- I I ,1 Wage hike delay looms By Rafael H. Arroyo House Bill 9-493 into law after postponing the wage hike might year 2000. Variety News Staff receiving new information from cause a dent in the government's But acting on a request of the THE BILL seeking to delay the his staff. income tax base. Wage and Salary Review Board, upcoming minimum wage in­ Earlier, the governor sald he Yesterday, he indicated a the Legislature passed H.B. 9- crease may yet get Gov. Froilan may possibly veto the bill owing change of heart on the matter after 493 to reset the effectivity date of C. Tenorio's approval, this was to concerns about its possible he had his advisers review the the next hike to July 1st. learned yesterday. impact on the government's rev­ legislation's possible impact. The postponement was to give In a press statement, Tenorio enue collections. "The more information I re­ the Board ample time to come up said he is now inclined to sign A major consideration was that ceive from my staff, the more it with a more justifiable recom­ looks like I will have to sign the mendation, one backed with suf­ bill into law," said the governor. ficient infonnation from the mid­ Tenorio brother given "At this time, it looks more like I decade census. will approve the bill rather than In an earlier statement, Board vetoing it, as I thought I would Chairman Joaquin S. Torres said .design contract anew earlier." the board needs to wait for census According to the chief execu­ By Rafael H. Arroyo Sec. Edward M. DL. Guerrero, Froilan C. Tenorio data to be able to make a more tive, there was information he informed decision on the wage Variety News Staff the contract was given to JCTA didn't have at the time when he take effect this coming January A F1RM owned by a brother of just over two weeks before the issue. said he was going to veto it. 1st.from thecurrent$2.75 to$3.05 deadline. He added that such informa­ Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio has cor­ H.B. 9-493, which is currently per hour. He said the design contract tion would be vital in deter­ nered' yet another design con­ on the governor's desk for signa­ The increase was pursuant to was awarded through an emer­ mining whether the increases tractfor a construction job at the ture, seeks to defer by six months PublicLawS-21, which provides Pueno Rico Dump area, this gency procurement scheme au­ under the wage law could be the implementation of the next for a yearly increase up to the was learned. thorized by both the Depart­ absorbed by the Common­ 30-cent wage hike scheduled to $4.25 federal wage level by the But the Department of Public ment of Public Works and the wealth economy. Works quickly came up brush­ Procurement and Supply Divi- ing off any insinuations of fa­ sion. voritism or impropriety about Although the award was not ?oliticians disclose poll spending the contract award. preceded by the usuai bidding Manglona, Torres, Morgen top spenders Juan C. Tenorio and Associ­ procedures, Guerrero defended Mar-Vic Munar pected to have spent more be­ ates was given the $142,000 the deal saying the arrangement By C. Variety News Staff cause they went on island-wide contract early this month to do was necessary due to the urgent plans for the fencing and slope need for the plan and on the SENATOR Paul Manglona is the campaigns. However, there were candidates stabilization work necessary belief that JCTA was ·uniquely biggest election spender, disburs­ for the lower house who spent as prior to the actuai closure of the qualified to do the job. ing a total of $35,000 during the Nov. 4 elections. much as or even more than some dump. He brushed off any insinua­ The des.ign, which is required tions that the decision was based David Rios spent the least at senatorial candidates did. Congressman-elect Rosiky by the US Environmental Pro­ on the contractor's connections. only $40. .tection Agency, was finished Earlier, another firm con­ Senator-elect Juan P. Tenorio Camacho spent $26,921, while . and the plans were promptly nected to Juan C. Tenorio.­ ~t received the biggest monetary senatorial candidate Juan su brnitted to the EPA before the Commonwealth Architects and ',_:;;;/~..;/.,~, contribution in the amount of De ma pan's expenditure regis­ $30,005. He spent $28,557. tered at $22,756 while reelected Dec. 15 deadline. Engineers - was given a con- J' According to Public Works Continued on page 8 These figures were gathered Sen. David Cing spent $14,037. Paul Manglona from campaign contribution and In-kind contributions include expenditure reports submitted by foods, cans of beer and soda, leaf­ the candidates to the Board of lets and streamers, and free use of Elections. room facilities. The next biggest spender, Big business establishments records showed, was candidate were among the candidates' big­ for House of Representatives Jack gest bankrollers, records showed. Torres with a total election ex­ Of72 official candidates, only penditure of $34,140. 40 beat the Dec. 24 deadline for Tailing Torres was David submission of financial statements Apatang, who spent $30,381; fol­ to the Board of Elections lowed by Luis Crisostomo, Under the law, candidates are $30,221. Continued on page 8 The candidates' expenditures covered food, television, radio, and newspaper campaign, post­ ers, streamers and other printed Weather ,.. materials, rent of room facilities, I and various equipment and dona­ Outlook tions to constituents. Big expenditures did not assure victory for the candidates. Torres, the second biggest spender, for instance, did not make it. On the other hand, some candi­ dates who did not spend much made a good showing during the elections. Re-elected Rep. Malua Peter, for example, spent only Mostly cloudy $6,777 and Rep. Pete Reyes, with Isolated showers Lt. Gov.. Jesus C. Borja smiles as he welcomes visiting royalty, Princess Ashi Ke sang Wangmo Wangchuck $10,730. of the Kmgdom of Bhu~an. The princess, who is on a private trip to Saipan, paid a courtesy call on Borja and Senatorial candidates were ex- Gov. Froi/an C. Tenono yesterday. (PIO Photo) PAC NE:VvSPA.Pfr:, c:;· /\ •h V' 1-,C!(S 2-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-THURSDAY- DECEMBER 28, 1995 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1995 -MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-3 Clinton to visit PIA closes door to further talks By Rick Alberto and communications, last Dec. was in response to the senator's Variety News Staff 20, Stowell said that "frankly, concern about the reported termi­ Japan i1;?-_~=!!!~ nation of operations by the PIA to ~ THE Pacific Island Aviation we are not interested in Mr. two are expected to L"SUC a statement I has closed the door to further Shod a' s evaluation of our Rota and Tinian next February. realfmning theimporumceof the U.S.- F talks with Commonwealth financials." Villagomez urged the CPA and Japan security alfumcc. I Ports Authority officials, In his letter to Shoda, the PIA to continue negotiations That alliance has been under stress i claiming the CPA is unable to Stowell said looking into how until the issue of facility charges is since September, when three U.S. ser- I i find a way to rely less on the the CPA uses the proceeds resolved. vicemen allegedly raped a schoolgirl r_ '1· "onerous" passenger facility from the PFCs would allow Villagomez said that it was more on Okinawa, the southern island where charges to fund its operations. "other knowledgeable persons cost-effective for the PIA to con­ about two-thirds of the 47,CXXl U.S. , In a letter to CPA Executive to participate in the process of tinue its services than to invite a troops in Japan are oosed. i . Director Carlos A. Shoda managing the facilities." .. /. new airline . Clinton planned to visit Osaka, !j \ hoo dated Dec. 14, Jim Stowell, The PIA claims the S4.45 Villagomez offered his Japan, in November to attend the an- I \ (s; i PIA's chief operating officer, charge being levied per pas­ committee's assistance to both nual swnmit meeting of the Asia-Pa- Li 'I said that while he appreciated senger leaving Tinian and parties "in any appropriate cific Economic Cooperation forum. ii 1,as,......... ...., ... "" ,,..,.,..._ Rota is exorbitant. way." That trip was also to have included a I ' the time spent by Shoda and Thomas Villagomez meeting with Murayama in Tokyd. · ' i f CPA airport facilities commit­ In comparison the facility The PIA has proposed the re­ But the president was foiced lO can­ tee chair George A. Sablan in currently being collected to charge in Saipan is $2.85 and in his letter. duction of the PFCs by 50 percent, Bill Clinton cel his trip due to the budget barrle in discussing PIA 's concerns in effectively operate th') $1.33 in Guam. In his letter to Villagomez, but the CPA has not acted favor­ Washington with congressional Re­ a meeting two days before, CNMI's ports." Stowell said in his letter to Stowell asked for a compromise ably on the suggestion. TOKIO (AP) - President Clinton's publicans. Vice President Al Gore at­ "we at Pacific Island Aviation The financial statement Shoda that in the "absence" of from the CPA to resolve the issue. Before the elections last Nov. trip to Japan, which was !XJS!pOflcd at tended the APEC summit in Clinton's are disappointed ... that the would have been evaluated by Shoda's and Sablan's "ability to "We at Pacific Island Aviation 4, the PIA threatened to sus­ the last minute in November, will take plxe.