Saipan, MP/36950 ©1993 Marianas Variety Monday■ October 11, 1993 Serving CNMI for 20 Years Guerrero Suing Public Auditor, Counsel by Rafael H
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I UNIVERSITY'OF HAWft« LIBRAR* Micronesia’s Leading Newspaper Since 1972 Vol. 22 NO. 150 Saipan, MP/36950 ©1993 Marianas Variety Monday■ October 11, 1993 Serving CNMI for 20 Years Guerrero suing public auditor, counsel By Rafael H. Arroyo sued by Commonwealth Utilities he is contemplating a possible “I had been maligned and sure that was enacted prior to the Corp. Executive Director Ramon lawsuit against the public auditor slammed all over. My family has subject invitation. THE OFFICE of the Public Audi S. Guerrero for a gathering of and his legal counsel Robert A. been subjected -to too much em “This office has received a copy tor last Friday dismissed a com CUC employees last September Bisom for allegedly making state barrassment and ridicule so I need of P.L. 8-28, signed into law by plaint filed by Democratic Party 25. ments purporting his invitation to sue to get my credibility back,” Governor Guerrero on Septem Chairman Carlos Camacho in But despite getting cleared of may have been a violation of Pub said Guerrero in a huddle with ber 13. However, for some rea connection with an invitation is any wrongdoing, Guerrero said lic Law 8-11, the Ethics law. reporters Friday. son, we did not receive this from He was specifically referring to the governor until October i , and a possible lawsuit being readied we were therefore not aware of its by his Guam-based attorney contents until late that day,” said against the public auditor and Bisom. Bisom for the latter’s statements Public Law 8-28 repeals in en aired on television that allegedly tirety, section 8341 (c) and (d) of “found me guilty when the basis P.L. 8-11, which deals with the for the complaint has been re prohibition on public officials pealed already.” from using public office and staff In a letter to Guerrero Friday, in endorsing or assisting a politi Bisom concluded there was no cal, party or candidate for elective violation committed by Guerrero office, and the solicitation of cam in inviting CUC employees for paign support or assistance to any the gathering due to a repeal mea continued on page Rains blamed for CUC Executive Director Ray Guerrero addresses.crowd during inaugural rites for the two newly refurbished fuel tanks. that will hold fuel for CUC Power Plant I. Behind him is Governor Larry I. Guerrero who led ribbon INCLEMENT weather and the need to. settle right of way problems cutting ceremonies Friday. paving of Chalan Pale Arnold,'according to Public Works Director Elizabeth Salas-Balajadia. In an interview Friday, Balajadia said contractors for two road Froilan wants funding paving projects along Middle Road have asked for 60-days within which to complete the Stretch from McDonald’s to the San Jose triangle and the stretch from Kaiser Cement to the road leading to for ‘ice’ rehab program Public School System’s Lower Base office. "We have been receiving complaints about the delays in both By Rafael H. Arroyo He said approximately 10,000 situation,” he added. projects but what could we do, we could not сагту on with the paving people in the CNMI have used But according to Joe if the rains Just keeps on making the ground wet. The paving project can only tolerate a certain amount of moisture to get it done well,” De m o c r a t ic candidate for crystal methamphetamine or “ice” Villagomez, addiction specialist governor Froilan C. Tenorio last at least once in their lifetime, and at the CHC, funding for the drug ^said Balajadia. Friday expressed disappointment that a good part of such a number program is still in the “embryonic According to the director, the rains have necessitated occasional over die alleged lack of attention need medical treatment or reha stage.” compacting and testing because the projects allow only a certain being given by the government to bilitation. “We’re very glad that attention moisture specification that requires 95% compaction. the drug rehabilitation program The gubernatorial aspirant said is being given nowadays to our “We Just can’t help it when it rains,” Balajadia said. being administered by the Com the task of reforming a drug ad needs. Right now, we’re really On the issue of right-of-way, she said everything has lately been monwealth Health Center. dict is made a lot more difficult experiencing difficulty with our settled. In an interview, Tenorio chal when it is faced with growing program because we are working The two projects are being funded 100% through a grant from the lenged the CNMI government to numbers and lack of finances. only on funds given from under federal Highways Administration as part of a five-phase 5.58 mile fund the program separately from According to Tenorio, aside the director’s budget,” said road paving project for Saipan. the Public Health director’s bud from the need to hire at least three Villagomez in a telephone inter Phase I, which is the .93-mile portion of Middle Road from Navy get and as a top priority govem- drug counsellors, the drug rehab view with the Variety Friday. Hill Road to Kaiser Cement in Puerto Rico was comple ted two years. ihent activity, owing to an in program needs a facility separate “We’re even planning to ask ago at a cost of $1.16 million. creasing number of patients seek from the hospital’s psychiatric for federal support so that we PhasesIIandin.whichcoversthestretchfromNavyHilUoGualo . Rai Center in Gualo Rai became passable toa four lane traffic late ing help for drug and “ice” addic ward. could create a separate divi tion. “Mr. Villagomez told me he sion that will deal strictly with continued on page 12 “I have Just met with .people has been asking the government detoxification and rehabilita from CHC and I was told that the to let him use at least three vacant tion of both alcohol and ice drug rehabilitation program is not units at the MIHA housing area users,” he added. getting money other than the sal adjacent to the hospital to house Right now, an average of ary of Joe Villagomez, the one in the chronic patient psychiatric four to eight people drop by charge of the facility. Right now, ward so that that section’s current Villagomez’s office everyday Joe is doing it all by himself. The place at the hospital may be used asking help to get off from the program needs around $500,000 for the drug rehabilitation pro ice habit. to do a decent Job. It will be irre gram. Right now, such request He said more funds are sponsible for us not to support has not been granted. With Just needed to keep up with the such a program,” said Tenorio. one directive, those three units increasing numbers. Tenorio lamented that govern could be available, but they “This is a multi-faceted so ment efforts have seemed to be haven’t been,” said Tenorio. cial issue. For a long time we focused mainly towards drug in “The governor in a recent fo have sought more commit terdiction and enforcement such rum said he is giving the drug ment.; Help has been coming that the need to rehabilitate and problem adequate attention. But from the administration but we Cure drug victims become less of from the looks of it, he’s not sin need more to get things really a priority. cere about addressing the drug going,” said Villagomez. Froilan C. Tenorio Ì olC g M a r ia n a s cV ariety { Micronesia’s Leading Newspaper Since 1972 vol. 22 Mo. 150 Saipan, MP 96950 - ©1993 Marianas Variety Monday ■ October 11,1993 Serving CNMI for 20 Years Guerrero suing public auditor, counsel By Rafael H. Arroyo sued by Commonwealth Utilities he is contemplating a possible “I had been maligned and sure that was enacted prior to the Corp. Executive Director Ramon lawsuit against the public auditor slammed all over. My family has subject invitation. THEOFFlCEof the Public Audi S. Guerrero for a gathering of and his legal counsel Robert A. been subjected to too much em “This office has received a copy tor last Friday dismissed a com CUC employees last September Bisom for allegedly making state barrassment and ridicule so I need of P.L. 8-28, signed into law by plaint filed by Democratic Party 25. ments purporting his invitation to sue to get my credibility back,” Governor Guerrero on Septem Chairman Carlos Camacho in But despite getting cleared of may have been a violation of Pub said Guerrero in a huddle with ber 13. However, for some rea connection with an invitation is any wrongdoing, Guerrero said lic Law 8-11, the Ethics law. reporters Friday. son, we did not receive this from He was specifically referring to the governor until October 1, and a possible lawsuit being readied we were therefore not aware of its by his Guam-based attorney contents until late that day,” said against the public auditor and Bisom. Bisom for the latter’s statements Public Law 8-28 repeals in en aired on television that allegedly tirety, section 8341 (c) and (d) of “found me guilty when the basis P.L. 8-11, which deals with the for the complaint has been re prohibition on public officials pealed already.” from using public office and staff In a letter to Guerrero Friday, in endorsing or assisting a politi- Bisom concluded there was no cal.party or candidate for elective violation committed by Guerrero office, and the solicitation of cam in inviting CUC employees for paign support or assistance to any the gathering due to a repeal mea continued on page Rains blamed for road paving delay CUC Executive Director Ray Guerrero addresses.crowd during inaugural rites for the two new/y refurbished fuel tanks that will hold iuel for CUC Power Plant I.