd.friggeg:d spectjl11tions "They .'filhnake the:decision on . exactly hq.y and what the -on the day-to-d~y operations of changes are in the company. PAL," he said. - -

The Philippine Daily Inquirer Espiritu_ said the .grqup would reports t<Xiay that' 'Effective im0 putup P6billion,or$15Qmillion,_. mediately Philippine Airlines will needed to!l)ake P ALviaple again. -be mllnaged by former execu- 'I'he reh~ilit:ation plall will be tives of Cathay Pacific Aiiways pr5~p~Jo tllf $eciirities, .an1 Ltd. of Hong Kont," and crl!t!ite.d. ---- J::xc~ge. ··: .SPr!rn1issiQJ} for ·.·lli>;:_: the_ announcemerit--•to President proy11t&pitjtp- ~aidtfle. g9vef!1· Estrada's ''lJJafsa 13ayan.f' _ - - . ment»'.PJJlcl ~wilitthe finajresult

]'he Inquii:erfurther ®qtes Fi- -.• > of~ f:Aif., ellW\oyees\re(f!<!p,,-· _. nanreSec.retaryB:lgardoJ?piritu -.. st~mJo S?-Iqe tPei;9\er,n~ent.

.·-saying·.:.:.PAL (;haii; I.,ubip Tan-:··:_ -posifi()ll?f P.ie \Vor~e.ry; • • / :•• > •: w~1dno1011~er~~ngAs~a·~< - -__ llov,,eyi/i~~,Rlli¥t?Pi~0~1¥ oldest -airline as a resu1toL the - 1;1l%1Y~B?rt$ tlja~~.9\pJ!II}fyis agreement •• signed by PAI}and -pira~ci.p ~J::a.tra.y.~"ij11tjye~ Regent_,. Star -·- Service$ • Ltd, op ln its stqry q;itellti¢iil-IQllg l<ong,) Thu~ay. :-.. -- .... ____ > - _·_the_ •• _._ •• _ }~tar ___ ·· __ -·_is_a_-_._1:d ___ • __ • __ P __ . __ -••.1 __ .. u_-_li.iPP_ .• _<.··.i_11.e __ • •. ·. ,%ir_J_i.Il_ •.• _e_-__ S_

'.-.-.'.H_-.... -e_: __ '_s __ -o-._ .-u_--.t·_,· __ -_,.,_ ·-i::;. -."" -.. -.----_·1_n-__ ·-_.m·_--___ .. s.-.-.-_.ru-___ -_ .• _·-•• d ___ -:·.::-••.,-:-·.·.- _ - -. • • - · - -- , •• ,-- • --T h- --=I:' , ,tnajOnty Pvpef 9'98 . ~j '

The _ fin an Ile. sepretary $aid a _ pi1';1t5c1 fiv~ s~t1ia.y r~ifiy A:ir·-group of retired.and rete11tly-re- wa~~nvss\JQ.S9'Y.~ all?,(lyi$--signed senior ex¢cutiV~;; of ersforrN",)anii ~lp.s~igl'f~ Cathay Pacific led by Peter Fos7 colla(ise of !he ajµ11~ ~fl$ ~r.'\

Philippine President Joseph Estrada contemplates his answer to questions posed by citizens from across the nation after his Report-tothe-Nation address at Malacanang Palace in Manila on Friday. Estrada said his six-month-old administration has helped the country weather the Asian financial crisis, prevented recession and pushed back crime.

. AP

',:i

.,--, . '

,)i

Guam meeting schedules. -

Guam Community College

The Guam Community College Board of Trustees has rescheduled its monthly meeting to this Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 5 p.m. in the G.C.C. President's Office Conference Room, Administration Building.

Individuals requiring special accommodations and/or auxiliary aids can submit requests to GCC ADA Coordinator Jan Milligan at 735-5582/3 or call GCC TDD numbers at 734-5236.

Guam Environmental Protection Agency

The Guam Environmental Protection Agency Board of Directors is scheduled to hold a meeting Thursday, Jan. 14 at 5 p.m. in the GEPA Main Office Conference Room.

A copy of the agenda will be available on Wednesday, Jan. 13 and those with disabilities requiring special accommodations, auxiliary aids or services can call in theirrequests to board secretary Lisa Santos at 475-1658/9.

The public is urged to attend.

Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities

The Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Board Meeting will be held on Thursday, Jan. -14 at 4 p.m. at Building# 703 Central Avenue, Tiyan.

People with disabilities who need special accommodations should call Jacqueline Balbas at 475-2242/3.

Guam Visitors Bureau The Guam Visitors Bureau will hold its regular board meeting on Thursday, Jan. 14 at 4 p. m. in the Main GVB Conference Room.

Those needing special assistance because of disabilities are requested to kindly call 646-5278/9.

Guam Telephone Authority

The Guam Telephone Authority Board of Directors will hold its regular meeting Thursday. Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. in the GTA Administration Building Conference Room, Tuman.

The public is invited to attend. Those with special accommodations and in need of auxiliary aids can submit requests to the board secretary by calling 646-8607.

(Compill'd hy Tunya M.C. Mendiola)

Diabetics, to prevent foe>t amputation,--

join the foot clinic .


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 to

be e-0vered, contact Laila at 234-6341

.~xpert .says C~I gets ahead 1n special education program


THECNMI is already ahead with the rest of the US regarding parental involvement in treating students with disabilities in school, according to a special education specialist.

Special Education Law Associates (SELA) Executive Direc-

tor Gail ImObersteg was on Saipan last week to infonn local public school principals on the new amendments regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997.

ImObersteg, who is from Hawaii, said parental involvement is part of the new changes in the IDEA law.

"One of the things that is important in this new law is that it tries to explain about students with disabilities when they misbehave," ImObersteg said.

The new amendments also explain the students' rights.

"The discipline areas are going to be changed and will increase parental involvement. The law

Introducing for the first time ever -

now requires mediation to be made available," she said.

ImObersteg continued that mediation involves an outside person that will come in to make the two parties agree on certain issues than go through a formal hearing process.

Also part of the amendments is Confmued on page 22

EXPANDED ')' HOME COV RAGE!

A New And Exclusive Enhanced Service That Only Saipan Cellular & Paging Can Bring You!

Use your cellular phon_e i~ Saipan or Guam!·

t/ Use the same cellular number both on Saipan & Guam!

t/ No roaming charges! t/ Free long distance to Guam! t/ A Free and Exclusive

Enhanced Service.

Nib DH fl

\. - -- . . _ I - -- _'_ -_. ,_ -"_ -' . ·, ..... - ;,·

"'";: -- : . . -_ . ,: -....,.....,

T!ie Choice is Clear.

Telephone: 670-235-7243 • Fax: 670-235-7640 • Gualo Rai Commercial Center. Main Building, Middle Road

------------------------------------------------------~---------~-----------------J

I '·

14-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-MONDAY-JANUARY 11, 1999

ff1' 1t6'1hti&iU1tYklilll1tlR,t40t• Hawaii's tourism figures

Tonga tries to deal with Asia migration

drop first time in 5 years NUKU'ALOFA (Pacnews) -Tonga's police and immigration departments have launched a joint operation to deal with the problem of Asians seeking employment in the kingdom.

ment strictly prohibited. Immigration authorities

have found out that overseas travel agents advertise Tonga as a good employment market with a stable government.

HONOLULU (Pacnews)-Hawai i state e·conomists say the number of tourists visiting Hawaii during 1998 dropped for the first time in five years.

Officials in the Department of Business. Economic Development and Tourism say final. yearend riguri::s are expected to show that slightly fewer than 6.8 million visitors travelled 10 the Ha-

waiian Islands last year. That translates into a decline in

tourist numbers of I .6perccnt over 1997.

Travellers from Asia. particularly Japan and Korea . dropped more than IO percent.

This was partially offset, however. by an increase of about four percent in visitors from the US mainland.

The tourism industry. which is the major contributor to Hawaii's currently struggling economy, was hardest hit in Honolulu and the capital island of Oahu.

Neighbor islands, which remain more rural and untouched by urbanisation, fared better by getting a larger percentage of the tourist numbers.

The Ministerof Police and Principal Immigration Officer, Clive Edwards, called a special meeting of senior immigration and police officers this morning to find a solution to the problem.

Some Asians reportedly pay such agents large sums of money to get to Tonga and some borrow money for the journey hoping that a job in Tonga will help them make the loan repayments.

Rabuka to fight polls on open seat

For the past three years, many the Asians, mostly mainland Chinese, have migrated to Tonga, finding jobs mostly as construction industry laborers.

Some of them have been turning up with work visas, only to find on arrival that the jobs they were supposed to have secured in Tonga are non-existent.

Today's joint meeting between police and immigration officials decided that Asians with onemonth visitor's permits will not have their permits extended.

SUVA (Pacnews) - Fiji's Prime Minister. Sitiveni Rabuka, will fight thecounuy·s May general election on an open seat.

Rabuka has been endorsed as his Soqosoqo ni Vakavulcwa ni Taukei (SVT) Party's candidate for the one open seat in his home province of Cakaudrove.

Standing for the open seat will mean having to draw support from non-indigenous Fijian voters.

He is widely tipped to win the seat.

The May election will be the first in more than a decade where Fiji ·s ethnic communities will be able to vote once again for candidates other than those of

Sitiveni Rabuka

their own race. Providing 25 open seats in a 71-

member parliament, Fiji's 1997 Constitution is a step away from

the racial segregation enforced by the I 990Constitution, which came into effect after Rabuka's military coups of 1987.

Voters will use the altema- . ti ve vote system to elect representatives to 25 open seats, 17 Fijian provincial seats, six Fijian urban seats, 19 Indian communal seats, three general communal seats and one Rotuman seat.

Opposition Leader, Jai Ram Reddy, seen as another popular choice for an open seat, is yet to confirm his position.

Reddy's National Federation Party has already agreed to fight the election on a joint arangement with Rabuka 's SVT.

Other times, Asian visitors have been issued one-month visitors visas with employ-

Those with work permits but without jobs will have to leave the country immediately.

The plan of action will begin immediately. Radio Tonga says there are no official statistics available on how many people will be affected.

PNG opposition takes gov't to court over Bougainville

PORTMORESBY(Pacnews)-PapuaNewGuinea'sOpposition has called on the government to effectively engage opposition members in a bi-partisan approach towards reaching a lasting solution to the nine-year old civil conflict on Bougainville.

Opposition Leader, Bernard Narokobi, says the government has completely overlooked the opposition in the search for peace on Bougainville, despite the existence of a bi-partisan committee.

Solom.ons welcom.es the euro He says the Opposition will not support any half-baked peace

initiative for Bougainville. Narokobi made the comments while announcing that the Opposi

tion has filed for a judicial review of the cabinet's decision to suspend the Bougainvillc Provincial Government on New Year's Day, following the expiry of the 13ougainville Transitional Government's term.

HO MARA (Pacnews )-'1l1e Cenm1! B:mk of tl1e Solomon Islm1ds h:L, welcomed the ina-oduction of the single Eurnpe,m cum:ncy.

1l1e Bank says the Euro· s introduction is an advantage for Solomon Islands.

Central Bank Go\'emor. Rick

The wise reader bt1ys only

~ one newspaper and saves

because;

Hou. says expo1ters and imponer, to and from Europe will only deal with one cunt:ncy, the Eum, unlike in the past when trade had to be in each European counuy · s cunency.

Hou says eight percent of Solomon Islands foreign reserves in European Currency Units have

has it all!

KEEP SAIPAN'A POLLUTION & DRl[G FREE COMMUNITY!

been convc1ted to the Euro. He says the country also holds

seven percent of its foreign reserves in the German cunency. and will decidt: before July 2002 whether to convert that amount to US dollars or Euro.

Prime Minister Bill Skate has said the .action was to create a legal working space for setting up the Bougainville Reconciliation Government (BRG), to ensure the Bougainvillc peace process could continue, in line with the wishes of the island's people and its leaders.

However, he admits that the European trading bloc will be a powt:1fol one economically.

However, Narokobi says only parliament can set up provincial governments and cabinet's decision to unilaterally support the fornrntion of the BRG is illegal.

The current c.xchange rate is ,tbout seven Solomon Island dollars to one Eu ID.

Skate maintains cabinet took the action after a bill 10 allow the setting up of the BRG was defeated in parliament in December, because of lack of .support from the Opposition.

Civil service reshuffie sparks a controversy SUVA (Pacncws)- FiJi"s main opposition party has threatened to enforce the new, I 9Y7 Constitution with legal action unless the government corrects racial imbalances in recent civil service appointments.

The National Federation Party (NFPJ plans to right the May general election in a coal it ion arrangc-

ment with Prime Minister Sitivcni Rabuka's ruling party.

The NFP. :ilong with tht: opposition Labour Party, has accused the government of racial d iscri mination in the civil service.

The Public Service Cmnmission (l'SC) announced a reshuffle of diplomatic postings and per-


Island youth join Japan peace mission SUV A (Pacnews) - Youths from Fiji and Tonga will be among

276 young people participating in a global peace mission sponsored by Japan.

Thirteen youths from Fiji and the same number from Tonga have been selected to take part in a three-month programme.

They will spend a week in Tokyo before leaving for the Solomon lslands on the ship, Nippon Maru.

The group will travel to Tonga, Tahiti, Ecuador. Mexico and Hawaii before returning in early march.

The programme aims to promote international co-operation by building friendship and mutual understanding among youths around the world.

SUVA (Pacncws) - Fiji ·s Police Commissioner, lsikia Savua, has suspended a police officer who brought charges of com1ption and abuse of office against him last year. -

Inspector N ai pole Vere has been suspended without pay. with effect from Wednesday, when he appeared before a police tribunal in relation to his action against Savua.

Vere was informed about the suspemion in a letter from Savua this week. ·

Ile had brought 19 charges against the Commissioner last year.

In a decision well publicised through paid newspaper advertisements, the Disciplined Services Commission cleared Savua on al I charges prior to Christmas.


MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1999-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-15 ----·---- -----·· -------·----·-~--------·

Japa11, Italy bolster ties ROME (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and his counterpart Massimo D 'Alema pledged on Saturday to cooperate more closely to ensure foreign exchange stability. paying special attention to the euro/yen rate.

··we discussed developments of foreign exchange markets afterthe smooth launch of the new currency, the euro. and rcaffomed that the stability of foreign exchange markets is of key importance, not only to each of our economies, but also to the entire world economy;· they said in a statement after talks.

"We agreed that the stability of the euro/yen exchange rate is especially impot1ant in the foreign exchange market.'"

··From this viewpoint we agreed to monitor developments of exchange markets more closely and seek to establish a renewed framework for mutual cooperation given the launch of the euro."

The joint statement was almost identical to one issued afterObuchi met French President Jacques Chirac in Paris earlier this week. The Japanese premier is on a European tour that will take him to Germany after his stay in Italy.

D'Alema and Obuchi. who termed their talks ··extensive and candid." also agreed that work needed to be done on the interna-

Italian premier Massimo D'A/ema (left) and Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi shake hands before a luncheon in Rome's Villa Madama, Saturday. Obuchi arrived in Italy January 8 for the second leg of his European tour. AP

tional financial system, the statement said.

"We agreed that the international financial system needs to be improved in order to achieve a sound development of the world economy. For that purpose we com-

mitted ourselves to working togetherin various fields, in cooperation with other G7 countries," it said.

Such fields were ··enhancing financial sector supervision; tackling issues related to internation-

. .

ally active institutional investors, including hedge funds; addressing issues of exchange rate regimes: and improving the IMF programmes and procedures. including strengthening the inte1im and development committees."

The Japanese have been pushing for improved cooperation on currency management between the world's leading economies and appear to have garnered considerable suppot1 from France.

Pope meets Japanese PM

VA TI CAN CITY (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi met Pope John Paul at the Vaticm1 on Saturday and told the frail-looking Pontiff: 'Take care of yourself. because you must take care of the people of the world ...

The two spent 25 minutes discussing problems in the relationship between church an<l state in Japan. the Vatican said.

The 78-year-old Polish Pope appeared tired during the public patt of the audience und used his cane when he greeted Obuchi at the entrance to his private study in the Apostolic palace.

Obuchi, accompanied by his wife and a 13-memberdelegation. gave the Pope a 19th-century porcelain vase as a present.

The Japanese premier. who is on an official visit to Italy as part of a European tour. was due to meet Italian leaders later on SatunJay.

Dalai Lama says:.(;ninese official .channels stay closed HONG KONG (AP) - The Dalai Lama says his attempts to discuss Tibetan autonomy with Chinese officials have been stymied by Bejing's increasingly hard-line attitude.

In an interview with Time

magazine, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said that ('oneof the informal channels which we used to make contact with them is now more or less closed, It's riot working."

The Dalai Lama also said in the

Unidentified elderly man votes at /kale Elegushi village near the capital Lagos Saturday as Nigeria took its second step towards democracy with elections for governors and state elections. AP

latest issue. of the magazine. that the Chinese government's policies on dissidents, democracy and Tibet has hardened.

He said he is-willing tQ talk to the Chinese government "anywhere, any time.without precon-

ditions." The Dalal Lama leads• a world

wide campaign formore autonomy, · noLindependence, for Tibet from

his exile headquarters in the nonhem Indian city of Dharmsala.

He fled to India in l 959 after an

abortive revolt, an<l overthe years, hundreds of thousands of Tibetans have joined him.

Other Tibetans, such as those from the Tibetan Youth Congress, have taken a more pro-independence stance than the Dalai Lama.

Nigeria takes steps toward democracy By FRANK AIGBOGUN

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) - After decades of military rule. Nigeria cominued its tentative stride toward democracy with long lines of voters turning out to elec1 governors and state assemblies across the country.

Turnout appeared to particularly high in th1: north and in Lagos. before voting ended in mid-afternoon. Results wt:re expected later Sunday.

In a novel anti-fraud move. voters were allowed to stay at polling centers after they cast their ballots and watch votes being counted.

Military mnldling and armed rorccs coups have long been pan or Nigerian politics - the army h:is held powL'r ror all but IO years since indcpende11ee in I Y60. But change has come ID Africa's most populous nation since (,en. Sani /\bacha's sudden death in June ended his brutal dictatorship.

C,en. Abdulsalami Abubakar. the career soldier who succeeJed Ahacha. has freed political prisoners. opencu up the poli tied process and n;peatcdly vowed lo hand over power to civilians later this year. Nigeria. which became an international pariah under Abacha _for its miscr:tbli.: human rights record. is again welcoming foreign .:nvoys and wooing investors.

""We basically have one reason for voting. that is to get the military out of power,"' said Rahimi Sodunke. a Lagos businessman.

"'We deserve a change in this country and we must shift ]l(l\\'et·.

Only three parties ean1L'd enough votes in local elections in December to qualify for the state polling. and for presidential vDting next month.

The three parties arc the Peoples· Democratic Party of former military ruler Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo: the All

Peoples· Party. led by many supporters of late dictator Abacha: and the Alliance for· Democracy. mainly composed or oppcisit ion politicians from the Yoruba <!lhnic group from Nigeria· s SllU thwest.

Voting was held in 35 of Nigeria's 36 stares.

The elections did not take place in oil-rich Bayelsa state. which has been the scene of growing violence by members of the law tribe. who arc demanding a bigger share of oil resources pumped from their poverty-stricken region.

Nigeria· s electoral commission has said it would not conduct ekctions in that state because or fears of endan!lerin!l its offici:i!s. - -

Despite the political shift since Abacha 's death. Nigeria remains mired in poverty.

The world· s sixth-largest oi I producer. thi:: · Nigerian economy has been crippled by years of mismanagement and corruption.

EARLY PREVENTION, LESS COMPLICATIONS OF LONG TERM ILLNESS.

,

Riots erupt again in Indonesia town JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Police chased rioters and fired warning shots Saturday to bre:ik up the second day of unrest in an Indonesian town.

Rioters, including many high school students, looted shops and threw stones and bottles at police in Karawm1g, on the main island of Java. l11ey were dispersed, but hundreds regrouped a~ soon as the officers had moved on.

Aurho1ities questioned dozens of people detained during widespread rioting and looting Friday that left two people dead and at least a dozen injured:

At least 55 people were being held, and authorities were trying to identify instigators of the unrest in the town, 40 miles east of the capital, Jakarta.

11~e riots began after rumors that police had mistreated motorcycle taxi drivers.

lndonesia has been plagued by civil unrest in the past year, muchofitlinked to economic hrutlship, ethnic and religious tensions and political turmoil. RioL, and protest~ helped force the autho1itarian President Suharto to quit in May.

Many of those arrested in Karawang were looters and had been caught nurying stolen food and clothing, pol ice SgL Imam Hanafi said. He indicated most would likely be relea<;ed because authoritiesarefocusing on who started tlie JioL,.

Meanwhile in nonhem Aceh province, Indonesian soldiers detained dozens of villagers during a raid Saturday on a suspected rebel stronghold.

Villagers said one man was wounded during pre-dawn gunfire on the outskirts of the town of Lhokseumawe, where anti-military riots last weekend left at least 17 civilians dead.

Many Aceh residents mistrust the military, which has been accused of widespread human rights abuses in the province on the northern end of Sumatra Island.

Ph: (671 J 477-7724 Fax: (671) 477-8257

P.O. Box 24702 GMF. Guam 96921

Website: www.guarninstitutc.com

E-mail: gui nst [email protected]

As the aviation and technical training center for Southeast Asia - Pacific Rim area, we provide:

• Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT)

• Travel Professional Course Our 12-week travel professional program gives you the way lo distinguish

yourself from the competition in the tra,·c\ im.lustry with hands-on training in WORI.DSPAN@ Computer Reservation System. World Geography. Selling Techniques. Career Preparation, Basic 'lbvcl Industry Japanese.

Our FAA certified 12-month day course. consists of 1960 hours of hoth cbssrnom and hands -on instruction. is the most aggressive aviation rnainli.:natK~ training program offered anywhere in the world'. Excellent joh placement upporwnities locally and in tile U.S. . am! much, much more.

• FCC General Radio Operators License

, Prnmctrics Computerized Testing Center

AMT DAY CLASSES STARTING JANUARY ·, .

filnitell ~tates ]Information ~gemp JOB VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Position: Administrative Officer GS<l4 l-9/l 1 Lucation: lntern:.itional Broadcastinµ; Bureau

OfTice of F:ngineering and 'l'echrncal Operations ":-:orthcrn ~1arinna ls\and:-; Station, 1SaipanlJ'inianJ CN;\ll

DL'TlES: Incumbent ~en·es as the ad\'i:;or to thl' Station ?\L.incJger ..1nd stali(J11 L·mplovl'es ;.ind pl'Cl\'i<les D\'enill directi[)n .on u\l phc.:s<:~ llf personnel admini:--tra.tion within the statitiri. :\ detuiled po~1tion de~cnption/duties may be 11btainl'd at the IBB offit:l', K:.lllingal Building iacTo:--.~ from Colden Dn1g ~rnd L·;J:-;t of ,_rnd on the :;ume strer:t u~ the I Ioriguchi Building;

qt: A I ,J l']('XI'[( i:,; llEOt :11H·:~l l•S!'!-, :\pplic.:.mb must be a L·.~. citizen.

J\ppJic;111h mu!'i{ h.J\'C 1 .\"l•ar of ~pe(.'ia]izt•d experienl'e al Je~st t_•qui \"~~]en t to the tll'Xl lo\,.·er gracll' ll'\'(•l. Speci:..ilizc:d cxpcriL•nce is c..•xpl'l'Jl•JH:t• whieh has equippt'd the applirnnt with tlw particular krHi\\:Jedge. ~kilband :..ibilities to perform succe~sfully the duties of the positi1,n and ,•.:hich i:-: n•lated t.o the work <Jf'the po~ition Lo be filled.

:\Pl'Ll('ATI O\' Cl.OSI\'(; IJA'l'I·:: Applications must be postmarked hy ,Janu: . .u-y ~k. HJ99. Applicc1nb mc1y sub" mit any of the following: Standard Form 17l 1Application fur Federal Employment 1, OF-(j 1~. 1 Optional Application for Federal Employmenli or a resume. On a separate sheet of paper please address the followin~ five Special Rating Factors and attach to your application: ( 1 J Knowledge of administrative records management, :;ecurity, fiscal/budget planning and implementation, f21 Knowledge of Government contracting: und procurement rules and regulations, r 2 I Ability to analyze complex materials, 1,J I Ability to meet and deal with a variety of people, 151 Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of people.

Please send applications lo:

SF-171 and OF-fi12 forms may be obtained from any Federal Personnel Office or by contacting the International Broadcasting Bureau Personnel Office, Washington, DC al 12021 (H9-3117 or Saipan at 16701233-1624.

For further information about the position, please contact Renee White at (202) 619-3117.

Malaysia's new Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (left) is greeted by Malaysians during his visit to Penang Saturday. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad named Badawi as his deputy prime minister to replace jailed lawmaker Anwar Ibrahim. AP ·

Malaysia PM's allies show support for new- deputy

By Azhar Sukri KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's political allies on Saturday closed ranks behind his new deputy replacing Anwar Ibrahim, as the opposition urged the government to clean up the police force.

Leaders of Mahathir's 14-party governing coalition voiced strong support for Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was named deputy prime minister on Friday filling the second most powerful spot in the government left vacant since /\nwar was sacked in September.

Mahathir was quoted by the national Bemama news agency on Saturday as saying Abdullah could ultimately take over the premiership.

"According to normal practice, that is the case,'" Mahathir said.

··Normally. the Jeputy becomes my successor but l had three who didn't become (my successor). Nowauays, it's difficult to say. 1 ·111 SL',11'1:d to say." Mahathirsaiu.

Two of Mahathir's dqmtics, Musa Ilitarn and R,tzalcigh I lamzah. resigned from their posts i11 lhc 1980s. Anwar lhrnhim was sacked in September after MahathirsaiJ hnvas morally unfit

to lead. Anwar is currently being tried on charges of sexual misconduct and conuption.

Mahathir also gave Abdullah the powe1ful home (interior) minister portfolio which Malaysia's leader had held for more than a decade. The home minister is in charge of police.

Mahathir had in recent days come under pressure from the opposition and rights activists to relinquish the home minister's job amid mounting criticism of the police. accuse<l by the attorneygeneral of injuring Anwar after he was arrested in September.

The police chief quit on ThursJay, more than three months after Anwar appeared in court with a black eye.

Unassuming and known as an honest politician, Abdullah, 59, was viewed as Mahathir's best option for averting a damaging split within the dominant United Malays national Organisation (LJMNO) as it girds for general clections that must be held by April 2000.

The two other leading candid.ires for the number t~vo spot were ultimately seen as more politically risky, analysts said.

Education Minister Najib Abdul

•

Razak, at 45, was seen as too young and having a more controversial background, while former finance minister Razaleigh Hamzah, who broke with Mahathir in 1987, had not yet fully won back the party's confidence.

Lawyers gathered in the capital for a· meeting of the Malaysian Bar Council were divided on the impact of the cabinet reshuffle on the country's political stability.

"I don 'tthink Badawi 's appointment is going to make any difference," said lawyer Sathesh Ramachandran.

"'l11c perception is that Mahathir is losing his grip. At the end of the day his henchmen have got the key positions in cabinet,'' he said.

'Tensions within UMNO will be reduced," said lawyerSuhaimi Ilarun.

"Mahathir is not the kind of person to relinquish his post. He will try to hold on to his post for as long as possible."

Mahathir had wanted to leave the deputy post open until his party's next general election in June. when U MNO had been scheduled lo choose a new deputy president to replace Anwar.

Singapore opposition leader faces 2nd charge SINGAPORE (Reuters) ~ Singapore police said on Saturday they will summon maverick opposition politician Chee Soon Juan on a second charge of making a public speech without a permit.

"The pol ice have completed the investigation into the incident where Dr Chee Soon Juan of the Singapore Democratic Party

(SDP) gave a public talk" in the lwart of thc business district on Tuesday, a police statement to the press said.

"The investigation revealed that Dr Chee has committed an offense of providing public entertainment without a licence." Chee, 36. leader of the small SDP. has been summoned lo allcnd court on January 22 to face the charge.

Under Singapore's Public Entertainment Act, anyone making a speech without a licence is liable to a fine of up to S$5,000 (US$3,000).

A fine of more than S$2.000 would bar him from standing for election for five years - but Chee has said he plans to make another speech next week at the National University of Singapore.


Democratic leader Lee to Tung_·

'Stronger HK anti-trust laws' · HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong Democratic Party chief Martin Lee on Saturday called ori Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to strengthen anti-trust laws and expressed frustration that his party's views were not being considered enough in policy-making.

"We are against monopolistic tendencies," Lee told a news briefing after a meeting with Tung.

Lee said his party wanted Hong Kong to be more open Martin Lee

so that anybody who wanted to invest in any industry was free to do so. This would ultimately benefit the consumer, he said.

The Democratic Party has drawn up a list of areas where it sees room for improvement.

These include the practice of banks getting together to decide interest rates.

The party has also criticised the lack of competition in telecommunications, ports, gas, electricity and the oil products markets.

China sente~ces 'Tobacco King' SHANGHAI, China (AP) - One of China's bestknown businessmen, a cigarette-maker with· the rnonicker of "Tobacco King," was sentenced Saturday to life in prison for helping to embezzle more than $3.5 million.

Chu Shijian, former president and chairman of Yuxi Hongta Tobacco Co., stole the money from the company in 1995 with the help of two subordinates, the official Xinhua News Agency said,

Chu and the other executives were sentenced by the Higher People's Court in Yunnan, a province.in southwestern China. The cigarette company, Asia's largest multinational tobacco firm, is headquartered in Kunming, the provincial capital.

This is the second major corruption case in two months involving Yuxi

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's premierand the country's top economic policy planner will leave on Saturday on separate tours to visit diplomatic allies in the Caribbean and Africa.

Officials said Premier Vincent Siew and a big business and trade mission would leave for the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Belize on a l 0-day official visit.

Separately, top economic policy planner Chiang Pin-kung would leave for the West African countries of Gambia and Senegal.

Both Siew and Chiang, chairman of the cabinet's Council for Economic Planning and Development, were scheduled to return to Taiwan on January 18.

Hemmed in by rival China's diplomatic embargo, Taiwan has only 27 diplomatic allies around the world - mostly poor Latin American and African nations.

Beijing has regarded the Nationalist-ruled island as a rebelheld province since a civil war split it from China in 1949.

Hongta. A senior state economic planning official in charge of awarding cigarette quotas, was given a suspended death sentence Nov. 7 for taking $120,000 in bribes from the company.

Economic reforms have turned China's state-owned tobacco industry into a.hugely profitable enterprise, increasing both opportunities for graft and incentives for bribery. China is the world's biggest cigarette market, with some 320 million smokers.

Chu transformed Yuxi Hongta from a small tobacco factory into a company earning $2.4 billion in annual profits, Xinhua said. Official media called him China's "Tobacco King."

Chu was sentenced to life imprisonment, rather than death, because he confessed and cooperated with investigators, Xinhua said.

Convicted with him were Luo Yijun, a former general accountant sentenced to 14

years imprisonment, and Qiao Fake, a former vice president sentenced to five years in prison, Xinhua said.

In a separate corruption scandal, state me'dia said Saturday that authorities will prosecute officials respon

. sible for shoddy workman-ship on dikes being reinforced and rebuilt in the wake of deadly floods last summer.

The threat is part of government efforts to combat slapdash and coI11lptconstruction that authorities blame for a spate of accidents.

Shoddy· construction was one cause.of the collapse of dikes along the flood-swollen Yangtze River, contributing to a death toll of more than 3,600 people.

Premier Zhu Rongji accused local officials of pocketing construction funds and building dikes with the consistency of "tofu," or beancurd.

American Cindy Lunte of Moore, Idaho (left) holding her newly adopted daughter Jenny Lianne Lunte from China's Anhuiprovince, plays with Annalee Roth, also from Anhui province, in the arms of her adoptive mother, Wendi Roth, of Littleton, Colo., at the White Swan Hotel in Guan11zhou, China. China is the second most popular place for Amencan adoptions overseas after Russia. AP

Don't Be A Litter Bug! Keep Saipan Clean

Tung Chee-hwa

··He's not against our views," Lee said, of Tung's reaction to the proposals.

Tung said in a statement after the meeting that he agreed more competition was necessary in order to lower business operating costs.

"We appreciate that lower prices and higher efficiency resulting from keen competition would help enhance Hong

Kong's competitiveness and be conducive to the development of our economy," he said.

He said lo promote competition the government was examining its practices to see where improvements could be made.

Lee expressed frustration over the paucity of meetings Tung held with Lee's party.

"He has very infrequent meetings with my party," Lee told reporters after the briefing.

Lee said that Tung's policies were being formulated without significant input from the Democratic Party, which is strongly backed by the Hong Kong people.

"There is so little we can do in (the Legislative Council)." Lee said.

He warned that if discontent built up amongst the people the government could face great trouble.

GUAM MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AUTHORITY

Notice of Public Hearing

In accordance with the Administrative Adjudication Act the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority will hold a Public Hearing on Monday January 11. 1999 at 3:00 pm in the GMHA Board Room on the lirst floor in the Administrative Arca. The purpose of this hearing is to solicit public comment on Ihe Proposed Rate Adjustments for Hospit;l Fee Schcdule items.

Wrincn comments on the proposed room rate adjustments maybe submitted at the hearing or lo the Hospital Administrator's Office no later than five (5) days following the hearing for incorporation as a part of the hearing records. Copies of the proposed rate adjustments and fee schedule deletions are available for review and copying in the Administration Offices during the hours of8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.

For further information please contact the Hospital Administrator at 647-2211 .

PURSUANT TO 1 CMC ~ 9910, GOVERNOR PEDRO P. TENORIO, LT. GOVERNOR JESUS R. SABLAN, AND THE BOARD OF PUBLIC LANDS, THROUGH THE DIVISION OF PUBLIC LANDS (DPL) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES, ARE HEREBY GIVING NOTICE THAT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC LANDS WILL BE CONDUCTED ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1999 AT 5:00 P.M.

THE MEETING IS SCHEDULED TO CONTINUE FROM DAY TO DAY UNTIL COMPLETED AND AS SUCH, THE MEETING WILL BE RECONVENED THE FOLLOWING DAY AT TI-IE SAME TIME AND AT THE SAME PLACE IF THE BOARD CALLS A RECESS OFTI-IIS MEETING. THE MEETING WILL BE HELD AT PACIFIC GARDENIA HOTEL EL SEGUNDO CONFERENCE ROOM IN CHALAN KANOA.

AGENDA:

1. Roll Call 2. Adoption of Minutes -August 19, 1998 3. Unfinished Business

(al Department of Public Safetv-Prison Facilitv (bl DepaitmentofPublic Works:Tanapag Metai"Scrap Yard (cl Managaha Island-Request for Proposal

4. Miscellaneous ' 5. Public Comments 6. Adjournment

/s1Tomas B. Aldan BPL Chairman

,, ..... '• ........................... __ , .. , ..... ;.: ................... ~·- ........... ;. · ...................... .,.. ... .

I

18-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-MONDAY-JANUARY 11, 1999 •

Progress is made 1n US, South ~orea security talks s.et

SEOUL (Reuters)- The United States and SouthKoreawill hohla high-level defence and military meeting .in Seoul from January 14to 15, the South Korean defence ministry said on Satnrday.

The annual meeting. known as the Military Committee Meeting and the Security Consultative Meeting, was postponed two months•~o because of the crisis between Iraq and. the United Nations over rums inspections. ·

U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen will arrive in Seoul on Thursday for the meeting with South Korean leaders inc!udingDe-fence Minister Cheon Yong-taek. . ... ·

A South Korean defence ministry statement said the twosid~s would exchange views on the North Korean mi[itary threat, including Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes. .

The United States has said it wants to inspect a building site in the North it suspects is an underground nuclear facility. Pyongyang has refused and insists the facility is fornon-military purposes.

The Seoul statement said the two sides would also discuss realistic military cooperation in consideration of South Korea's economic difficulties.

The United States Forces earlier said Seoul's contribution to the cost of maintaining 35,000 U.S. troops in the country would decrease to 5333 million this year from S399 million last year.

U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea to deter attack by communist No11h Korea.

The 1950-5 3 Korean War ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty. technically leaving the two Koreas at war with each other.

TRIPLE "B" FORWARDERS ,l--- GUAM

~~

"WAREHOUSE ClEARANCE" PACKING BOXES & MATERIALS TEL: 234-5505 FAX: 234-3362

COMMONWEALTH PORTS AUTHORITY CPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NOTICE OF MEETING Pursu,mt llJ Public Law :-;.41. Si.:ction l I, Gon:rnur PcLlro P. Tt.:norio ;mll Lt. Governor k:-.ll', R. Sahl:m, ttmiu:!h llll' Cornmonwl"allh Pon~ /\uthority Bii;mJ (if Di1l'ctors, !1e1eby ~i\l' nutiLT th,11 Llll' r~~ular mi.:i:ting of llii.: CPA Bnart..l of Di1cums \\ill be.: heh.1 tlll FritLtv. hnu;irv 1). !'-)99 at 10.00 ;un. al thl' Cl':\ Conkrenn· RoDm. S,1ip;111 Seaport Otf1r~. un S,uji~111.

·r11i.: foll1l\\ in:; ill:m~ an: qn the agcmla, for tin: :1bm·c rctl:rcncL·d meeting

I. PRELl~llNARY \IXITERS 1. Call lo Onkr 2. Roll Call .1. A<lDpti()ll (Jr r\gL'rH.la 4. A<ll>ption (if ~linutcs (Dec. 11. 199:-.:J

II. CORRESPONDL'-CES linl'nrrnation nnlyJ Ill. cm1~1JH[E REPORTS

I. Fina11cial Altiirs - ALluption uf Fi11;11icial Sl:itl'llll'lll

2. Sc;1por1 facilitic-; 3. Airport F:icililics 4. Pcrsnn11L·I Affairs

IV. EXECL1TJVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT I. Proji.:ct Status Rqrnn

V. OLD B t;SJN ESS 1. Saipan Jlarhor Rihhon·Cl1tting 2. Sealix. lnc.-,\IOlJ Request

Vi. NEW BUSINESS l. Dr:1r1 RcYisions lo CPA Cla~sifo.:ation anJ Compensation Plan 2. ,\gricultural & (ira1.ing Pcrrnit ( Roman N. SanH1'..) .\ /\)!rl<.:ultur;1\ & Gr;u.i11g Permit ( Dominic S. Chong) -l. C!P Funding ( Ti11ian, Ruta & Saip;1n) 5. Rate lncrc:1 .... i..::-. for airport ;mJ ~capon

VII. ~l lSCEI.I.A\'E<JL!S ,\1,\Tl'ERS VIII. l'Ulll.lC Cm1.\1E.\T IX. (beUJ\l\c Sc."irn11 l.1:G,\I. COL::,.\1:1:S REl'Olff X. ADJOURN~IISI' :HI imt•n·.\ft'd f!a.,ow 11n' \n•/1"/IJl/t' fu r/lll'l/d rmd r,, .11dm1ir tl'riH1'!I 11r urr,f .'1·.,ti11111nv 1111 1hc ohrll't' u:,:,nula rli 111.1. •

/<;/Roman S. Palaci11~ Chairman, Board uf DirL-ct,,r:-.

Date Jomu;H)' :{, JCJlJL)

US-India nuke talks JAIPUR, India (Reuters) -Diplomatic talks to narrow differences between Washington and New Delhi after India's nuc !ear tests last year are likely to yield an understanding between the two nations, the U.S. ambassador to India said on Saturday.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's specfa_l envoy, Jaswant Singh, have held several rounds of talks since India's stunning series of nuclear explosions last May.

··My hope and expectation is that it will lead to what Mr. Jaswant Singh calls a harmonisation o-f views ... (and) I hope in my view in the not so distant future," Ambassador Richard Celeste told a seminar on Indo-U.S. relations.

Singh. who is also foreign minister. and Talbott are scheduled to hold another round of arms control talks later this month.

The United States imposed

economic sanctions on India and arch-rival Pakistan after the two nations staged rival nuclear tests in the same month. The sanctions have been partially lifted.

"I would hope that down the line the sanctions are completely lifted," Celeste said.

The sensitive negotiations have been stalled over the details of U.S. efforts to persuade India to sign a global test ban treaty and join the nuclear nonproliferation regime.

India says it is willing toneootiate its signature into the test ban treaty but differences remain on how to go about it.

New Delhi insi~ts on a "minimum nuclear deterrence" while Washington wants India to hold off its missile development programme and cut off its nuclear weapons material production.

U.S. officials say they are bound by law to maintain the sanctions, which they see as a hindrance to trade.

Celeste said sanctions were clearly an obstacle in the path

of growing business between the two nations.

··sanctions are not intended to promote business. In fact they interrupt business," Celeste said.

The ambassador said telecommunications and technologydriven industries were key areas in which the United States eyed strong bilateral trade relations.

He said that research and development relations had grown ··irrespective of what happened in the past six months or one year."

Bilateral trade between the U.S. and India grew to $10.94 billion in 1997 from $5.2 billion in 1991, when India began its economic reform programme.

Indian exports accounted for $7.32 billion while its imports from the U .S accounted for $3.62 billion in 1997.

Celeste said two-way trade in 1998 was estimated to be at least $11.0 billion inspite of a sluggish trade environment.

Indian President K. R. Narayanan (right) holds up a book presented to him in Chandigarh Saturday during the 50th anniversary of the city's founding. AP

Asia move to 'yen currency area' seen By Narayanan Madhavan

JAIPUR, India (Reuters) Thai I and' s deputy prime minister Supachai Panitchpakdi said on Saturday that East Asian nations would reform thtir crisis-hit financial systems in the coming years, and move towards a common yen currency area.

"Without moving towards any currency (which is ncw) .... we would be moving towards a sort of yen cu1Tency area," Supachai told an international business conference in this northwest Indian city.

Supachai is a frontrunning candidate 10 hccome the next director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTOJ to succeed incumbent Renato Ruggiero of

Italy, whose term is scheduled to end in April.

The Thai minister said Asia could set up its own lending institution, similar to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), whose prescriptions forcrisis-hiteconomies have evoked protests and criticism in the region.

"There is an increasing possibility of an Asian IMF being created," he said, and also foresaw the emergence of joint cross-border infrastructure projects.

Supachai said South-East Asian economic growth rates would not see the heights they witnessed over the past few years before the crisis that erupted in 1997.

'"There will be a rare case indeed of double digit growth in

Asia," Supachai said, adding that the average 7-8 percent annual growth rates in the region seen in the past were unlikely to be repeated in the next two decades.

"If we would achieve over the next two decades five to six percent per annum, I would be satisfied indeed,'' he said.

Supachai said Asian economies wou Id take a few decades for their financial systems to reach the standards found in advanced countries.

In the coming years, Asian nations were expected to increase coordination of economic policies and add to the membership of groupings like the ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) and APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation). he said.

- ----~---~ ______ .l,,I_Ql'>l_l?_~~ ... .!__ANU~RY 11, 1999 -MARIANAS VARIE1:Y ~ws AND V]EWS-19

Lott vows 'decent trial' By Laurence McQuillan

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) -U.S. Senare Republican leader Trent Lott vowed on Saturday that President Bill Ointon's impeachment trial will be conducted with "'decency and decorum."; as other senators voiced hope of avoiding partisan rancour over calling witnesses.

Senate Republicans and Democrats reached a truce on Friday that will allow the impeachment trial 10 proceed without first settling a bitter dispute over whether witnesses. including ex-White House intern Monica Lewinsky, should appear.

Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives for perjury :md obstruction of justice in his attempts to coverup his sexual relations with Lewinsky. The I 00-member Senate sits as the jury in the trial and decides whether Clinton should be removed from office.

"Throughout this process we wi 11 insist on the high standards of decency and decorum - not only in the Senate chamber itself but in and around the Capitol." Lott declared in the weekly Republican radio address to the nation.

··Believe me. to sit in judgment here is to fill a responsibility far hca1 icr than any other political concern:· he said.

i\lindtul ,ir the political atmo,phcn.: th;1l has dominated the proL·css tlllh Ltr. thc Senate plan hopes lll a1 llid lhc bickering that t.lnminatcd the prncc'5 in the House hcfo1·c ils Yntc last month.

l :mkr the'. pbn. the: i"()nnal lrial dn,'s 11111 r,'surne until Thurst.lay. The: \\'hite !louse has until Mont.lay lo respond lo ihe formal summons Clinton was served by the Senate and to file motions. The House, which serves as the prosecution. has time to react to the White House and file its own motions.

·The White House lawyers have been hart.I at work today." said White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart.

Lockhart said "the president intends to go ahead with his State of the Unio~n address as scheduled." Clinton is slated to address a joint session of Congress and a national television audience at 9 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott speaks during a brief session where Senators unanimously approved a blueprint for President Clinton's impeachment trial.

AP

EST on Jan. 19 (0200 GMT Jan 20). the day his lawyers begin the defence presentation.

The compromise. n.:ached after all the senators met behind closed doors to search for options, is likely to delay for about two weeks a showdown over whether witnesses should be called to testify - since efforts lo dismiss the case are considered unlikely to succeed at this point.

The I louse prosecution team has insis1cd it be allowed to bring witncsse.s. including Lewinsky. prc:sidenti:il secretary Betti· Cun-ic and Vernon Jordan. Clinton· s 1'1·icnd who lricd 10 !'ind a job for Lewinsl,;y in 1hc pri\'ate sector.

The White House has hecnco111-piling ils nwn !isl uf putcn1ial witnesses - including Kenneth Starr. the int.lependent counst:I whose report to the House served as its basis for impeachment.

"There's always a possibility of a disagreement at the end of the day. but it is an orderly way 10

begin," Sen. Joseph Biden. a Democrat from Delaware. said of a possible dispute over witnesses.

"We felt very strongly ... that we could not end up lool,;ing like the House or the White I-louse, that it was very important that we start off in a bipartisan way," he said on the NBC "Weekend Today" programme.

Sen. S\adeGordon, a Washing-

Sen. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (left), Senate Minority Leader Thomas Oaschle (center) and Sen. Joseph Lieberman_(right) talk to reporters on Capitol Hill Friday. Senators agreed to decide later whether to call witnesses. AP

ton Republican and a leader in effoits to find a compromise, said on the same programme that ··the question of witnesses is one that the House of Representatives, the prosecutors, felt very strongly about."

"They wanted at least the opportunity to tell the Senate that they needed witnesses, who they were and what they were going to say," he said.

"They' 11 have that opportunity, but I think ... by the time we get to that portion of the trial I suspect the number of witnesses they'll ask for will be diminished," Gordon said, adding he hoped it would "avoid a pai1isan debate."

Bili Clinton

Biden said he was "convinced that once the case is put on, once we question, once we have an opportunity to hear everything and examine what they put before us.

that the need for witnesses. if there is any, will have diminished greatly."

Lott said in his remarks that. ··[n faimess. the Senate should have the oppo11unity to call witnesses if a majority of senators believe that is necessary to reach an impartial judgment."

Under the compromise, a simple majority of the Senate must vote to allow a witness to be called. A vote to remove Clinton would require a two-thirds majority.

Both Lott and Clinton on Saturday stressed the theme that the nation's business was being tended to. despite the fact that the trial has consumed much of offi-

Contrnued on page 21

Senate President Pro Tempore Strom Thurmond swears in Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist who will preside over the impeachment trial of President Clinton. AP

CJ!uv' c{J~ I -.,.,,...._;;,.;,,..~ (~ep the ~arianas «Beautiful!)

JOIN US IN PROTECTING THE ISLANDS AND KEEPING IT CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL!

I. DATE:-----------------------------

11. VILLAGE:---------------------------111. ARE YOlJ WILLING TO RECYCLE IIOl/SEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTES'!

YES NO --- ---Your \Vastc b. For Someone else

IV. TYPES OF WASTE(S) TO BE TURNED IN:

(Please chccknrnrk the appropriate, and include quantities. l

D /\uhmwtivl'. B:iltl'ri..':- (l·;11. h,)a1.11ud, 1 _____ _

D Au1onwtiVt' llst·LI Oil (cu. h.1;11.1nid,1 __

D Anli-fn:t·ti..·.Conlant .. ----

0 DL'.~n·asin~ s~)h· .. :nt 0 P:1i~1ts/St;lins.1Vamisl~-·-·~

D Fertilizers __ 0 Al'ids (1rn1ri;Uii'. ~tMu1k1 ~----

D Thi1111crsiRL'lllt)\"L'l'S

D (lasolinL•:l)k~L'I F11L'ls __ .. _

D Nkl-.t·I Cadmium Balll'ril's (l'cd1.1r~l·:1bkt __ _

D Dry Cl'll lla11erics 1.-\.-\.,\A.-\.D.C.1 _____ _

D Pi:sticidcs (.1111 ,\ r11;1;h ,pr.1:,,. ins1.·\·1 ,11r.1:,sJ __

0 Flmm'SL'Clll Li~hl Rulhs _ ~---·-

V. WHAT OTHER WASTE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DISPOSED OF'!

VI. YOUR COMMENTS, IF ANY'!

PLEASE WATCII FOR C'OLLl:CTION SITES AND DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED IN LOCAL MEDIA.

,!'LEASE RETURN TIIIS FORM TO DEQ OFFICE (3rd Fluor Mor~en 1· :d~.) or fax it lo 23-l-lll03 or look for the Na'Gatho Marianas drop boxes 1m1vided al Price Costco and .Jocicn llafa Adai Shopping Center by February t, 1999.

20-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND Vlt:WS-MONDAY- JANUARY 11. 1999 ___________ ~-------------------

Cli~ t~n looks to Kissinger secretly offered . boost US exports China help against Soviets

By Sandra Sobieraj WASHINGTON (AP) President Clinton outlined Saturday a $ I 08. million plan to boo;t American expom and bumess li.S. m:mufacrurers against reverberations from economic crises overseas.

He also said his fiscal 2000 budget would propose $40 million in new foreign aid to help developing countries improve labor standards.

"We must ensure that the new global economv works forworkii1g people;' the president said in his weekly radio address.

"\Vith millions of American jobs depending on foreign exports, we must help manufacturers find new markets and attract new customers for our goods overseas," he added.

Clinton recorded the address on Friday at United Auto Workers headquarters in Detroit after a speech to the Economic C1ub

of Detroit announcing that tpe nation· s economic.expansion is now the longest sustained peaceti me growth in history.

The president forecasted that his $108 million plan would spur nearly $2 billion of additional U.S. exports, which w()uld sustain or create .16,000 high, wage American manufacturing.jobs.

The plan will be part ofhis -proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. Clinton is due to submit his budget to Congress in early February.

The president described a three-pronged approach:

• Boost support for the [mport-Export Bank, the federal agency that provides loarts and loan guarantees to help U,S. companies sell abroad. Clinton. said the bank, which cui:J:en.tly finances JQ percent qf a11y.s .. exports of .~apital . equigrnent, can use expanl:led creditJofos'-

Contlnued on page 21

:.~·

Presidential envoy Dr. Henry Kissinger (left) meets with Communist China's Chairman Mao Tse-twyg (right) and Premier Chou En-lai in this Feb. 17, 1973 file photo. Advising Chinese leaders that the Soviets were determined to am_ass enough nuclear weapons to de~troy tht:ir country,_ Kissinger secretly offered China US satellite information long before Chma gamed US d1plomat1c recogmt,on. AP

By BARRY SCHWEID America, and ··We are still leam-WASHINGTON (AP)-Advis- ing.'" Kissinger quipped: ··J hope ing Chinese leaders that the Savi- you don't lem11 too fa;t. •· et; were determined to amass Tough remarks also are attrib-enoughnuclearweaponstodestroy uted to him. their country. Henry Kissinger se- He told British Foreign Secre-cretly offered China U.S. satellite tary James Callaghan in 197 4: .. As information and a hot line long everyone knows, the Soviet lead-

-------

before the communist government ers belong to the most unpleasant gained American diplomatic rec- group one can deal with. Their ognition. capacity to lie on matters of com-

;·We would be prepared, at your mon knowledge is stupendous." request, through whatever sources A document from 1976 quotes you wish, to give you whatever Kissinger as saying to President information we have about the dis- Ford about the Chinese leadership: position of Soviet forces," ''They m·e cold, pragmatic bas-Kissinger told Huang Hua. the tare.ls." Chinese ambassador to the United During the 1970s, President Nations, in 1971. Nixon was pursuing a policy of Pick up a I

copy of ~ds The specific reference was to detente with Soviet leader Leonid Soviet forces deployed during the Brezhnev. 111e aim was to lessen war that year between India and tensions in various areas of the Pakistan. But Kissinger offered a world, while competing actively in web of intelligence shmng in meet- others.

Variety i;~~~c'. ./ magazine

today.

A weekly magazine

filled with the

latest news, sports,

and features.

Published every Saturday by

Younis Art Studio, Inc.

•

ings with Chinese leaders includ- At the same time. Nixon was ing Chairman Mao Tse-tung and Premier Chou En-lai in November 1973.

"There are no secrets with (you about) the Soviet Union.·· Kissinger told Mao. "There is nothing we are doing with the Soviet Union that you do not know."

According to transcripts of topsecret talks Kissinger held as U.S. national security adviser and as secretary of state under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford in the 1970s, he played China against Russia with inventive triangular diplomacy.

The transcripts of secret conversations that may have changed history are being published by the National Security Archive of George Washington University, for release Sunday. They were obtained through freedom-of-information requests and other means, the private group said.

Kissinger's office said he was traveling and not available for comment o; the disclosures.

Interspersed in the documents are flashes ofKissinger' s celebrated wit.

Chou told him, for instance, that China was giving only limited support to revolutions in Latin

preparing for U.S. diplomatic recognition of China. which eventually happened under President Jimmy Caner in 1979. A secret Kissinger trip to Beijing in 1971, then Nixon's highly publicized visit in 1972 set the course for the historic change.

Briefing Chou on the Soviets on Nov. JO, 1973,inthcGreatHallofthe People. Kissinger said it was in the interests of the United States to prevent a Soviet nuclear attack on China.

··Tuey want us to accept the desirability of destroying China's nuclearcapability,"Kissingersaid, according to a transcript of the conversation.

Instead, he offered China secret military cooperation with the United States, including "ideas on how to lessen the vulnerability of your forces and how to increase the warning time" before a Soviet attack.

Three days later, Kissinger told the premier, according lo a transcript: ··Any help we would give you in our mutual interest should be in a form that is not easily recognizable. With respect to missile launches, we have a very good system of satellites, which give us early warning.

i I,,

MONDAY. JANUARY l l, 1999-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-21

Iraq MPs urge continued defiance of 'no-fly' zone

Japan urges Israel to implement peace accords

By Suleiman al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura urged Israeli leaders on Saturday to implement signed Middle East peace accords and appealed to the Palestinians not to lose hope in diplomacy, his spokesman said.

By LEON BARKHO BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP)- Iraqi legislators were expected to officially rescind recognition of neighboring Kuwait and back the leadership's defiance of no-fly zones imposed by Western powers.

A draft resolution by the 250-member National Assembly also rubber-stamped President Saddam Hussein's tough stance toward U.N. weapons inspections.

The legislators were scheduled to endorse the draft Sunday and send it to the Revolutionary Command Council for ratification.

It would then become law when Saddam endorses it.

The draft resolution. obtained by The Associated Press. was circulated following fiery remarks by legislators. who lambasted U .N. weapons inspectors and the U.N. Security Council for not lifting sanctions that the United Nations imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasionofKuwait. The invasion sparked the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

··what is the use of cooperating with the Security Council at a time it has done nothing to ease

KUWAIT (Reµter:s) -Kuwait's parliament ClJUl!dion the govemmem on Saturday ~ block any nomialis;itjo.n, of ties • "1ith Israel ir1viewpfreports.thft · a Kuwaiti jourpalis!pad yi~i@ the J~'r\'jsµ st~~·>< >> -.. ·-· ii .... --

A s~l1lf!nt. ~~ t9 ~tP~~ ~aid members ofparJi&enthad urged the governmerllto ''desist from anything Vfhicl:r could he considered as normalisation with the Zionist entify (Israel} to protect Kuwait's honour."

"Parliament asked the governs

Clinton ... Continued from page 20

ter billions of dollars in expo11s - for such items as U.S.-built airplanes - that might otherwise have been canceled or delayed due to the financial turmoil in Asia. He proposed adding $81 million to the bank's $815 million budget.

• Add $14 million to the Commerce Department· s efforts to help small U.S.expo11erssell their goods in emerging markets such as China. Latin America and Africa. The department's Intcmationat Trade Administration would significantly increase the number of its commercial officers in certain overseas markets.

• Invest $9 million through the Commerce Department to help

Lott ... Con~~nued from p~ge 19

cial Washington and involves all three branches of the federal government.

Saddam Hussein

the sanctions? It is essential that we stop dealing with its resolutions," said legislator Usama Mahmoud.

He added that Iraq's border with Kuwait was illegal. "'Why do we recognize tl1e borders? Why do we recognize Kuwait itself?"

Iraq's parliament formally endorsed the I 05-mile Kuwaiti-Iraqi border in 1993, dropping a tenitorial claim on the emirate.

Lawmakers said that Parliament had agreed to recognize Kuwait within newly demarcated borders in the hope that U.N. sanctions would be lifted.

In Kuwait. British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Iraq on Saturday not to attack its neighbors or

.···:·· : ' ',',, '' '. .:

rnent to present a report 011 legal -· -- steps tak:1!1lagainstthiscitizen ( who

visited Israel). Parliament has alsO barin¢ himff()m entering.parliamenr in his capacity as a journalist/'. the s.tatement added.

. ___ . A1~fai;~rc.is said a local. daily had serit ~ J?Pbrter to Israelw here he condu-:ted a.series of interviews with sevei-al poHtical leaders induding Prime Minister Benjamin N~tanyahu .and President Ezer W~lzman.

11ie interviews have not been published so far.

developing countries establish a legal and regulatory system that would make it easier for U.S. companies to set! there.

111e Clinton plan, not likely to generate Republican opposition. is designed to head off protectionist moves in the GOP-controlled Congress. The administration is coming under increasing fire for a U.S.-trade deficit that is running at a record $167 billion annual rate.

U.S. exports have been hurt particularly by the financial crisis that strnck East Asia in 1997 and persisted through last year - a cmnch that has caused Japan and other major U.S. markets to reduce imports of American goods and to increase their exports to the United States.

The president also said his proposed 2000 budget would include

Clinton made no direct reference to the trial during his radio address, opting instead to propose a $ I 08 million plan to spur more U.S. exports. saying the world financial crisis has led to a dip in U.S. exports. resulting in

Tony Blair.

allied forces in the region, saying the response to such action would be swift and immediate.

"'What Saddam has to realize is that we are not going to allow him to threaten his neighborhood or threaten the stability of the region without taking action," Blair said after aniving in Kuwait to visit British troops station~d there.

Kuwait was part of Iraq under the Ottoman Empire, which collapsed at the end of World War I. The British, who then took control of the region, gave Kuwait independence in 1961, uiggering years of dispute over the'border.

Speakers at the special session also called on Saddam to defy the

Pro-Western Kuwait has provided the U.S,-led Middle East peace process with both political and financial backing despite its tense ties with .Palestinian leader Y asser Arafat.

Parliament often attacks Israel and in Novemberstrorigly criticised the Wye River peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians -which the Kuwaiti government has welcomed.

Kuwait, like most of the other conservative Gulf Arab states, is not willing to consider

$25 million to create anew arm of the International Labor Organization, affiliated with the u;1ited Nations. to help developing nations put in place and enforce basic protections for workers, including the right to organize in umons.

The initiative is meant to be modeled after the ILO's successful project to end child labor, White House economic adviser Sara Rosen said.

Another proposed $8 million would be used by the Labor Depanment to give direct aid to U.S. trading partners looking for help with. for example, creating an unemployment insurance system. Clinton will ask Congress for an additional appropriation of up to $7 million for tabor-standards plans his administration is still fine-tuning. Rosen said.

layoffs. Lott assured Americans "the

nation's other priorities are going to move ahead. Our committees will be meeting. Bills are being drafted as I speik. Hearings hav~ already been held.''

no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq and to sever ties with the United Nations.

"The no-fly zones are a crime,'' said lawmaker Naiba Toshi. ··we have the right to fire at any aircraft violating our airspace.'"

Saddam has pledged to challenge the southern and northern no-fly zones after U.S. and British <1ircraft and missiles pounded Iraq for four days in mid-December.

Iraqi pilots and anti-aircraft batteries have been targeting U.S. and British warplanes over the zones since late December.

The United States and Britain set up the no-fly zones to protect minority Kurds and Shiite Muslims who rebelled unsuccessful! y against Baghdad after the PersianGulfWar.

Two Iraqi Kurdish leaders -Massoud Barzani of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Jalal Talabani of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan - agreed Saturday to implement a U.S. -brokered peace deal between their rival factions.

The meeting was the first in the Kurdish autonomous zone in northern Iraq since 1994, said a KDP statement faxed to The Associated Press in Cairo.

norntal.isation with Israel in the absence of a comprehensive Middle East peace settlement, including the status of Jerusalem and Israel's unconditional withdrawal from the Golan Heights and southern Lebanon.

After Arafat appeared to side with Baghdad during Iraq's seven-month occupation of Kuwait in 1990-91. Kuwait severed all direct political links with him and cut off financial aid. It has since turned down several Palestinian attempts to improve ties.

'"What we think is most important is to urge the Israeli side to implement the agreement, it already reached in the past sincerely and to the fullest extent possible."' spokesman Masaki Okada said in Amman.

'"That is our first priority in this Middle East tour," he added. Komura has so far visited Egypt, Syria. Lebanon and Jordan as part of a regional tour.

Komura met Crown Prince Hassan and senior Jordanian officials after aniving on Saturday. He will travel on Sunday to Palestinian self-rule areas and then to Israel at the end of the tour.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month froze implementation of the U.S.-brokered Wye River land-for-security deal he signed with the Palestinians in October, alleging Palestinians had failed to meet their end of the agreement.

'"We really think it is especially crucial to promote the peace process at this stage so that the peace process will go smoothly in the future," the Japanese official said.

··we urge the Israeli side to implement U.N. Security Council resolutions ... and will discuss with the Israeli side these issues ... the spokesman added. citing Tokyo·s backing for U.N. 242 resolution which demands Israeli withJrawal from land occupied in the 1967 Arab-Israeli W.u-.

Jap:m would maintain its full suppon for the Palestinians so long as they did not lose hope of attaining their rights under the ongoing peace process. the official said.

Love (jranc£pa Cruz anc£ 'Brandon Lee Lizama

22-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-MONDAY- JANUARY 11, 1999

US to ... Continued from page 13

by the Fullard-Leo family of Kailua. Hawaii.

Filipinos <:;_cmtinued frompage 1_2

dramatically in the past seven years. ··Toe frustration comes from the

fact that crimes have ruled our lives." she said. "We want normalcy. We don 'twanttoconstantly guard our backs. we don't want to ~onstantly remind our children to call us."

She said people are frustrated as much by widespread crime as by co1111ption and incompetence in the judicial system and among police.

President Joseph Estrada has promjsed refonns. and pledgedbut failed - to halt most serious crime within six months of assuming power June 30.

Echegaray is the first among

Expert . .. Continued from page 11

the Individualized Education Programs (IEP) .

Under IEP. special education and related services to be provided to the student must also include supplementary aids and services.

The modifications underthe IEP are geared towards developing the student appropriately toward attaining the annual goals.

At the same time. it intends to get the student involved in the general curriculum as well as participate in extracurricular and other non-academic activities.

KTGM . . . Continued from page 10

HipHop. Latin Music and Alternative Music and awards for soundtrack music.

In addition to the regular categories. Billy Joel. the Piano Man, will be given the "Award of Merit" for "his outstanding contributions to the musical enter-

Second . .. Continued from page 6

of the street, who immediately tried to flee. Chargulaf gave chase and caught up with the man. The man was later identified as Jack Brnneman who said he was just looking for his brother and when he saw the police he got scared and ran.

Chargualaf would laterretum Jack to his home, also in Perez Acres.

Birds . .. Continued from page 6

ing incredible, incredible conditions, " she said.

Guerrero said DPL has been asking USFWS to provide them with data on how mitigation is being measured to complement their homestead efforts.

"That's what we've been asking, can they give us a ratio? Like for every pair of birds how much land is needed?" she said.

Projects hampered by the USFWS regu)ation include the over 200 agri-

In recent years. entrepreneurs have suggested turning the atoll into a resort. gambling mecca and nuclear wa~ste dumping site - all of which were rejected by the private owners.

more than 800 death-row inmates to be scheduled for execution by lethal injection. More than 450 of those were convicted of rape. including 159 who abused their own childre~n or other close relatives.

The Supreme Court's decision to stay Echegaray's execution raised new questions about the limits on thepowerofthe court, which has played a key role in the shaping of one of Asia's most rambunctious democracies.

Estrada said the Supreme Court overstepped its role. and promised to veto any new law repealing the death penalty.

His administration petitioned the Supreme Coµrt on Wednesday to reconsider, arguing that only the president has the constitutional power to grant Echegaray a reprieve.

The regular education teacher of the child must participate in the development of IEP including the determination of behavioral interventions and strategies, supplementary aids and services. program modifications and support for school personnel.

At the same time, the regular education teacher must also participate in the review and revision of the IEP.

'The challenge is to get to know the child. When you assess the child, you must know when they do well, what they don't do well and what you need todoin tenns of building a program,'' lmObersteg said.

tainment of the American public.

Make sure to tune in on the scheduled airing days or you might miss a chance to see your favorite artist or group win an" American Music A ward."

The show will be aired lived today starting 11 a. m. and again on Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. all on KTGM ABC 14, over-the-air and on MCV channel 14.

Chargualaf conducted a search amund the area, including the nearby boonies. but found no evidence of a struggle. He would later take the girl to the Dededo Police Precinct and release her to her father.

An added testimony was given by Guam Police officer LydiaOgo, who questioned Bruneman at the detention facility.

Shesaid,"Dawnprobablyusedthe excuse tx:cause she wa, out late with her boyfriend and did not want her father to get mad at her."

cultural homestead lot, on Rota. It took DPL more than two years

to finally issue the pennits to homesteaders because birds belonging to a threatened species were spotted at the homestead site.

It also nearly dragged DPL into waging a legal battle against Rota residents who occupied the lots without the necessary government pennits.

Another is the expansion project at the Tinian Marpo Heights homestead subdivision which, according to DPL, may take more than a year to finish due to the Tinian monarch.

MVA . . . Continued from page__3

While some legislators believe the visa requirement will he Ip generate more revenues and

CNMI ... .9ontinued from page 3

He added that the government is also looking at the possibility of arranging an informal discussion tx:tween Cohen and representatives from the public and private sectors from Rota and Tinian.

ButinhisJanuary6lettertoCohen, Sablan agreed that there will be not . enough ti'";ne for the federal official to visit Rota and Tinian during his fiveday visit to the Northern MIDanas. Cohen is scheduled to fly back to the US on January 22.

In effect, he said government officials and business leaders from the Rota, Tinian and the Northern

Kosovo .. . Continued from page 2 with snow.

As many as 2,000 people were killed last year and 250,000 dis-

Five ... Continued from page 2

we've been digging ... trying to find them," Abdel-Aziz said. "But there's no sign of them."

China ... Continued from page 2

sentenced to 13 years in prison on December 21 on subversion charges fortrying to setup the Chinese Democratic Party. Party activist Wang Youcai received an ! I-year term the same day.

The next day, Qin Yongmin was jailed for 12 years for his role in forming the party. At least a dozen other party activists have been interrogated and could face arrest.

In a separate case, labour activist Zhang Shanguang was given a IO-year term for revealing details of farmers' protesL~ in an interview with the U.S. govemment-funded Radio Free Asia.

The harsh sentences just two months after China signed the U.N. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees freedom of assembly and speech, drew international condemnation and calls on Wa,hington to postpone the

Ozawa ... Continued from page 2

missions except those that involve purely non-combatant operations.

Ozawa had said previously that he wanted full SDF participation in multinational military operations backed by the United Nations.

ButintheagreementwiththeLDP the two parties said they supported allowing the SDF to perform medical and humanitarian work in noncombat areas as well as supervise truces.

Ozawa cautioned about broadening the scope of the constitutional interpretation about the use of the SDF.

Hesaidthatclearguidelinesshould · be established which will prevent

effectively monitor the number of visitors entering and leaving the CNMI, others said it will discourage tourists.

MSD's tracking system includes the issuance of an ID card that has the visitor's fin-

Islands will be asked to meet with Cohen on Saipan.

"We have arranged for a labor, immigration and customs presei:itation for you and a tour to our facilities and are preparing a report ofourfinancial situation including matters relating to Covenant Initiative Funding and Capital Improve-111ent Project issues that are of concern to the CNMI," he told Cohen.

This, as Sablan emphasized the economic disadvantages faced by the Commonwealth should the Clinton Administration push through with its federalization of the local immigration and minimum wage.

"Our economy will collapse, considering the ripple effect of the pos-

placed in Kosovo, where 90 percent of the population are independence-minded ethnic Albanians; during a crackdown by Yugoslav forces against KLA guerrillas.

Building collapses are not uncommon in Egypt, where poor materials and shoddy construction techniques result in weak structures. Extra floors often are added without proper government permits.

dialogue. Members of the House Interna

tional Relations Committee and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus wrote to U.S. delegation head Harold Koh urging the talks be shelved.

'We expressed our strong feelings that a human rights dialogue at this time would be inappropriate and fruitless, given the ongoing crackdown," said committee chairman Benjamin Gilman.

The lawmakers also asked the U.S. government to make an effort to secure passage of a resolution condemning Chinese abuses when the U.N. Human RighL, Commission meeL, in Geneva.

China initiated the human rights dialogues in 1991 to shed its international pariah image after the I 989 1iananmen Massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators and avoid the annual confrontation in Geneva. Beijing has also held talks with Australia, the European Union and several individual EU states.

political forces from broadening the rule of the law, a, occurred during the era of Japanese militarism.

Ozawa and senior LDP politicians who also appeared on Sunday talk shows did not say if the other main stickingpoint,overthe Libernl Party's participation in the reshuffled cabinet, had been solved.

Ozawa' sname has been floated for the portfolio ofhome affairs minister, but Ozawa was notenthusiastic about receiving the relatively juniorcabinet post, political sources said.

The sources said Ozawa was campaigninginstead forthepostof deputy prime minister.

A senior LDP official told Reuters that the pace of coalition talks would go slowly until Monday, when the party's three top leaders below the prime minister were back in Tokyo

gerprint and photo taken immediately upon his arrival. The estimated cost of the system is $12 million over- four fiscal years, while the revenues to be generated could reach $27 .8 million.

sible pull out of a number of businesses here in the CNMI. Shipping rates will shoot up, and of course, prices of commodities, which are mostly imports, will also increase," he said.

He said the economic concerns will be among the top issues that the CNMI panel is hoping to bring up in the negotiating table with Cohen during the informal talks two weeks from now.

'The governor and I are pleased that our governments are taking this important step to work iogether on the issues that face the Commonwealth, and are confident that this trip will pmvide you with an insightful picture on the complex situation we face ... ," Sablan said.

KYM monitors could be caught in the crossfire iflarge-scale fighting resumes andNATOhassetup a rescue force in neighbouring Macedonia to evacuate them in case of danger.

In October 1996, an apartment building in the eastern neighborhoodofHeliopolis collapsed, killing 64 people. Police said the owner had added extra floors to an already structurally unsound eight-story building.

Human rights experts warn, however, that China and its partners come to the table with vastly different expectations. Beijing. for example, has flatly denied that its crushing of the would-be opposition party has anything to do with human rights.

"China characterises these discussions as an opportunity to resolve differences over human rights and find common ground," said Sophia Woodman, a Hong Kong-based analyst for Human Rights in China

'!But this is not the issue in question. The issue is how China will change the causes of its egregious human rights violations."

Senior U.S. officials, however, say that dialogue is the key to pushing China toward g1eater accommodation on the issue.

''Two forum, are better than one forum and more dialogue is better than less," Bob Seiple, special representative of the U.S. Secretaiy of State for International Religious Freedom, said in Beijing on Saturday after a three-day fact-finding tour.

from holidaysandotherengagements that had taken them out of the capital.

In talks last week, the LDP and Libernls reached agreement on the SDF as well a., agreeing to cut the number of lower house parliament· members by 50 from the current 500. Thecutswouldcomeaboutbyreducing the numberof proportional representation seats.

As negotiations went on about an LDP-Libernl tie-up, the leader of Japan's largest opposition party, Naoto Kan, declared that he will seek re-election as the head of the Democratic Party of Japan (DP J).

Kan and DPJ member Shigefumi Matsuzawa tossed their hats into the ring for the party's top post on Saturday, with the DPJ party election scheduled for January 18.

Civil ... Continued from page 14

manent secretaries on Wednesday.

NFP general secretary, Attar Singh. says the pruty is concerned with the discrimination in the promotion and appointment of Indian civil servants to top positions.

He says under Fiji's 1997 Con-

Tenorio . .. Continued from page 5

Senate version may have a provision that would not allow new investors to bring in alien workers.

He added, however, that the House bill's basic concept-to allow investors more flexibility in getting theirCNMI investment certificates-will be retained in the Senate version, which, if passed by the Senate, will return to the House of Representatives.

In a separate interview, Commerce Secretary Frankie B. Villanueva told the Variety that

Fiji . .. Continued from page 14

Inspector Vere appeared before a police tribunal this week to answer to a charge of disobedience to lawful orders. He has been charged for going to the media with his allegations against the

Retirement . Continued from page ~

vestment return, while Bjurman and Associates' 0.6 percent rate

Bill . .. Continued from page 5

The bill. which was passed by the Senate last month, states that La Mode has already invested at least $1 million in a garment factory on Saipan, and has complied with all commonwealth labor laws

Fund ... Continued from page 7

Credit Union. "Granted, not all government

employees are members of the Credit Union. perhaps it is time we encourage all our employees to become mem bcrs," he said, adding that private lending !inns are receptive to making loans that are genuinely emergency in nature.

Introduced by Sen. Edward U. Maratita, the bill allows a Fund member to borrow 25 percent of his or her total contribution reserve to the Fund, including the interest.

"n1e acting administrator also said that the Fund members who will avail of the bill's privilege risk

DOLI ... Continued from page 9

erring employer to pay the nonresident workers an· amount depending on the extent of violation.

The AHO then doubles that amount if the concerned employ-

stitution, the Public Service Commission is responsible for ensuring racial parity at all levels of the civil service.

Singh says Wednesday's announcements fall far short of this requirement.

He says the NFP will consider legal action to enforce the Constitution unless the PSC takes immediate steps to correct the anomalies.

scrapping the $ l 00,000 "deposit" could assist the government's current efforts to jump-start the slumping economy.

He said investors would rather use the $100,000 as capital investment, adding that only four new investors have registered with the Department of Commerce (DOC) since the requirement took effect with the enactment of Public Law 10-44.

Then governor Froilan C. Tenorio vetoed the bill for it, but the Legislature voted for an override, noting the influx of "bogus" investors who only wanted to bring in their relatives.

Police Commissioner last year. The Inspector has warned he

will take the Force to court if the tribunal fails to find him guilty.

He has also called on the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Nazhat Shameem, to resign, saying the DPP failed to fully investigate the charges against Savua.

translated to $75,874 worth of investment return.

Invesco Management and Research, however, posted a negative 0.8 percent investment rate return.

and regulations. Saying that the Limited Immu

nity Act has proven "extremely effective," the bill finds the sixmonth amnesty period "unnecessarily long."

It states that shortening the period could encourage illegal aliens to register with DOLi as soon as possible.

their standing with respect to creditable service because their contributions would tx: used as collateral.

Contributions represent service credits of the members in the system.

"If and when these members default on their loan, they would f 01feit and lose an equivalent value of their total credited service," he said.

In such event, the employee's retirement from ·government service is delayed, thus prolonging the burden on the government by keeping said employee for a longer period, he added.

"We kindly request that this proposed legislation not be passed," Camacho said.

ers fail to be present in hearings, in which case they are declared to be in default.

The AHO refers these cases to the Attorney General's Office (AHO) for enforcement assistance.

Zachares said Williams is working on these refe1rnls.


Teno ... Continued from page 7

Last year's delay was apparently caused by the unavailability of income tax return forms which were issued April. The finance department usually segregates the tax returns filed by those who have outstanding financial liability to the government.

Government officials said the administration has already iden-

Garment. . . Continued from page 1

nating in the island during the last fiscal year. The net result of these inefficiencies and lack of scale is a higher cost to carriers.

Because 90 percent of inbound but only 20 percent of outbound - mostly garment - traffic is loaded with cargo, cmTiers are faced with costly container repositioning charges. In fact, SeaLand's current ocean freight rate for grocery items to Saipan from the US West Coast is over 30 percent higher than to Guam.

This, even as the CNMI's gar-

us ... Continued from page 1

Saipan." "It would be the first attempt to

use the RICO organized crime statue against retailers charged with labor abuses at factories making clothes they sell," Women's Wear said.

Reacting to the pending court actions, the Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association said it is "ironic" that the lawsuits come when ''each factory on Saipan will begin training toward full implementation of its newly adopted SGMA Code of Conduct 7 days after the proposed filing date."

SGMA also said in a press state-

Legislature. Contin_ued fr~ITl page 1

their funding is not directly tied in toGRT.

"The Le!!,islature 's action ot' bindingedu~ation toGRTrdlccts badly on the Legislature. We need to have a Legislature that will not seek to micro-manage the operations and finances of the Govcrnrm:nt of Guam." Duenas added.

Duenas said the lawmakers

Stayman ... Continued_f~on, page 1

rior deputy solicitor Edward I3. Cohen. is coming to the CNMI to discuss the transition to federal immigration and minimum wage laws.

Tenorio, in an inte1v iew Wednesday, said he prefers not to discuss the President's letter, but added that "we would (still) like to see that the federal government would consider our request to control our immigration and minimum wage."

The Legislature's presiding officers, in separate interviews, described the Clinton letter as a result of a "little misunderstanding."

tified sources of funds for the payment of tax refunds this year. In 1998, the CNMI was hounded by speculations that rebates will not be released because of emptied public coffers.

When the Teno Administration assumed office in January last year, the transition committee had uncovered that the special trust fund has dipped to $2 million from $31 million as of end-1997.

But DOF officials said enabling legislation that were

ment industry accounts for close to 20 percent of the outbound traffic. Analysts are wary that prices of imports will shoot up when ships start leaving the Commonwealth practically empty due to the gannent sector's pending pull-out.

Observers anticipate no more than five- to seven-year life for gmment production on the island, citing the absence of specific advantages offered by the CNMI government to garment manufacturers other than the existing tariff and quota exemptions.

And whengannent the garment industry, which employs up to a quarterof Saipan 's population and

ment that the Presidential Task Forces' Apparel Industry Partnership, working with the US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour and OSHA Divisions "have contracted with SGMA to begin compliance training."

"None of this changes what we have decided to do," SGMA added.

The Los Angeles Times said the lawsuits will be filed by the law firm. Milbcrg. Weiss, Bershad, Hynes & Lerach. One will be filed in New York, one in Los Angeles. and another one at the U.S. District Court on Saipan.

"If the suit goes to trial, it would be the first courtroom test of claims that retailers are responsible for the labor violations of

should have sat down with DOE officials. find out what the agency needed. appropriate the money. then work with the govemo1· to make sure that the cash is there to implement the appropriation.

'"The roots or this problcrn go back directly to the legislature. The proof is in the pudding. DOEis now in trouble because of the GRT-education law passed over the objections of the govcrnor. Now, we're finding out that the govcrnor'sobjcctions were valid.

They said the administration and the Lcgislatun:, as well as the majority of the local people, remain opposed to a "federal takeover."

Senate President Paul A. Manglona (R-Rota) noted that it w:L,dutingtliesamcmeetingonGuan1 tl1at the governor h:mded to federnl officials his adminislI~ttion 's 11::port rciter,tting the CNMI' s need to 11!tain local conii·ol overiL, immigration and minimum wage policies.

Manglona added that the "misunderstanding" should not be a cause for alarm. ·•

A member of the CNMI panel, Manglona said the 902 talks with Cohen will proceed as scheduled.

Cohen is expected to aiTive during the week of Jan. 18.

previously enacted into law virtually removed the trust fund so the DOF starts a tax year with practically nothing.

The governor did not say whether or not the DOF will release refund and rebate checks at once since processed rebate checks last year only after all tax refunds have been paid. Processing of tax rebates will be on a first-in-first-out basis, depending on the filing date of the tax return.

wages paid to garment employees amount to nearly 20 percent of all CNMI wages, uproots from the island indirect cargo volumes will accordingly decrease since there will be fewer consumers.

The sector has been expected to pull out of the CNMI in seven years when the agreement which created the World Trade Organization takes into effect. Akin to this, the United States will have to phase out its garment quota system by 2005.

This and the resulting reductions in tariffs will virtually eliminate the competitive advantage of garment manufacturing industry on Saipan.

their apparel contractors,'' the Los Angeles Times said.

According to Women Wear. the case being prepared in California targets companies "engaged in wrongful or fraudulent business practices in that they cany a· Made in the USA· label."

The Los Angeles Times article mentioned that Chinese garment contractors recrnitcd thousands of workers from China. the Philippines and other countries, charging them fees ofup to $7,000each for an opportunity to work at garment production sites in the U.S. terTitory of Saipan.

The draft complaint includes al legations of prison-] ike confinement of workers and racketeering conspiracy.

The governor told us that we would have this problem and now here we ,tre."

Duenas said the kgislaturc should rcalizc that funding education 1·rn111 GRT is not a good idea.

"The legislature should work with education officials and give the governor the tle;,.ibility that he needs to help manage the cash for specific situations."

Gov't ... Continued from page 1

---- - -- -- --- -···-

Tenorio has signed into law a legislation that eliminates EiC and increases licensing fees for poker and pachinko machines.

House Bill 11-262, or the Fiscal Integrity Act of 1998, officially became Public Law I 1-25, which also lifts the limit on the number of gaming machines in Saipan, as ;ell a~. repeals the sunset provisions in the local tax laws.

But even when the measure was passed, the 100 percent tax imposed on EICs will be retroactive starting January oflastyear, which means the government has to come up with funds for the payment of EI Cs earned in 1997.

_ . .,.

-- '

24-MARlANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-MONDAY-JANUARY 11, 1999

Employment Wanted

«Mll'Aiit• Job Vacancy

Announcement

PUBLIC NOTICE All interested resident workers are

urged to register al lhe Dept. ol Labor & Immigration,

Division of Employmenl Services 1or lhe iob/s being advertised in which

you are qualified and available. For further assistance,

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

01 MAINTENANCE BUILDING REPAIR-Salary:S3.50 per hour Contact: ANDRES A. & MARIA B. ROBERTO Tel. 288-1107( 1/18)M29436

01 ACCOUNTANT-Salary:S700.00 per month Contact: WESTERN PACIFIC ENTERPRISES, INC. dba Kimchi Cabana Nig~t Club Tel. 234-6622(1/18)M29435

01 ACCOUTANT-Salary:S700.00 per month Contact: SUN PACIFIC ENT., INC. Tel. 233-4997(1/18)M29441

01 COMMERCIAL CLEANER-Salary:$3.05 per hour Contact: PRO-DIVE SAIPAN INC. Tel. 322-1277(1/18)M29443

01 COOK-Salary:$3.05-4.00 per hour Contact: PRO-DIVE SAIPAN INC. Tel. 322-1277(1/18)M29442

01 INSTRUCTOR-SCUBA DIVING-Salary:S800-1,500 per month 01 INSTRUCTOR-SCUBA DIVING-Salary:SB00-1,500 per month Contact: PAN PACIFIC TOURS, INC. Tel. 322-1277(1/18)M29444

01 ACCOUNTANT EXECUTIVE-Salary:S3.35 per hour Contact: TRI ENTERPRISES, INC. dba Tri Marketing, Healthcare Specialties Tel. 322-2783(1/25)M76433

01 PHYSICAL THERAPY-Salary:S3.05 per hour Contact: MP CORPORATION dba Mercy's Beauty Shop Tel. 235-1990(1/ 25)M29499

01 STOCK CONTROL CLERK-Salary:$3.05 per hour Conlacl: DOUBLE LUCK INT'L. INC. dba Double Luck Market Tel. 234-3873( 1 /25)M29498

01 MAINTENANCE REPAIRER-Salary:$3.05-3.25 per hour Contact: JESUS V. DLGUERRERO dba R & J House Rental Tel. 235-4710(1/ 25)M76430

01 WEDDING (COORDINATOR) CONSULTANT-Salary:S1 ,000.00-1,700.00 per month Contact: WATABE SAIPAN, INC. dba Watabe Wedding Tel. 235-4710(1/ 25)M76429

10 ELECTRICIAN-Salary:$3.05 per hour 10 MASON-Salary:S3.05 per hour 10 PLUMBER-Salary:S3.05 per hour 01 SHEET METAL WORKER-Salary:S3.05 per hour Contact: SABLAN ENTERPRISES, INC. Tel. 234-1558(1/25)M76428

01 CONSTRUCTION-Salary:S3.05-3.20 per hour 03 HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORSalary:S3.05-3.60 per hour 02 CARPENTER-Salary:$3.05-3.30 per hour 02 CIVIL ENGINEER-Salary:S3.50-4.50 per hour 01 HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANICSalary:$3.05-3.30 per hour Contact: WESTERN EQUIPMENT, INC. Tel. 322-9561 (1/25)M76432

Classified Ads FIRST

01 SALESPERSON-Salary:$3.05 per hour Contact: EVERTRUST CORPORATION dba 123 Discount Store Tel. 233-4343(1/11 )M29387

01 LIGHT· TECHNICIAN-Sal-ary:$1 ,000.00 per month Contact: TRAP PLANNING INC. dba Use Us Rental Tel. 235-2060(1/ 11)M29388

01 GENERAL MANAGER-Sal-ary:S1,800.00 per month Contact: YUNA CORPORATION INC. dba Commercial Space Rental Tel. 235-2060(1 /11 )M29389

01 SALES REPRESENTATIVE-Salary:S2,000.00 per month Contact: KWEK'S ENTERPRISES SAIPAN, INC_ Tel. 234-7243(1/ 11)M29392

01 ACCOUNTANT-Salary:S3.05-6.00 per hour $50.00 gas allowance 01 AUTOMOBILE MECHANIC-Salary:$3.05-6.00 per hour 01 TRAVEL COUNSELOR-Salary:S1 ,200.00 per month S50.00 gas allowance 02 TOURIST INFO. ASST. (CLERK)Salary:$3.05-5.50 per hour S50.00 gas allowance Contact: PACIFIC DEVELOPMENT, INC. Tel. 322-8876(1/11)M29393

01 MASON-Salary:$3.05 per hour 01 WELDER-Salary:$3.05 per hour 01 CARPENTER-Salary:$3.60 per hour Contact: NORTH PACIFIC ENT., INC. Tel. 233-3990(1/11)M29386

01 BAKER-Salary:S3.25 per hour Contact: WINCHELL'S DONUT INC. dba Winchell's Donut Inc., Tel. 234-5566(1/11)M29385

01 PHOTOGRAPHER-Salary:S5.50 per hour Contact: LIGHTNING DEV., LTD. dba · ·· Flame Tree Flash Foto Tel. 234-7353(1/ 11)M76250

- ··------------01 CARPENTER (MAINTENANCE)Salary:S3.05 per hour Contact: KWEK'S ENTERPRISES SAIPAN, INC. Tel. 234-7243(1/ 18)M29433

02 AUTO A/C (TECHNICIAN) MECHANIC-Salary:$3.05-3.30 per hour 01 SECURITY GUARD-Salary:$3.05 per hour 02 REFRIGERATION AND AIRCONDITIONING TECH.-Salary $3.05-3.30 per hour Contact: TORRES REFRIGERATION, INC. Tel. 234-6098(1118)M29437

02 CARPENTER-Salary:S3.05 per hour 02 COMMERCIAL CLEANER-Salary:S3.05 per hour 10 PATIERN GRADER CUTIER-Salary:$3.05 per hour 295 SEWING MACHINE OPERATORSalary:S3.05 per hour 02 ASSISTANT MANAGER (FACT0f1Y)-Salary:S1 ,666.67 per month 02 ELECTRICIAN-Salary:$3.05 per hour 03 MASON-Salary:S3.05 per hour 01 TRUCK DRIVER-Salary:S3.05 per hour 07 COMMERCIAL CLEANER-Salary:$3.05 per hour 01 TRAILER TRUCK DRIVER-Salary:$3.05 per hour 05 PATIERN GRADER CUTIER-Salary:$3.05 per hour 20 SEWING MACHINE OPERATORSalary:$3.05 per hour 05 IRONING WORKER-Salary:$3.05 per hour 02 HAND PACKAGER-Salary:S3.05 per hour 05 IRONING WORKER (PRESSER MACHINE)-Salary:$3.05 per hour Contact: UNITED INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION Tel. 235-6888(1/ 18)M29431

01 ENTERTAINER-Salary:$4.00 per hour · Contact; NORMA DAILEY dba Nightengale Music Co. Tel. 322-0378(11 25)M29500

WANTBJ URIJB'/11!! U.S. UCENSm PHARMACIST

SALARY NEGOTIABLE send Resume to:

CCC 38 Box 10003, MP 98950 or Call: 671-849-8002

$800 WEEKLY POTEN11AL Processing Govemmen\ Relunds At Home. No Experience Necessary .. 1-800-966-3599 Ext. 1976 ·

LOST PASSPORT Name CHEN LEI

Nationality: Chinese

NULL/VOID

TWO BEDROOM, T\VO·BATHROOM, AIRCO:SD!TIONED. W/S\VIMMING POOi" la\U,;l)RY FACILITIES WITH NICE VIEW.

CALL: 322-3685

Wanted Room-mate 3 BEDROOM HOUSE

CALL: 322-3685 OR 322-1042

HOUSE FOR RENT Two·8edmornS, Semi-furllishcd Air-conditjoned. 24 hrs. water Washcrn>ryer Space in house

• Cable, Lawn rnaint.erumce and Trash colloctlon lnclud<'d

·•· Safe and Clean •. Lor;Jll'd in Garapim Anm F11r mon: lnr,lffll11tlun pl'i. ~Ull l.i6-:171S ltl'I\ICl'n K:im-<ipm.

FOR RENT (21 Bedroom. (I) Bedroom Apartment, Fully Furnished. Laundry Room. Securily Gate w/lntercom. 24 hrs. hot water. High quality ar,d cheap price. Located in Koblerviile

MODERN APARTMENT Conwct Person: Daniel Lin Tel. 288,8471 or4.IJ.84.14

24 hour water, fenced location, air-con in each bedroom, refrigerator, range, water heater & crash collection. 235-4341 after 5:30 p.m.

HOUSE LOT FOR LEASE Avaihble house 101 w/tl1ree bedroom concrete house for long tem1 lease localed in As Falipe, Garapan. Conrnct #233-0395 after 5:00pm and a:..;k for Lou or leave mcs~agc.

LOST PASSPORT Name PAN GUO HUI


NULL/VOID

someone out there needs your help ...

lvolunt,eer.

AMERICAN 9/CANCER f SOCJETY~

CORPORATIONS . -• MICRONESIAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS

I~ i 1•11 ~•-%:J::J~ -i ~ I 1 [~ I :i-r: ~-I~-~ 1D LICNO. TYPE · LOCATION ABT 051 1991 Toyota 4x2 Hilux SB MTG LOWER BASE WAREHOUSE ABT061 1991 Toyota 4x2 Hilux SB MTG LOWER BASE WAREHOUSE ABO 962 1991 Toyota 4x4 Hllux P/Up MTG TINIAN CENTRAL

MTC has the right to refuse any or all bids. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL: 682-2402 OFFICE: 287-2536 CELL

TINIAN: 433-3599/287-0211

Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL)

EVALUATION SPECIALIST PREL, a nationally recognized nonprofit corporation providing educational services to the Pacific, is seeking an Evaluation Specialist to design and conduct planning and evaluation studies throughout PREL's region. Conduct field evaluation planning, data collection, and reporting. Provide technical assistance in research design, evaluation methodology, and database implementation. Assist in proposal development. Master's degree or equivalent work experience in program evaluation, social science, or assessment and measurement; Doctorate preferred. Minimum five years experience conducting program evaluation; formative, summative, qualitative, and quantitative evaluation. Experience in research methods and statistical analysis. Closing: January 29, 1999.

PREL offers a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package. Please apply by faxing or mailing your resume with a cover letter to:

Human Resources Pacific Resources for Education and Learning

Ali'i Place, 25th Floor 1099 Alakea Street Honolulu, HI 96813

Fax: (808) 441-1385

For a complete job description, please visit PREL's website under "What's New" at http://www.prel.hawaii.edu.

LOST PASSPORT eaYinCJ l,lan

.

Name HONG, XIAO FENG


• 1977 Classic ScvillcCadil!ac. California Car Like New $4,000

ID#: 350321781112003

Stolen bog contains: lmmigro1ion Papers with passport

$200 REWARD!

If found please call Beeper #236-3 7 63

HOUSE FOR RB\IT $420 PER MONTH Newly Renovated Or,e Be:lroom, Serni·Concrete House. 24 hrs. water. Frig, Range, Hot Waler & Bar, near Rosary Ch,pel San \lcente. ldecl romanlic landscape:! settina tor art~! 01 writer. Phone: 235-3310 after 5:00 p.m

2 Bedroom Apartment, Fully Furnished, I Bathroom, 24 hrs. Water, Back-Up Generator, I Airconditioning 18,000 BTU.

CONTACT: 322-3793/IJ4

•48" round dining tahlc $250 4-matching chairs upholstered seals.

•Double bell frame with 100% storagt.: under bed. S50

•Chri:.1rna.., Jl.!coration 6' tn.'c-dccoraiions lights 4 door ~wag $75

•Wa~hing Machine Philipps local current S200

•200lb Safe S25 •5 gallon plants $10 ca. •Slim line phone ivory S 15 •50' Gardc:n Hose with nozzle S!O

322·2471 for directions

- I & 2 Bedroom, Fully Furnished, Split Type II.Cl /I.II Rooms Including Living & Dining

- Breezy Atmosphere, Ocean View,

· Spacious Parking

- 24 Hours Power & Water W/Standby Generalor

- WI Laundry Facilities

Please call: 235-1111n2n1

287-7070

AUTOMATIC SELLER

~IVIACHINE Busy schedule? You still hove plenty of

,\...W..r-, time to place a classified ad. Just fax your ad

copy to 234-9271. It's a quick and easy way

to sell your unwant~d Items for quick cash.

ltyoudon'thave access to a FAX machine. Call234-9797 /6341/7578 and a representative will help you place your ad over the phone.

tftlarianas %riet~ FAX your ad to fRJ\\CWC'

234•9271 "~ YUC)

I BUCKLE UP SAIPAN ! J


PEANUTS® by Charles M. Schulz HElf, CHUCK, YOU HAVEN1T CALLED ME LA1EL 'f' ..

STELLA WILDER

I CAN'T I-IEAR '(OU .. l1M ON M'< CAR PHONE DRIVING ALONG T/.\E AMALFI COAST IN ITAL'f..CAN '(OU f.!EAR ME? WI-IO 15 Tf.115?

YOUR BIRTHDAY SUNDAY, JAN. 10, 1999

Born today, you are one of the most straightfoiward and uncomplicated individuals born under your sign. You 're never one to let others call the shots for you. You insist on doing things your own way, and are always willing to take the credit or blame that comes to you as a result. There are times when you may actually slow yourself down by being stubbornly independent. But when you do pick up the pace and the road is clear ahead of you, anything is possible - proving it time and ti me again. You are realistic, clearheaded and optimistic about the world around you.

You require mental, emotional and physical outlets on a regular basis. You never like to feel as though you are being stifled in any way. You enjoy all types of games and hobbies -always involving yourself in one project after another. You are an eager supporter of community causes.

Also born on this date are: Rod Stewart, singer; Ray Bolger, actor and dancer; George Foreman, bol'er; Pat Benatar, singer; Jesse James, outlaw.

To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph.

_ Let your birthday star be your daily guide.

MONDAY, JANUARY 11 CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.

19) - Others may be following in your footsteps today, so use

el'tra care when following a more dangerous path. With leadership comes responsibilities.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20-Feb.18) - Entertain unusual notions today, and don't shy away from ideas that seem to be threatening. Danger offers certain rewards.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) - This is a good day to give compliments freely, and to offer practical assistance whcncvcryou can. Cooperation can yield surprising results.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) - Popularity may become a major issue today, but don't get caught. up in a race for rewards that are devoid of any real value.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) - The more specific you are in your desires today, the more like! y you are to receive what it is you want-particularly in a personal vein.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) - Now is not the time to alter your plans, your tactics or your lifestyle for any reason. Self-discipline is the key to success today!

CANCER (June 21-July 22) - Someone is bound to make you an offer you cannot refuse today. Take some time to consider the pros and cons. Are you fully prepared?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -Open yourself up to the unknown today and you will be rewarded in ways you had not imagined. An adventure is in the making. It's

I- II

almost time! VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Events from your past are in the spotlight once again today. Yau may find yourself caught between two conflicting desires at home or at work.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-0ct. 22) -It may be up to you today to settle a Jong-term dispute between two friends.You must strive to be fair and objective at all times.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -A lesson you've been trying to learn for some time may prove to be even more elusive today. Don't allow yourself to be distracted.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) - Overdo it today, and you 'II be in no condition to tackle a challenge that comes your way tomorrow.You must certainly be ready!

CROSSWORD PUZZLER ACROSS

1 Seymour and Fonda

6 Author Verne 11 Nullify 12 Distant

planet 14 12 mos. 15 Makes a

road 17 NBA great

Chamberlain 18 Meadow 20 Slow (music) 22 Unclaimed

mail dept. 23 Allanta arena 25 Ms.

Gorbachev 27 Half an em 28 Antelope 30 Of a triangle

type 32 Mineral 34 Protection 35 Playhouse 38 Diner 41 Pronoun 42 Actress Bo

44 Baking-45 Profit on

bank acct. 47 - Lama 49 Fruit seed 50 Future attys.'

exam 52 Actress

Cicely-54 Therefore 55 Place 57 Lauren or

lim-59 Wanderer 60 Wan

DOWN

1 Actor Irons 2 Silver symbol 3 Short sleep 4 And others

(2wds., Latin abbr.)

5 Cut 6 Fairness 7 Chaldean

city 8 Lay down

the-9 Geraint's

Answer to Previous Puzzle

1-29 © 1998 United Feature Syndicate

wife 10 Surly 11 Stocking

material 13 Rock 16 Namesakes

for a Spanish queen

19 "What's in --?"

21 Kind at orange

24 Poem by Homer

26 An assumed name

29 Performed 31 Bar legally 33 Charged with

gas 35 Trousers

fabric 36 Muppets

creator 37 Depend 39 He's known

as the "Wizard of Menlo Park"

40 Inform (2 wds.)

43 Buckwheat 46 Mexican

sandwich 48 Debt notes

(abbr.) 51 Scottish cap 53 ,- degree 56 Spanish

article 58 ·- Deum"

ltidS~TW 2DOWN oppO=,tTE

oi'-

DARK

'.LH813 ·g '8'7'.L ·v '331:l.L 'f; '.LH811 ·z '3dld . (· =NMOO ·30H ·6 '883 ·a '8td · L 'Nl'v'l:l ·g '3.U3l'v'd · ( :ssol:!O'v'

KNIS~ SOLVE THE REBUS BY WRITING ~- ..,.IN THE NAMES OF THE PICTURE

CLUES AND ADDING OR SUBTRACTING THE LETTERS.

Why did the bay take a ruler to bed?

~+fro ~D

He ~anted to see1.I I I I 7 .1.---,--.---,....~1 3 ·1 14·cr I I

'.Ld31S 3H DNOl MOH :l:l3MSNv' OIV'Jl!l~~l~~nc. 1'Yt

I

,~j .. ,)

'.,., ...

26-MARlANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEW~S-~M~O~N~D2J.A~Y~-~J~A_!"1.N~U~A~RY.!_1_1_1_,l._!_1~99!:l_9'.___ ___________________________ _

Henman makes Qatar Open q'tinals DOHA (Reuters)- Tim Henman. who htL~ made a new year's resolution to reach the world· s top five in 1999. took an e:u-ly step towards achieving that aim when he reached the final ~of the million-do!1ar Qatar Open.

The world number seven from EnrJand is favourite to win the first A TI Tour title of the year and the fifth of his career after a rousing 6--4, 6--2 winoverthe popular Moroccan Kmim Alarni.

Henman had to weather a noisy early sto1rn when Alami, suungly suppo11ed by mostof the local crowd, broke serve at once and applied al I solts of p1essure with his fleet-footed ability to run down unlikely balls.

Henman broke back quickly with a forehand retum to the feet and an ente1p1ising chip-and-charge retum and then turned the match with two supern forehands which secured anotherbreakin the last twopointsof the first set.

The first was whipped at an audacious angle back acruss coult for a pass and the second nimbly taken from wide on the backhand side and walloped p=llel to Alami's forehand line for a winner.

Henman broke again in Alami's second service game of the second set, this time thanks to two tremendous defensive lobs sent steepling into the wind and forcing smash errors from the Moroccan.

They also brought an angry lash of

Local and Guam volleyball teams swarmed Ada gym over the weekend and took part in the Jam Attack VB Tournament. Photo by Tony Cells

Duval running away with Mercedes By DOUG FERGUSON

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) -It's going to take a lot more than the Trade winds to stop David Duval in the Mercedes Championship.

Playing his best golf in the first tournament of the year. Duval shot a 5-under-par 68 Saturday to maintain a five-stroke lec1d on the Kapalua Plantation course and make everyone else wonder what the rest of the year might hold.

.:-I'm just glad he's going skiing and not playing at the Sony Open," said Davis Love III, referring to the next week's PGA Tour stop in Honolulu.

If the rest of the year is anything like this week, that may be the best chance anyone else has

Mel ... Continued from page 28

Larry Tenorio of TC Clan with a 6.79 earned run average (ERA). just slightly ahead of Joe Torres· 7.23 ERA.

While Joe Torres of Just-4-Fun won the strikeout award, fanning 31 batters throughout the regular season, and just beat out Larry Tenorio who finished with 30 strikeouts, for the regular season.

Perhaps the most coveted team award, "The Sportsmanship" award went to no other than, the "I love my team" of Major Leak.

The women's homcrun award went to Just-4-Fun's Delores Rangamar.

of winning. Duval was at 21-under 198

through 54 holes. All he needs is a round of 72 on Sunday to break the tournament scoring record in relation to par. Another 68 would break the record of 21-under 267 thatCalvinPeetesetin 1986when the Mercedes was played at La Costa Resort. -

'Tm just going to keep trying to do what I've done, which is pretty simple," Duval said.

Simple, indeed. Duval has rarely put himself in

position for a big number - the bogey he made on the 16th hole Saturday was his first in 44 holes.

Fred Funk, a short, straight hitter, had·a 68 and was five strokes back at 203. Billy Mayfair was at 204, while Tiger Woods had the

The most triples awards wl!nt to; TC Clan's Bego Odoshi, Dela Napoleon of Mix-A-Lot , and Pauline Yamada of Major Leak, while the men's triples title went to Cenlral's, John B. Reyes.

Winning the 'doubles' awards were; Connie Camacho of TC Clan, Gina Wesley of Major Leak, Just-4-Fun 's Valerie Williams, and Central 's Mona Rubenog Taisacan, while Mike Leon Guerrero of Just-4-Fun won the award in the men's category.

The RBI award in the women's category went to Jovie Omar of Major Leak.

The t:hampionship games most valuable player award went to Dolores Rangamar and Joe Torres, both of Just-4-Fun.

best round of the day - a 67 -that left him at 205 and very much in Duval's wake.

"I was hoping to get back to where I could possibly see him," Woods said. "It might have been a good tournament for me if he h;d given me one shot for every nine holes. Then, I'd only be one back."

One day after tying the course record with a 63, Duval easily handled a strong breeze off the northeast coast of Maui.

OK, so it took him all of five holes before he registered his first birdie of the day.

That only seemed to open the gates- back-to-back birdies to close out the front nine, and another spurt that grew his lead to as many as six strokes.

Just . .. Co~tinLJE'l_d frompage 2~

following a thirty minute break after the second ballgame, Just-4-Fun won the coin toss, to be the homcteam.

The first ballgame on Tuesday was won by the hometeam, Just-4-Fun.

It was no surprise then, when in the second ballgame' s home team, Mix-A-Lot won the game, 15-10.

Hometeam advantage, for the third and final ballgame went to the eventual champs, Just-4-Fun.

The first three innings was relatively quiet for both teams. Then at the end of the fourth inning Just-4-Fun had a slight lead at, 7-4.

Mix-A-Lot jumped right back

the ball into a 60-foot high tloodlight from Alami, getting him a code violation warning.

After that it was all Henman, who broke again at the end of the match. "It's been a good start to the year, but I very much want to win this title. My reaction at the end of the first set showed how much I want to."

But to achieve his aim Henman will have to overcome an opponent who surpiised him in Split last year and who has also been the surpiise

NMASA ... Continued from page 28

coming home with four Silvers and one Bronze medals. Last week she competed in the Guam International Meet and took the second place high Point trophy for seniors, behind teammate Zenavee Pangelinan. She won two first place, one second place, and a third and fifth place finishes

into the ballgame in the top of fifth inning with four runs, and took over the lead at, 8-7, then held Just-4-Fun scoreless at the bottom of the inning.

However the fifth was the deciding inning as Mix-A-Lot were held to no runs.

Just-4-Fun rallied at the bottom of the sixth for five runs, and retook the lead at, 12-8.

Then at the top of seventh, and their last at bat, Mix-A-Lot's chances of winning were shattered as their first three batters were retired in order, clinching the title for Just-4-Fun.

Both teams displayed excellent sportsmanship, both on and off the field.

There were very few errors committed during the· entire, final, ballgame.

package of this tournament Rainer Schuttler achieved that by

secuiing his seventh win of the tournament, the first coming in the qualifying competition last week and today's being a dramatic 3-6, 6--2, 7-5 win overtheseventh-seeded former Wimbledon finalist Cedric Pioline.

The German was too steady for the Frenchman, even though Pioline saved two match points in an exciting fight back from 2-5 to 5-5 in the final set

as well. Other athletes who were nomi

nated by their sports were Ken Tanzawa in swimming and Kana Aikawa in tennis.

All "athletes of the month" for 1998 will be recognized at the annual "Athlete of the Month: banquet on Jan. 28 at the Pacific Gardenia Restaurant, beachside.

All athletes are urged toattencj.

Illegal ... Continued from page 1

ing flags indicating nationality or origin, Robinson said.

The Coast Guard cutters Sassafras and Galvenston Island located the vessels by radar Saturday night and stopped them 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of Guam on Sunday morning.

At first, the vessels attempted to flee, but later halted and consented to be boarded, Robinson said.

The vessels were low on food but the passengers were found t~ be in fair condition, he said.

Law enforcement officials suspected the migrants were destined for Guam, Robinson said.

The vessels, their crews and passengers were taken to a Coast Guard facility in the Marianas for processing, he said.

, I

I

r r )

' .,.-, \


Elway finally beats Marino By Aaron J. Lopez

DENVER (AP)-John Elway's "Things to do before I retire" list got a little bit shorter Saturday.

After finally wini1ing the Super Bowl last year, Elway got his first victory over Dan Marino in what is likely the last on-field meeting between future Hal I of Fame quarterbacks.

Elway, expected to retire following the sc;L~on, had lost two regular season games to Marino before Denver·; 38-3 rout of Miami in the AFC divisional playoffs.

"It had nothing to do with me beating Dan,"~ Elway said. "There's always a rivalry built up around the two quarterbacks. I think the key thing about it is it's a playoff game. This is what we've worked for all year, so it was nice

to go out and played like we did." The Elway-Marino duel seemed

anticlimactic as Broncos running back Tend! Davis stole the spo~ light with 199 yards rushing and Denver ran away from the Doiphi ns in the second half.

Though Davis, voted the NFL's Most Valuable Player, has taken the lead role in the Denver offense, he still takes his cue from the 16--year veteran Elway.

"I think No. 7, he's probably the biggest person I can look at," Davis said. "I can touch him and every day I ask him questions. I just try to follow the things he does. It's been working so far."

El way finished the game I 4-of-23 for 182 yards and a touchdown. Marino was 26-of-37 for 243 yards and two interceptions,

Steve Kerr says Jordan won't play

By Bob Baum TUCSON, Ari7A (AP) - Count Steve Kerr among those who doesn't think Michael Jordan will 1etum to the NBA. And that would mean Kerr won't be staying in Chicago, either.

KelT, who Saturday becameonly the second basketball player to have his number retired by the University of Arizona, bases his suspicion on the fact that Jordan has always been sop1epmed when play begins.

"He prepares for a season as well as anybody, and from all I hear he's been playing golf and going to the Bahamas," Kerr said. "Unless he's working out in a hidden gym somewhere down in the Bahamas, I don't think he's really preparing to play."

KerT, a free agent, doesn't expect to re-sign with the Bulls if Jordan retires.

"If Michael decides to retire, l would guess the Bulls would go young and start fn:sh, and

they probably should, because without Michael the Bulls men't going tow in a championship," Keir said. "If that's the case, I'll probably move on."

The long-ago Arizona chant of "Steeeve Kemrrr'' echoed through McKale Center once again Saturday at the ceremony where his No. 25 was raised to the rafters after A1izona's88-86victoryovcrWashington.

Ke1nvasatA1izonafrom I 984to 1988 and was a member of Lute Olson's first Wildcat Final Four team in 1988. Km's teammate and the only other Arizona player to havehisnumberretired,SeanE!liott, was on hand for the ceremony.

"Sean was propably more responsible for me being in the NBA than anybody because of what he did for the program because he took us over the top, and I just fed off of him," Km said. "Practically every 3-pointer they showed on the highlight film, Scan was throwing it to me. I owe Scan a great d;al."

including one at the Denver 21-yard line to end a Dolphins drive in the third quarter.

As much as it dogs them, El way and Marino wi II be forever linked. They came into the league to-

gether in 1983 and they are the only two players to throw for more than 50,000 career yards.

Jay Flores of the Pepsi Giants slide safely into third base as Kraft Tritons thirdsacker Kin Fernandez await the ba!I, The ~efendinr;J Guam Major Lef'!gue champion Giants continue their masterful winning ways over the Tntons with a lopsided 17-8 victory ,n Hagatna. Photo by Eduardu c. Siguenza

Jones, Mosley retain titles By ED SCHUYLER Jr.

PENSACOLA, Florida (AP) -Roy Jones Jr. celebrated his 30th bi!thday a week early by knocking out a New York City cop, who's almost 40, on Saturday night.

Fighting in his hometown, Jones retained the WBC and WBA light heavyweighttitlesbyknockingdown Rick Frazier twice and stopping him in the second round.

Jones was disappointed that he didn't entertain his hometown fans longer.

"It wasn't very satisfying," he said. "I'm sony the fight got stoppedemly, but I don't stop them. I just fight."

In anotl1er ti tie bout before :m estimated cmwd of8,0CO at the Pensacola CivicCenter,Shm1e Mosley knocked down Golden Johnson four ti mes mid stopped him in the seventh title in ddcnsc oftl1c !BF lightweight title.

Jones, who will be 30 next Satur-

day, knocked down Frazier with two 1ighthan<ls to the head late in the fii~t round. Frazier got up at the count of eight.

Then, in tl1e second round. tl1e swm1ningJones, 175, knocked down Frazier, 174, with a left hook to the temple followed by a 1ight hm1d. Frazier struggled up at eight and referee Armando Garcia stopped tl1e match with one second left in tl1e round.

Frazier, a 17-year veterJll policeman who will be40onJuly29, went into the fight as the WBC's No. I contender despite only an 18-3-1 1ecord withsevenknockouts. He simply was no match for Jones.

A CompuBox punch ;malysiscrcdited Jones with landing 39 of 92

punches, while Frazier l,mded only four of 29.

Jones had to fight Fr~tzier because it was a m,mdato1y defense since Frazierwasrm1ked No.1. lfhedidn't go through with the fight, he would have lxen sllipped of tl1e WBC title.

"I don't pick the guys," said Jones (39-1, 33 knockouts). "He was the No. 1 contender. It's not my jobtote11 tl1ose people what to do."

Mosley dominated Johnson from the outset, and the end finally came in tl1e seventh round. With about a minute left in the round, Mosley knocked down Johnson with two right~ to tl1e head. Johnson struggled up ,md tried to fight back, bringing a rom· from the crowd as he got into a toe-to-toe exchange with Mosley.

Graf forced to quit tourney STEFFI Graf won't be adding the Challenge Cup title to her resume. An upset stomach forced the former No. I player to retire from her title match against Venus Williams Saturday.

Graf was using the Hong Kong tournament as a tuneup before the Jan. 18 Australian Open. She had split the first four games of the match before retiring.

Meanwhile, Australia defeated Sweden 2-1 to win the Hopman Cup for the first time at Perth. Australia.

Australia's Jelena Dokic beat Asa Carlsson 6-2, 7-6 (I 0-8), and Mark Philippoussis clinched Australia's victory with a 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) win over Jonas Bjorkman.

Dokic, a 15-year-old, made Carlsson her latest upset victim. She also defeated Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain and France's Sandrine Tested in the tournament.

"It's probably the greatest day of my life," Dokic said. ''I've never won something this big before and it gives me great confidence. We weren't expected to win coming into the tournament, but I've played some great tennis and got through."

Patty Schnyderof Switzerland defeated Mary Pierce 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 to win the Australian Women's Hardcourt Championships in Gold Coast.

Schnyder, the No. 2 seed, had lost her previous tliree matches against Pierce, the No. 7 player in the world and top seed in the tournament.

In the men's hardcourt tournament at Perth, Australia, secondseeded Thomas Enqvist of Sweden defeated Scott Draper of Australia 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the final.

The 1998 SSA Pennant Champs, Mix-A-Lot, smile for this team photo on Thursday at Susupe Softball Field.

On Sunday, Enqvist will face Australian teen-ager Lleyton Hewitt, who upset countryman and fourth-seeded Jason Stoltenberg 6-1, 6-3.

Photo by Tony Cells

-

I

-· · ..... --- . ··---·-

28-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-MONDAY- JANUARY 11, 1999

Just-4-Fun '98 Co-ed Challlps

The 1998 SSA Co-ed Champions, Just-4-Fun, pose with their trophies after the final game at Susupe Softball Field. Photo by Tony Celis

Mel Sakisat is·named·MVP By Tony Celis Variety News Staff

MEL SAKI SAT won five awards at the end of the 1998 Saipan Softball Association (SSA) Co-ed Night Leagues season.

The awards presentation followed the SSA championship ballgame between Just-4-Fun and Mix-A-Lot, Thursday night.

Perhaps the most coveted of awards is the Most Valuable

Player (MVP), for the regular season, which the TC Clan shortstop won handedly.

His counterpart, Mix-A-Lot's, Dela Napoleon was named MVP · in the women's category, also for the regular season.

· Saki sat, also won the batting champ, (30AB). The bearded slugger averaged .718 at bat for the regular season.

Liz Lebria, of Mix-A-Lot won the women's batting title with a

C.J. Aguon, 10, (top} swam to a first place finish in the 50m fly of the Guam Invitational Swim Meet Saturday with a time of 52.04 while his sister Chirika, 15, with a time of 121.02 in the 100m fly was second at the Hagatna Swimming Pool. Photos by Eduardo c. Siguenza

SAIPAN fl O 13ox 23 I S01µcm. MP 96950

• Tc,I (6l0) 23116341 , /578 • '1797 • Fox (670) :?34-9271

[-rnrnl [email protected] [email protected]

.323 average, also fqr the regu-lar season. ·

The homerun king-award was won by Sakisat with a regular season 13 homeruns.

The runs-batted-in (RBI) award also went to Sakfaat, with 32 RBI's.

Filling up trophy chest (wagon) was Sakisat's "runs" title at, 25 runs scored.

A pitching award went to


Mike Tyson perseveres .

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Mike Tyson remembers, even if others don't.

When you 're 20 and the youngest heavyweight champion ever, you don't easily forget.

It was Nov. 22, 1986, and the World Boxing Council belt Tyson had won by knocking outTrevor Berbick only hours before was proudly displayed around his waist as he walked around the Las Vegas Hilton lobby.

He wore the belt to bed that night and paraded through the hotel with it again the next day. It took him two days before he could bring himself to take the belt off.

"I just wanted the world to say, 'Look at me,"' Tyson recalled.

Look they did, with a mixture of curiosity and awe at the new, ferocious champion with the squeaky voice.

And they've been looking ever since, through good times and bad.

They've watched through multimillion-dollar fights and a prison sentence for rape, followed by a comeback and a biting that marked one of boxing's darkest hours. i

By Tony Celis Variety News Staff

DELOIITE & Touche 's "Just-4-Fun" played briliantly in the third ballgame of the, best-of-three, championship series, and defeated Mix-A-Lot, 12-8 for the 1998 Saipan Softball Association (SSA) Co-ed Night League Ch~mpionship title.

While Mix-A-Lot, is the runner-up in the championship'game, they however, are the '98 SSA Co-ed League, Pennant Champions, with a regular season record of 9-1.

"It was a really good ballgame.

They earned the win and deserve to be the champs,"said Mix-ALot's outfielder, Thelma Mizer.

"My, batting was really off during the game. Adding to that was Joe Torres's excellent pitching, Joe is really a good pitcher, he knows the batters and he really spins the ball when he pitches," Thelma, said afterthe championship game.

Mix-A-Lot, had earlier forced a third game during Thursday night's double-header when they defeated Just-4-Fun, 15-10 in the second (of the series) ballgame.

Continued on page ~6

Mel Sakisat poses with SSA President Joe Torres. Sakisat won five SSA Co-ed League individual trophies, including MVP.

Photo by Tony Celis

NMASA December Athletes FOUR students were named December Athletes of the Month by the office of the Northern Marianas Olympic Committee and Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association (NMASA). . The students athletes for the month of December are; Ramsey Lemaich-tennis, ten yearold. Reached the quarterfinals

of ASB Bank Junior Tennis Tournament 12 and Under Division in Auckland, New Zealand last month. He defeated the no.2 seed of New Zealand enroute to the quarterfinal finish.

Mayana Welch- swimming, ten years old and a student of San Vicente Elementary School. In her first international competition in · Guam against swimmers from Japan and Guam she bettered her

! times in four events, winning two third places and two sixth place finishes. ,

Seung Gin Lee- swimming, a student of Saipan Community School competed in the New Caledonia Juniors Championships last month winning the 1 OOm backstroke, and three more Silver medals.

In Guam at the Guam International meet he won the second place High Point trophy for 13-14 year olds, improving all his events placing one each first thru fifth place.

Tracy Feger- swimming, a student at MHS, competed in the New Caledonia Junior Championship, bettering all her times and

Continued on page 26 '-· ... -----···· ·- ..... ·· .... ·- -~- -.~'"-'~.:.-:-~·:,;_~ _·_ ·-,~

~• ~~ ~,~,,. - -~~'"-- I

fi~AM~ ~~~P~s858'74Li3 960 Soutr.1,rv~1ripepr~o(S\Jlfu I bfl1 1 0 J A N 1 1 9 9

lomur(1n>J l'loro. t:.U'9b9~ I• U ,-, • Tel. (67J)~Ll9t@li81>16flM)2(J'i'.JM .:AIPAt, MP 9 6 9 5 .J

• Fox (671) 649-4687 E-rnoil [email protected]

Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 Gov't … · Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 ~...

Documents

Transcript of Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 Gov't … · Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 ~...