- --------------- arianas %riety~.~v11e-:ir;JJ}, Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 bW Teno to attend SPG, will cheer faces m.ost serious for NMI teams By Aldwin R. Fajardo Variety News Staff GOVERNOR Pedro P. Tenorio is urging the CNMI . threat of 'US takeover' athletes to show a spirit of . camaraderie and • By laldy Dandan over its immigration and mini­ sportsmanship in this year's . Variety News Staff mum wage policies has never been : SouthPacificGamesinGuam. US HOUSE Resources Chair Don as "imperiled" as it is now. Tenorio is leaving for Guam Young (R-Alaska), apparently "We are witnessing the most on Saturday to attend SPG's "feeling the· heat" from the serious attempt to take away opening ceremonies and offer intensified negative publicity control from us," he said. moral support for the CNMI's about the alleged sweatshop Babauta added that even ifnone 200-man delegation to the conditions in local garment of the "federal takeover" bills are region's most prestigious factories, is now considering a enacted into law, their games. public hearing on the CNMI's introduction is already affecting Tenorio said the Northern . labor and immigration policies, h the local business climate. Marianas and its people are . was learned yesterday. "This climate of uncertainty is • proudoftheCommonwealth's · Resident Rep. Juan N. Babauta not helping our economy, which · fine delegation to SPG, as he said Young, who just recently is already in a slump," he said. urged them to focus at reiterated his opposition against Like the rest of the CNMI's achieving their goals and be : "federal takeover" legislation, is Don Young Juan N. Babauta highest elected officials, Babauta the best CNMI ambassadors likely to schedule the hearing said he remains opposed to any that they can. billion class action lawsuits before the end of the year. In the ing on the CNMI this summer. proposal that would impose fed­ He said the athletes will not US Senate, Energy and Natural Noting the numberofbipartisan against the local garment indus­ eral immigration and minimum only compete in their Resources Committee Chair "federal takeover" bills filed in try, and the series of "negative" wage laws here. respective field of sports but Frank H. Murkowski (R-Alaska) this Congress, as well as the reports in the national media, He warned, however, against Continued on page 37 has already slated a public hear- clamor for public hearings, the $1 Babauta said the CNMI's control Continued on page 37 . ··- .. , -,.----- -,·,.. ·,-·--· --.---· . ·- . ·- -·--·--··- .~. ·--···--· -- Gov't building up funds for rebates NMI must join Guam in By Aldwin R. Fajardo year's refunds without saying "We are working on it. We Variety News Staff exactly how much. H~ only as­ have already reserved some suit to see lower prices WITH STILL over five months sured. CNMI taxpayers that all money in order to distribute the By laldy Dandan to go before the October dead­ rebates will be released by Octo­ rebates. It is not due until Octo­ Variety News Staff line, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio dis­ ber but we assure the public that i: THE HOUSE Committees on ber. 1· closed the government has al­ The governor sa,id the Depart- · we have some funding set aside :! Federal and Fore~gn Relations 1 ready started building up t~e ment:.of Finance 'has -been in­ for it," he said. and Labor and Immigration trust fund for the payment of tax structed to build up the reserve Tenorio said the government 1 yesterday approved, with rebates for the 1998-1999 tax funds for rebates covering last is starting to rebuild the special amendments, a draft joint report year. year's tax time, as well as monitor rebate trust fund which had de­ ! , endorsing the passage of a bill Tenorio said some funds have government expenditures and rev­ pleted to zero-level when his that would impose residency already been set aside for this enues. Continued on page 36 and immigration restrictions on Freely Associated States citizens. Federal and Foreign Relations Committee Chair Melvin 0. Faisao (R-Prec. 3, Melvin o. Faisao )i Saipan) said the bill, H.B. 1 I - [! 294, was also amended to are still supporting the ;' i:; exempt disabled and minor FAS legislation's passage. H citizens from the proposed Faisao said the Office of ; . \: restrictions. Palau President, Rota Mayor · ii Faisao said the final report Benjamin T. Manglona and the i will be out next week. Micronesian Legal Services · i."i: In an earlier interview, Faisao Corp. (MLSC) raised valid con- . ••. 1 admitted that the arguments cems against H.B. 11-294 that 1 l: raised against the bill were the committees will address. 1_. "almostconvincing,"butadded Faisao said he was particu- 1: thatmembersofthecommittee Continued on page 37 :. l-. ----·· ·,,...-·,···,;·-···'°·"'··,·-··, .-•c-•c·.···:,cs -.-·.·,·.· =···--.··~··-· .. :··_.-···-··- ·=·-.,-... - Palau.fishing ~iant faces suit ' By Malou L. Sayson since June I, I 998. For the Variety Locally-based Koniyoshi Fish- KOROR (Palau Horizon) - . ing Company, owned by Masanori One of the three top players in Koniyoshi, a naturalized citizen Palau's fishing industry has been of Palau, is a defendant in the civil named in a case filed by the Of­ case filed with the Supreme Court. fice of the Special Prosecutor for The complaint was filed by allegedly operating at least 29 Special Prosecutor Michael foreign fishing vessels in the Rosenthal last May I 3 alleging Miss Botswana Mpule ~we/agobe (right) reacts [!fte_rwinning the Mis_s Univ_e_rse, Page~'!t at the _Universe Center country's exclusive economic that 29 foreign fishing vessels in Chaguaramas, Trinidad Wednesday. At left ,s f,rst runner-up Miss Ph1hppmes Mmam Qwambao. AP zone (EEZ) without valid permits Continued on page 37 '._., .. 2-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-FRIDAY- MAY 28, 1999 FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1999 -MARIANAS VARIE1Y NEWS AND VIEWs-3 In the Philippines According to ex-lt. gov.: Thousands protest as VFA undergoes vote Takeover m.ay By JIM GOMEZ canisters. spt1r suits MANILA, Philippines (AP)­ Anti-VF A protests were By Zaldy Damian by the enactment of"federal take­ "undignified ... especially when we and its guarantee of full self-gov­ As thousands demonstrated out­ planned in other cities nation­ Variety News Slaff over" legislation. have previously tackled ... the ernment to the CNMI. side, the Philippine Senate be­ wide. FORMER lieutenant governor He added, however, that if Con­ problem of dependency on the Tenorio was a member of the gan voting Thursday on an ac­ In recent weeks, protests have Pedro A. Tenorio warns that the gress can recommend alternative federal government." Marianas Political Status Com­ cord that would allow U.S. been held almost daily at the extension of federal immigration investments for the CNMI to re­ Tenorio said the more practical mission whose negotiations with troops to resume large-scale war Senate· and the U.S. Embassy. and minimum wage laws to the place its garment industry, pref­ solution to federal concerns re­ Washington,D.C. led to the draft­ exercises in the former Ameri­ Estrada said a strong military islands may result in the local erably orie that will not require a garding local labor and immigra­ ing of the Covenant that made the can colony. alliance with the United States private sector's filing oflawsuits large workforce, "we would like tion policies is for Congress to islands part of the US. President Joseph Estrada said would help bolster Philippine against the CNMI government. to know about them." "help [the CNMI] correct [its] ~he approval of the Visiting security and help its economic Tenorio urged Akaka to treat Tenorio, in a six-page letter to Tenorio said if there is no such problems ... [by] providing more the CNMI with compassion and Forces Agreement appeared "in recovery by improving trade ties US Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D- recommendation and if Congress federal manpower" to train local give the commonwealth leaders · the bag" after a majority of the with Washington. Hawaii), said any sudden change will still decide to pass "federal enforcement officers, and by as­ the chance to correct his concerns. senators gave their initial ap­ Under the VFA, the United in the CNMI's manpower and takeover" legislation, the CNMI sisting the islands get more in­ Akaka and US Sen. Frank H. proval on Tuesday. States would generally have le­ business investment practices will may have to again "beg" Wash­ vestments. Murkowski (R-Alaska), who The accord, signed by Philip­ gal jurisdiction over U.S. sol­ only expose the commonwealth ington, D.C. for "handouts." Tenorio maintained that the chairs the Senate committee that pine and U.S. officials last year, diers who commit crimes while to "massive litigation" from com­ However, he added, the CNMI CNMI should always be treated federal laws. has jurisdiction over the islands, on duty in the Philippines. The would allow the United States Host Jack Wagner announces the five finalists remaining in the Miss Universe Pageant in Chaguaramas, Port panies that will be left bankrupt refuses to beg, and considers it "differently" in the application of He said the US will be commit­ recently introduced legislation to resume major ship visits and Philippines would have juris­ of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Wednesday. From left are Miss South Africa Sonia Raciti, Miss Botswana ting an "act of bad faith" if the that could lead to the scrapping of large-scale joint military exer­ diction over those who commit Mpule Kwelaflobe, Miss Pht1ippines Miriam Quiambao, Miss Spain Diana Nogueira and Miss Venezuela Carolina lndnago. AP federal government ignores its CNMI's control over its immi­ cises in the Philippines which crimes while off duty. 1976 Covenant with the islands gration policies. were suspended in I 996.