UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII LIBRARY L.- arianas %riety;;~ Micronesia's Leading Newspape.r Since 1972 '&1 fV\IS $27M gov't debt starts to . impact health care--DPH: By Haidee V. Eugenio Variety News Staff THE GOVERNMENT, through its health insurance plan, owes the Department of Public Health some $27 million for health ser­ vices provided during the last four to five years, it was learned. Health Sec. Joseph Kevin !,, I Villagomez, at the same time, ' I warned that the cumulative debt is starting to take its toll on the department's operations, espe­ Joseph Kevin Villagomez cially the Commonwealth Health Center's delivery of ser­ For fiscal year 1998 alone, vices. government agencies and de­ "The total amount of money partments owe DPH some $10 that is owed us by the govern­ million for health insurance. ment through unpaid health in­ Villagomez said CHC con­ surance premium is over $27 tinues to see patients regardless Japanese students perform a local dance during a cultural exchange program held at Garapan Elementary million and it is way back in of whether they have private or School yesterday. They were part of a group of 599 students who arrived for a goodwill visit and tour. 1993," he disclosed yesterday. Photo by Louie C. Alonso Continued on page 23 Bruneman: 'I . · I hopes to attract didn't kill her' By Eric F. Say Variety News Staff HAGATNA - ··1 did not kill D' Anna Olley," Beau Bruneman told the jury yesterday when his retirees from Japan lawyer Paul Vernier called him to By Zaldy Dandan ideal place for them to retire­ mum impact on our infrastruc­ the witness stand. Variety News Staff the US flag flies here, the ture, they could even share their Bruneman said he had been SENATOR Juan P. Tenorio (R­ weather's nice, and we 're near talent and experience with the waiting in jail for 34 months to Saipan) yesterday said a bi II he Japan," he said. community." tell his story. introduced, which now heads to Tenorio added that having He added, "The more I look The charges against Bruneman the Office of the Governor, Japanese retirees here could into the possible ripple effects stemmed from the death of the could make the CNMI a "retire­ have a "ripple effect" on tour­ the more gung-ho I feel about four-year-old D' Anna whose ment haven," particularly for ism. this piece of legislation." body was found in a trash can in Japanese nationals. "These are parents whose chil­ Tenorio, who chairs the Sen­ February 1996. She · was raped Tenorio said Senate Bill 11- dren are mostly professionals, ate Committee on Resources, and killed at her home at Marianas 82 was drafted in an effort to and they could be expected to Development and Programs, Terrace in Yigo. Bruneman said that on the attract more of Japan's senior visit from time to time, perhaps said he got the idea for the bill morning of Feb. 15, 1996, he de­ citizens-whose average sav­ with their own children," he from former Marianas Visitors cided not to go to work and went ings amount to $700,000-to said. Bureau board chair JM Guerrero Juan P. Tenorio to David Wakeland's house in settle down here. Further, the Japanese retirees and other businessmen from the Perez Acres in Yigo and began "Japan has a lot of senior citi­ "targeted" by S.B. 11-82 are said. tourism industry. zens and the CNMI could be an professionals themselves, he "Not only do they pose mini- c·ontmuea_o_n_p_a_g_e-2'3 Contmuea on page 23 ........ __ ·.·::~ '·:·~ ___ :·.•·,:· ~ ,,:-,,, :,~ ·. ~ . - ···-~·.:.:.__'.- ··., -:~.-~. -·~ . ___ :,,--~:·· -· C>::-r::-r~ .. : ·..• d+' .· .... _:: ,'.t: ; - '·- - ___ .......... _·, __ - :: '· ---~·-.-~:~-:-=-=-·-~=,~~-----~-'""'.::-_-- Villanueva sees better i!II Recurring fires at Ordot irk mayo/ days as yen strengthens h By Tanya M. C. Mendiola San Miguel said the number to continue to rise if the fire 1J Variety New Staff of evacuated families has risen worsens. An estimated total recent strengthening of the yen i! HAGATNA - Ordot- tollandheexpectsthenumber Continuedonpage23 just made it about 20 percent Chalan Pago Mayor Rosanna cheaper for Japanese nationals San Miguel is upset measures to visit the islands, according to weren't taken to prevent an­ Commerce Secretary Frank B. other fire at the Ordot Land- Villanueva. fill that has been burning At the same time, Villanueva, since Christmas Day last in an interview downplayed week. calls by some economists for The cause of the fire, which the CNMI to diversify to other started in a tire pile, is still industries, stressing that tour­ unknown, according to Guam ism "is and will remainCNMI 's rire Department spok~sper- strength." /::J son Andy Arceo. "Our turnaround in the short Later that evening, it was Frank B. Villanueva term depends· primarily on the· reported that embers from the By Jojo Dass situation in Asia, especially Ja­ tire pi le ignited a week's Variety News Staff pan," said Villanueva. He added worth of trash collection and Fire at Ordot landfill forms a grotesque swirl of flames and smoke. THE CNMI's economic recov­ there are indications the Japa- spread around. The blaze had torched the entire section of discarded tires and was ery may well be underway as the Continued on page 23 then moving toward the house at left. Photo by PJ Borja PAC NEWSPAPER STACK 2-M:\RlANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-TUESDAY- DECEMBER 29. 1998 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29. 1998-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VJEWS-3 US Senators say: yes: '99 will be better Clinton trial 'inevitable' By Zaldy Dandan referring to a bi II filed by House marked for CIP only and we can't dors," he said. Vari!ity News Staff Minority Leader Dino M. Jones's use it for other purposes." By Nancy Waitz of perjury and obstrnction of jus­ He credits the governor's me­ CITING the expected increase in (D-Prec. 4, Saipan). He added, "To make money, WASHINGTON (Reuters) - tice. ticulousness and austerity mea­ tourist arrival rate and the beoin- Jones said the suspension of we've to spend money." Leading Republicans and Demo­ Senators said on Sunday that if . b sures for preventing deficit spend­ nmg of construction activities for any ongoing construction activ­ Reyes said 1998 was perhaps the cr.Hs said on Sunday President Bill there were not enough votes to ing, and for allowing the govern­ capital infrastructure projects, the ity could save the government Climon was sure to face an im­ convict Clinton, then they should worst year for the CNMI ment to pay its obligations de­ chair of the House Ways and more money, which could be used peachment tJial in the Senate over move on to draft a censure resolu­ economy. spite a 20 to 30 percent reduction Means Committee yesterday ex­ to prevent lay-offs in the govern­ .. I don't recall any time in the in revenues. the 1'.tonica Lewinsky scandal but tion. pressed optimism that 1999 would "If we cannot convict...we're ment. past when we had to wmry about "We 'vc to have the resources was unlikely to be removed from be a better year for the economy. going to have to do the next best But Reyes said most construc­ the possibility of pay less paydays first before we could spend, and office. Rep. Karl T. Reyes (R-Prec. 1, thing which is to point out to the tion projects are federally funded. and nonpayment of the that's what the administration is Senators frorn both patties said Saipan), in an interview, said the American people how really bad "That means the money is ear- government's suppliers and ven- doing," Reyes said. in tcb·ision talks shows that th<! trend in tourist mTivals for the (Clinton's) actions were," Senator procc,s. due to start early in Janu­ next three months favors the Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, :try. should be dealt with as 4uickly CNMJ, which is an opinion, he Karl T. Reyes as possible and was most likely to said on the CBS programme "Face added, sharc;d by Japanese inves­ At the same time, the construc­ Rota delegation okays increase end in a tough censure resolution the Nation." tors. tion for several multi-million CIP against the president. "We're going to have to do the "They expect more Japanese projects will lead to an infusion of .. I think it's fairto say on a bip:u·­ very best we can to Jet the world Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (O­ in island's poker machine fees tourists coming in, and that's what new money into the economy, tisan basis. the v01cs to<lav aren't know that this president has sullied N. Y.) holds a copy of the U.S. By Zaldy Dandan Constitution during the taping of the forecast they got from their Reyes said. thct·e for impeachment per se," the office, that he has not done Meet The Press Sunday as he main offices in Japan." "That's why I agree with Gov. Variety News Staff Senate Minoritv Leader Thomas what's right, that literally he has ROTA'S legis.lative deleoa­ talks about the possible Senate He said the first three months Pedro P. Tenorio when he said Daschle said ~n the NBC news brought ~mbarrassment to the na­ trial of President Clinton. AP will serve as an "anchor" for the tion has pass~d a local bill that programme '"Meet TI1e Press." tion," said Hatch, the Senate Judi­ that we should not postpone any economy next year. government constrnction project," would impose a $2,000 annual .