b!}\J ,v;:nsny OF t 1t-.\N/\d ii' !>/ "., i I Vol.24 No.204 : · . · . : ·. ~ - F .d D . ·. b . · . Saipan MP96950 . so· ¢· ©1995 Ma~ianas Variety ' . - ,. ~y ~. " ~ce~ . er 22, 1995 . .Serving C_NMI for 23'Yea~s . ·. GOP search for '97 Wage hike· delay bill faces possible veto THE SENATE yesterday ap. bet starts January proved the billseekingtopost­ pone the next scheduled mini­ mum wage increase but its enacttnent into law may still be suspect Public Infonnation Officer I ,- ' .,.,, . Bruce Lloyd, in an interview with the Variety said Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio is having second thoughts a6out House Bill 9-493, owing to its pos­ sible impact on the government's revenue efforts. H.B. 9-493, dubbed as the Froilan C. Tenorio Wage Rate Increase Postpone­ measure may get the ment Act of 1995, passed the governor's ax. Pedro P. Tenorio Larry I. DL Guerrero Juan N. Babauta Senate during a session yes­ "I am having my staff ana­ terday via a unanimous vote. By Rafael H. Arroyo In announcing his decision to candidate will be, Fitial said, the lyze the bill's effect on rev­ It is now headed back to the Variety News Staff quit politics after 1997, Tenorio GOP will be prepared to meet the enues, If we will be losing a lot THE SEARCH for the Republi­ had also said he will be backing challenge head-on and put up a house of origin en route to the of revenues, then I may not can Party candidates for the next his lieutenant governor, Jesus C. good fight. governor for action. have any choice but to veto the Borja as Democratic bet for gov­ "I assure you, the party will Tenorio was quoted in an bill,'' said Tenorio. · gubernatorial elections is ex­ interview yesterday that he pected to begin next month, party ernor. field a formidable candidate for Under Public Law 8-21, the would like to see whether the Chairman Benigno R. Filial said. Borja in an earlier interview governor, one that can strongly local hourly minimum wage is wage hike delay would have a In an interview yesterday, Filial remained non-committal on his face the opposition," said Filial. to rise by 30 cents in January significant impact on the said the party will be convening possible candidacy; 'Saying he has With the elections still two years ofeach year until it reaches the government's revenue collec­ its candidates committee in early to discuss the matter thoroughly away, there has already been federal level of $4.25. tions. January to lay down the ground­ with farnily, friends and relatives. speculation on who may actually This means that the present Iffound to be creating a hole work for the selection process. Asked if he sees Borja as a make a bid for the Republican $2.75 hourly minimum wage The meeting, Filial added, is formidable opponent for the GOP, nomination. in the government's coffers, would automatically be in­ also designed to gather prospec­ Fitial said it would not matter Said to be harboring guberna­ there's a possibility that the Continued on page 64 tive candidates early so that the much who they will be up against. torial ambitions is Washington party may be able to plan ahead Whoever the Democratic Party Continued on page 64 !, . for the 1997 gubernatorial con­ ·:~]f~~;; ·... test. ·,:/,-·' "We will be conducting a series of meetings with potential candi­ PSS chief's letter dates for governor starting next month. We are getting everybody irks RP teachers in the party together to come up By Mar•VIC C. Munar 1995." with a decision," said Filial. Variety New• Staff The paragraph in ihe letter According to Fitial he has al­ NONRESIDENT teachers who which the teachers said offended ready seen signs of political ac­ wish to stay longer in the CNMI them read: "Because it is pos­ tivity among possible aspirants in even after the expiration of their sible to legally change residency the aftermath of Gov. Froilan C. contracts got a smart suggestion status (i.e. marriage to a tJ .S. Tenorio's recent announcement from Public School System citizen), we ask you to notify that he would not be seeking re­ Commissioner William Torres: the Commissioner's Office ... if election after his current term. marry a U.S. citizen. you intend to attempt (sic) to Not a few Filipino teachers change your residency status took offense. before the completion of the "What does be (Torres) think term of your contract." Weather of us, a bunch of adventurers?" "We will leave the island if teachers from William S. Reyes we 're not W!lfited anymore," Elementary School asked. said a Filipino teacher who re­ Outlook The suggestion, which the questednot to be named. "I came teachers described as "scandal­ here to work and not to be in­ ous," was contained in uniform sulted. It is simply not part of letters from the commissioner our culture to resort ro marriage reminding them that their con­ for mere immigration reasons." tracts will not be renewed when All nonresident teachers in they expire. the island, who have soon-to-be Torres invokes the Non-Resi· expired contracts, received the dent Workers Act (Public Law notice of nonrenewal from 7-45) which ''prohibits govern­ Torres, another teacher said. HOLIDAY RIJSH. T~o param~ics examined a girl, who was one of the Partly cloudy with mental entities of theCNMifrom ''I'mnot woniedabout losing passengers m a vehicle that figured in a sm~shvp with a car in front of Isolated showers. renewing employment with non­ my job here. I'm worried about Ou~ Lady Of _Mt. Carmel Cathedral yesterday. The victim, including the car sJady dnver, were taken to the health center for treatment. (Photo resident workers after Sept 30, continued on page 64 by Rick Alberto). · PAC l'!E\VSPf:,PER STACKS' ·-- 2-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-FRIDAY· DECEMBER 22. 1995 · . For refusing to turn over Whitewater notes · · DPHS supports Manila office ! By Fardlo de la Torra self-paidbyprivatecitizens~liked cheaper than any other states. The ing CNMI goverrunent's Health , I Sellate to Staff take Clinton to court Variety I News WASIIlNGTON (AP) . After a esty of the White House, a di- voted to take President Clinton to disputed Whitewater notes. · . .. .. •. · togolhere. facilities and services are out­ Insurance Program subscribers .PUBUCHealthSecretaryDr.Isamu standing, he said. was discussed. debate over the integrity and hon- vided U.S. Senate on Wednesday court for refusing to turn over . The 5 larks-45 vthotefi, alontum? parUsm· sance GoveIOOI' Froilan Teinio and the Imes, m e rrs e J.Alnhambase,qxessedstroogsup­ legislatnrehavedifferent views with "When negotiating the health In his report, Taitano said afew Watergate that Congress has ap­ pm fCI' the retelllioo of the CNMI­ respect to the liaison office. care we have an alternative in the possibilities may have to be looked proved a court challenge of apresi­ Philippire Liaiscn Office in Manila "Although I don't want to be next door-the into; FHP, GMHP or Philam dent in a dispute over documents. whichrefinds useful for the medical involved in the argument, I am Philippines,"Abraham said. "We Health Care Systems. Despite the politically charged referral program. giving my support to the liaison share a lot of cultural, SO<;ial and A memorandum of understand­ vote, a court challenge could still Inaninterview,Abrahamsaidtbe office basically to deal with the ~­ etllnic similarities, and environ­ ing with any of them, Taitano be headed off as the White House liaisooofficebas been of great help facilities," said Abraham. ment." said, will give the possibility of moved closer to eliminating the in dealing with the hospitals in the The secretary said sending pa­ The DPHS top man said they referring more CNMI patients in fmal roadblock to releasing the Philippines such as St Luke Medi­ tients to Philippine hospitals in­ are just looking for options and Manila. notes on its own -reaching a sepa­ cal Center and Makati Medical stead of Guam or Hawaii will are not forcing the people to go. ''Th.ey will be the payment guar­ rate agreement with House Re­ Center. definitely reduce the cost of medi­ He disclosed that Joaquin I. antors for our patients who subse­ publicans. Both sides sounded He noted that for the past two cal referrals. Taitano, medical referra1 officer, quently will be billing the CNMI optimistic. Bill Clinton months referrals to Manila in­ He explained that the cost of was recently in Manila where the FHIPor Medical Referral Office," With such an agreement near, creased. Most of the referrals were possibility of St Luke's accept- Taitano pointed out. /samu J. Abraham wait no lcoger to get lhe documenlS. health care in the Philippines J.s Democrats said the Senate Re­ He said FHP and GMHP are hospitals on all outstanding ac­ Before the final vote, lhey nnred publicans' court challenge was widely accepted by most major counts. away a Deirocratic propooal to give unnecessary. The vote is "an un­ hospitals. Philam Health Care Taitano added that during his lhe White Hoose more time on a vote necessary, headline-seeking ploy Systems is well recognized. trip the possibility of increasing of51-45. Legislature sets joint designed for one purpose and one Taitano said having an MOU the medica1 referral imprest fund At issue are lhe handwritten purposeonly:todamagelhepresi­ oores with one of them will a1so reduce account was discussed. takcrt by foorer presidential aide dent,'' Senate Minority Leader the burden of the liaison office in "An additional staff, perhaps, a William Kennedy during a Tom Daschle complained.