t;: " r UN\Y~RSln' or- HAWAlI UBRh.RY arianas ~riet.r;~ Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 b&1 ~ Mamas on House move·to suspend wage increase By R.fHl H. Arroyo In an interview. Mafnas also voted on its merits. were left with nothing to back V.rlety ,.ws s,." brushed off speculations that the "Honestly, 1find no indication th,em up. VICESPEAKERksus P.Mafnas House's passageofhis bill,House whatsoever that the upcoming "It wasn't my doing that the yesterday defended his proposal Bill 9-.122. was mainly dictated minimum wage is affordable and board was abolished. However, 1• to suspend the next minimum by Republican-backed interest economical to the business sec­ believe that the condition agreed wage increase saying a cautious groups. tor," said Mafnas. in by employers under P.L. 8-21 approachhas tobe taken to ensure Hesaid the Housewas not pres­ "I would have been more com­ was violated. So I think suspend­ businesses could sustain its ef­ sured by anyone in deciding to fortable pursuing this 3D-cent ing the wage hike isinorder so we fects. pass the bill, which he said was wage hike issue if there is a wage can cure that," the vice speaker and salary review board in exist­ said. ence to' tell us that it is okay to During yesterday's interview, proceed. I would have agreed to Mafnas said the profitability of Opposition mounts thenext wagehike," saidMafnas. business in the Commonwealth Under the present minimum has declined over the years such wage law, Public Law 8-21, the that there is a need to exercise versusFilipino ban CNMI local wage is to increase caution on the issue'of minimum move. by 3D-cents a year at the start of Jesus P. Mafnas wage. D'liring an interview at his every year. Such a law also car­ crease. Citing figures from the Capitol Hill office,Benavente ried a provision establishing a But after the governor last Au­ Governor's submissionof thefis­ said the governor's proposal' wage and salary board, which gust abolished the wage board in cal year 1995budget,Mafnassaid runs counter to many of his Mafnassaid,was partofthewhole line with his reorganization plan, businessgrossrevenueshasslided avowed plans on how to bet­ deal about the 3D-cent yearly in- Mafnas said the 3D-cent increases COnti'nuedOn page 2l ter the CNMI economy. "We cannot goout and con­ tinue to say we're working hard to invite developers, to MTC wants ex-worker improve the business climate , " .here and then turnaround and I~~'" say we're going to ban alien to pay back benefits ,',i.,'$.{-}~ '.~....,.,-...lllI .workers. It isgrossly irrespon­ sible and it just isn't right," By Rafael I. Santos $117,029.57 plus 5% interest for firming and ratifying the verbal Diego T. 'Benavente said the speaker. Va'riety News Staff allegedly breaching the Educa­ agreement. SPEAKER of the House of Benavente was visibly irri­ THE MICRONESIANTelecom­ tional Benefit Agreement signed The written agreement was RepreseniativesDiego T. tated at how the governor munications Corporation has by both parties last year. deemedtotakeeffectretroactively Benavente has criticized Gov­ could even think of such a asked the Superior Court to com­ Tenorio, a resident of Saipan to August f5, 1990,said the com­ ernor Froilan C. Tenorio for harsh ideaconsideringitcould pel a former employee to repay but currently staysin Aiea, Ha­ plaint which wasfiledlast month. " his plan to ban Filipino work­ have "unintended circum­ educational benefits extended to waii entered into a verbal agree­ Tenorio was granted an educa­ ers in the Commonwealth say­ .\ stances." He lashed out at the her due to alleged failure to con­ mentoneducational benefits with tional benefit to attend Hawaii ! ing it is grossly irresponsible chief executive for being in- tinue her studies. MTC on August 25, 1990. On Pacific University with an esti­ for him to even suggest such a Continued on page 24 . MTC wants Linda S. Tenorio August 16. 1993, both parties mated graduation dateof May 3D, to return the total amount of signed a written agreement con- 1994 on condition that she work full time upon her graduation. As part of the agreement, MTC wouldprovidefinancial assistance to her by paying her salary from employment in the bi-weekly gross amount of $625.92. The company also agreed to give her $2.7QO per semester for tuition, $200 per semester for books and $1,000 per month foi: housing. Tenorio inreturn wouldtake 12 Continued on page 24 .Weather .Outlook .' ". "I ,..;:,i';~~~ Partly cloudy with Oleai E~ementary School teacher ~ani Morales, second from left, introduces the basics of baking yesterday to these young f/.irls who belong to .isolated light showers. the Junior group of the school's Girl Scouts movement. Dozens of Girl Scouts attended yesterday's day camp inside' Olea; s campus. - Ii "I , ~ i FRIDA Y, DECEMBER 9, 1994 -MARIANAS VARIETYNEWS AND VIEWS-3 2-MARlANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-FRIDAY-DECEMBER 9,·1994 UN plans withdrawal oftroops Senate Minority wants $2.75 wage By ~8f8el H. Arroyo efitofsubstantial Inputfrom van- creases are warranted.· the community is needed in order By SRECKO LATAL:. The decision to withdraw about U.N. operations inthe70percentof have virtually shut down all U.N. woundedWednesday insbellingof Vanety NeVISStaff ous sectors of the community and Such aboard has been abol- todecide whethertherateof$4.25 SARAJEVO,Bosnia- 400ofthe1,200 Bangladeshi peace- Bosniatheycontrol. movementpending assurances from unknownorigin. THE SENATE ~inorit~ .yester- it.~as the consensus that the'pro- ished by Governor Froilan C. is or is not a feasible wage at this Herzegovina (AP) - Its mission keepers in the Bihac region - the A U.N. aid convoy reached the the United Nationsthat there will The Bihac battlefront appeared call~d nearly paralyzed, the United Na- northwestern pocket. where some people.of the eastern enclave of -be no moreNATOairstrikes, stable,withnochangesin thefront day .forthe rmposition of a vlslOn.forthe ratein.creases therein Tenorio in August when he un- time," the group said in its state- $2.75 mirurnum wage as sched- were In the best Interest of the dertook the reorganization of the ment. tions prepared to withdraw hun- ofthemostseverefighting israging Gorazde on Wednesday, and the A British footpatrolin Gorazde, lines, von Merve1dt said. u1e~ C~M~," dreds of stranded peacekeepers - wasthemosttangible evidenceof Serbs gave clearance for an aid southofSarajevo, cameunderSerb But the United Nations said it to take effect next month the statement from the executive branch. They insisted that a $2.75 mini- wa~e from Serb-besieged northwestern the U.N.'s inability to protect and convoy to the Bihac region on fire for the second day in a row would withdraw about 400 sayrn.g such a level sho.ul.d mmonty read. According to theSenate minor- mum wage along with 30-cent u~tIl Bosnia. supply its own forces, much less Thursday. Theyalsoallowed aJor- Wednesday, saidLt.Col.Jan-Dirk Bangladeshi peacekeepersfromthe stay m effect a new rmru- TheSenate.minority,ledby Sen. ity, it cannot in good conscience increases each year demonstrates A group of Bangladeshi peace- civilians who are running out of danian officer with a heart condi-. vonMerveldt,aU.N.spokesmimin area. :U.N. sources said there ap- mum wage law IS enacted for the Thomas P. Villagomez, and com- favorHouseBi1l9-322, especially a reasonable approach and effort posedofSenatorsJesu~R.Sablan, keepers tried to leave a town on food. tion to leave the town of Banja Sarajevo. peared to be no point in keeping CNMI. on the provision to suspend the to establishing a feasible wage Wednesday, but wereturned back The 24,DOO-member U.N. force Luka,afterdelaying a day. A U.N.observation postnearthe peacekeepersin VelikaKladusa,a In a press statement, members Henry DLG. San Nicolas and wage hike although it would like level. ~ftheminorityexpr.e~sed Esteven~. appe~red th~ by Serbforces, U.N. officials said. in Bosnia is mandated to provide But the few concessions did not northeastern government town of town 25 miles (40 kms) north of opposi- King, notso to see wage and salary review During the Trust Territory Ad- ImtIat~d It was notimmediately clear ifthe protectionandescorttohurnanitar-appeartosignalabreakintheSerbs' Tuz1a wasdestroyed bySerbfireon Bihac, which is reportedly on the uon to a move m the happy With the House s passage board reinstated. ministration, the minimum wage attempt was part of the planned ian aid convoys. Early on, it de- new aggressiveness toward the Tuesday, without injuries. Near vergeof fallingtocombinedforces House of Representatives pre- of House Bill 9-322, which defers The minority senators added, was90 centsanhour.In theCNMI, pulloutandwhetherthe Serbs' ac- cidedtodothatwithout usingforce, UnitedNations. Theycontinuedto Mostar, in southwestern Bosnia, of Serbs from Bosnia and from empting the scheduled wage in- the scheduled wage hike from the that they want the $2.75 wage to it went up to $1.75 per hour after crease.. current $2.45 to $2.75 by January take effect during the interim of 1978, to $1.98 in 1983 and to tionforeshadowed troubleforother thus givingSerbsvirtual vetoover hold356peacekeepers hostageand . two Spanish peacekeepers were Croatia. The statement indicated the 1, 1995. reconsidering a new minimum $2.15 in 1984. It was in Decem- pullouts. minority supports a position that House Bill 9-322, authored by wage for the CNMI. Esteven M. King, bel'1993that itgot raisedto$2.45. The U.N.'s deteriorating situa­ wouldjustallowthecurrentwage House Vice Speaker Jesus P. According to the minority, the pressure on the Legislature for a Th~ minority pointed out that tionhasintensified callsfora com­ law, Pu~lic Law 8-21, takes its Mafnas, seeks to also reestablish issue of minimum wage has re- wage equal to the current federal the minimum wage of the USgot plete withdrawal of peacekeepers Noted Micronesia publisher dies course, meaning a 30-cent in- a wage and salary review board eently dominated current head- level of $4.25 an hour.