a^ifveRSìTY o r í í WA íí LIELA ¿ M a ria n a s ^ a rie ty g (® few s Micronesia’s Leading Newspaper Since 1972 Vol. 19 No.78 Saipan, MP 96950 ©1990 Marianas Variety December 14« 1990 Serving CNMf for 19 Years Gou w arns solons to act on budget “T h e Legislature fails to obey the law ...the budget should have been on m y desk before O ctober of this year’- Q ov. L . I. Q uerrero by Ronel B. Concepcion Pedro Guerrero dated December annual budget, which I did in year’s funding and hold back on House Speaker Pedro 13, Gov. GueiTero urged them July, within the timeframeman- any new programs or enhanced Guerrero, upon learning of the Governor Larry I. Guerrero to pass the budget for the Ex­ dated by our Constitution and services for the public.” ^ Continued on page 22 told leaders of the Legislature ecutive Branch of the statutes,” Guerrero said in his that they have failed to obey the government. letter. law by continuously putting on a It said that the “protracted It said that the Legislature has contest over the approval of legislative contest” in passing the final duty to take action on Fiscal Year 1991 budget the budget, resulted in the re­ the proposal not later than 30 The Governor, unless the striction of certain public days before the start of the month budget was acted upon, would services thataffected the people; of October. come up soon with an emergency ending up as losers. It stressed that the Legisla­ measure in putting up a financial “The Legislature fails toobey ture “ignores and delays the plan in meeting the budgetary the law...the budgetshould have law...almost six months after I needs of the people of the CN M I. been on my desk before Octo­ gave them theproposedbudget.” In a letter to Senate President ber of thisyear.. Jt was my lawful Guerrero’s letter further pro­ Joseph Inos and House Speaker duty to submit to you a proposed vides that there should be unity between the legislative and the executive branches, “if the government is to be effective.” CNMI needs a He said in the letter that what is happening now is obviously a “one-way street” provision serving only the needs of the delegate to the Legislature. According to the communi­ cation, a partial appropriations US congress budget that allots funding renovation for the offices in the by Ron·! B. Concepcion Legislature was sent to the Governor’s office for signing Washinton Representative Juan N. Babauta recently met this month. several government officials discussing the issue of having a The letter provides that “while non-voting delegate to the United States Congress for the you enjoy the benefits of build­ Ho! Ho! Ho! You better watch out motorists because Santa benefit of the CNMI. ing improvements to your Governor Larry I. Guerrero, Lt. Gov. Benjamin T. Manglona, quarter...the rest of us are ex­ Claus may be watching you. Do buckle up because the life you Senate President Joseph S. Inos and House Speaker Pedro pected to limp along on last save m ay be your own. Guerrero met with Babauta on Monday and Wednesday. According to Babauta, the purpose of these meetings were to “just have an informal discussion and to share some ideas on the advantages and disadvantages of having a non-voting delegate to the US Congress.” Legislature approves new power plant A delegate to Congress has all the same powers, responsibili­ ties, and rights as a congressman from one of the fifty states, he by Ronel B. Concepcion The approved resolution by guaranted is $20.9 million. said. both Houses will now serve as a 3. If the CUC defaults on any But the difference between a congressman and a delegate is Members of the House, after guarantee, in the case of the payment due, the CNM I gov­ that a delegate may not vote on the floor of the House. bringing up the Senate’s version CNM I government, as required ernment is required to pay only Babauta said that one of the arguments raised during the of the $15 million to $20.9 mil­ by the Japanese law. the amount in default...and not meetings is the issue of affecting the C N M I’s relationship with lion worth of power plant, among This is in order for the the total contractamountat once. the US government under the Covenant. other clarifications, finally ap­ contractor,Mitsubishi Corp., to According to thecontract with He said that those who are cautious and against it, “feel that proved the joint resolution finance the plant through a low Mitsubishi, an amount of $5.9M to have one is to undermine or demean the relationship under the authorizing the CNM I govern­ interest loan to the CUC. will be paid during the 18 month Covenant.” ment to pay for ‘power plant The resolution also paved the construction period. He reiterated that it is that issue of self-government that a lot phase II’ in case the CUC de­ way for the Japanese government Then, commencing six months of people have different interpretations on what it is...”and it is faults. to issue an export license to after the completion of the that that makes the differentiation between those who support The approval of the power Mitsubishi for the shipping of project, the payment of the re­ the issue. plant expansion is just in time to the engines generators to the maining $ 15 million will be made Having a non-voting delegate is “going to strengthen the save the day since Thursday’s Commonwealth. in monthly installments of ap­ relationship as opposed to weakeaning it,” he said. House session was the final one A letter from Mitsubishi proximately $200,000 over a Babauta mentioned that the Congressional body in the US scheduled for the year. Manager Keiichi Sakaue to CUC period of seven years. makes laws in'the nation...which legislation inevitably affects It took the Legislature more Executive DirectorRay Guerrero CUC’s Guerrero, in earlier the Commonwealth. than three months to address the was also provided to the Legis­ statements to the Legislature, He cited that for the Congressional body to continue creating resolution, which was introduced lature confirming the following: said that it will meet its payment and implementing laws withoutanybody representing the CNM I by Senate President Joseph Inos 1. The contract amount is fixed obligations, and one is by refer­ in the congress...’’is something that we have to seriously look on August 23. at YEN 2,100,000,000 plus ring to their forecasted income at.” The Senate passed resolution US$5.9 M, converted from statement for fiscal year 1991- He said that the present resident representative can not do that 7-9 on November 21 after a se­ US$20.9 M with an exchange 95. and that a delegate can introduce legislation and can offer ries of public hearings conducted rate of: YEN 140 to the dollar. The committe and the task by the special Senate oversight Continued on pag· 43 2. The amount required by the force created to look into the committee. Japanese government to be Continued on page 42 f k o . FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14,1990-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-3 2-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-FRIDAY-DECEMBER 14,1990 A Meeting Place For Our BOE adopts school relocation to As IVIatuis area Opinions. And Yours by Teri M. Flores “I know it would be hard for community. recognized the need for the questing $2.2 million from the the children, including their par­ “The Board must consider the Kagman school however, the government," Babauta said. Plans for the relocation of the ents, to be bused to the school fact that trend in terms of where members were also concerned The GTCamacho school is Gregorio T. Camacho Elemen­ every morning but, they must the pupils are residing now ap­ with the commitment made by situated on land which is cur­ a fate any worse than what might very people in your community. tary School to the As Matuis understand that the As Matuis pears to be at Capitol Hill and the PSS regarding the relocation rently under dispute. A recent be expected by any other con­ It is highly regrettable that the area is now underway as the Kagman. We are also aware that survey of the Lands and Sur­ victed child molester anywhere net result of your work was to­ Board of Education finally de­ the Kagman area has also been veying section of the Department in the American Prison System.” tally baseless and far from what cided Tuesday to push through designated to have another sev­ of Natural Resources reveal that Considering the severity of the I call responsible reporting. In with the project. eral hundred village homestead the GTCamacho school is much crime, Charlie Oden and others fact it is the lowest form of yel­ Chairman of the Board John lots. This makes it a reason why more smaller than it originally found guilty of molesting chil­ low journalism I have come Babauta said Wednesday that the Board should immediately was, Babauta said. homework, he would have found dren deserve no less than 30 across in all my years as a novice It is very unfair that mainland mercy and trust upon an inno­ although the Board had decided address the establishment of a He said that since no space out that the first people who years in prison.