arianas %riety::~-- 1 . Micronesia's Leading Newspaper Since 1972 · b~,' -'·> ' Marpi cable car project hits snag Conditional FAS By Jojo Dass Variety News Staff m.igration asked PLANS to build a cable car ser­ vice from Suicide Cliff to Banzai By Aldwin R. Fajardo Commonwealth's largest rev­ Cliff in Marpi hit a snag as the· Variety News Staff enue-generating industry--tour­ Board of Public Land (BPL) FACED with a dwindling ism. moved to have it deferred after economy and depleting resources, "When the United States gov­ finding inconsistencies in the the CNMI government should ernment allowed the migration of draft lease agreement. start pressing for the conditional FAS citizens to our islands , I In an interview, Public Lands migration of Freely Associated through the Compact, they were Director Bertha Leon Guerrero States !FAS] citizens to the North­ given the assurance that the local said Saipan Leisure Corp. (SLC), ern Marianas, a Saipan legislator government will have to subsi­ which was requesting the lease, Bertha Leon Guerrero said yesterday. dize their educational and medi­ had earlier agreed to likewise Rep. Manuel A. Tenorio [R­ cal needs," Tenorio said. to BPL showed it is doing away construct a shopping mall and a Pct. I stressed that there is an And he pointed out that the re­ with the planned supplemen­ J coffee shop. immediate need to alleviate the sponsibilities delegated to the tary establishments. However, Guerrero said a burden of the local government, CNMI, Guam and Hawaii by the copy of the supposed final agree­ "They (Board members) de- citing the adverse impacts of the Compact have significantly af­ Manuel A. Tenorio ment that SLC has handed over Coritmued on page 23 Asian economic turmoil to the fected the local governments' ex­ pendinires since they would have ment and they are able to land a to take into consideration the so­ job, we don't have any problems cial, medical and educational with that. But if they come here to needs of FAS citizens. work and they don't, then, obvi- "If they come here for employ- Continu-ed on page 23 Shortfall casts. doubts NMI to meet revenue projections By Aldwin R. Fajardo Variety News Staff REVENUE collections in June suffered a $1.8 million shortfall, casting doubts whether the CNMI will meet the projected revenues for the next fiscal year or not, it was learned yesterday. A progress report submitted by the Department of Finance to the Office ofthe Governor indicated that actual revenues generated as of end-June slide to $170.557 million from the projected $172.422 million. But the report stressed that June has been historically the lowest collection month, as it raises hopes that actual collections in July will increase. During the October 1997-Man:h 1998 period, or the first halfof 1he Gov. PedmP. Tenorio, PSS Commissioner Rita H. !nos and Saipan Mayor Jose C. Sablan get a feel of the fiscal year, the finance departmem collected some $121.2 million in newly-arrived chairs for the students of Marianas High Sc/Joo/. Photo by Haidee v. Eugenio total revenues. The figure is $10 million higher than the government's $111.2 million estimated revenues for the same period. Continued on page 22 By Maxine Hillary for fire-fighters. Reyes that he would take action Variety News Staff Reyes began conducting intro­ against him if he went ahead with NMHC may sell 45 houses HAGATNA-Guarn Sen. Mark ductory classes for 41 recruits at a the plan, reminding him that un­ By Ferdie de la Torre what to do with the housl?s be­ Charfauros, chairman of the leg­ facility in Tiyan, as Chafauros' der Guam law, fire fighters and Variety News Staff cause the NMHC board is still islative subcommittee on public other public safety personnel arc panel is looking into the legality NORTHERN Marianas Housing waiting for the Annex 2 housing safety, has decided to subpoena to be trained at Guam Commu­ of such setup. Corporation Director Marylou to expire as a Section 8 program. Department Chief Gil Reyes to nity College. Reyes was called on to attend Ada said 45 housing units in 'The board is still studying what answer questions about his According to Charfauros' chief the oversight hearing scheduled Lower Miha may likely be sold is the best possible alternative to department's questionable move fo1: August 17. of staff, Rufo Lujan, the senator for residential or commcrc1al de­ dispose of Annex I and 2 which to set up its own training institute Charfauros earlier warned continueffon-page·:20 velopment. have 45 houses," said AJa in an .: ; -. ~ ·- - .: .. ___ :.._:·.::, ~:=·:.:..-:.~:.::·"...: .~:::7_~~~.::~::.·,::·_·:_::.:·~'[ ·.. ::·:=.~·~·:..~·:::;;..'~--.~.~-·<:::.;.~ .. -~::.. ~·::.:::.::..:...~l.._-.-.:..._,.~:-:._.~ ...... ~.,.._:..:_:: ..:::.::. .. ::__ ;;.:.. .. ~:....-: ......:·. ·.. :~~..::__: .. ~--'--··•:..:..:..:: ;;..: ____ ~:·-~1 Ada, however, emphasized !hat interview. there is no definite decision yet on Continued on page 22 13 Kiribati athletes stranded on Guam I:'.: By Brandon N. Ashcraft without their group leader. j ·' Move on to save Talafofo Bay Variety News Staff 1l1eatl1letesrc,tlizcdwhenthey f ."; By Sara Grant from breaking away and possi­ HAGA TN A - Senator Carlotta mTived in Gumn that tl1eir leader, 1·i Variety News Staff bly bring back the black-sand Leon GueITero ww; notified Monday Tebau Awerka was not among /;] TALOFOFO Bay, Guam - beach. by Air Nau111 tl1at a group of atl1letes tl1em. Awerka W,L~c.mying tl1eir t":j Considered before to be one of Last years' storm tore out the were stranded on Guam, after depatt- money mid was the only mem bcr ':_J the best surfing beaches on is­ mud bar that createJ the waves ing tl1c Micronesim1 Games in Palau. of tl1e group who knew when: land, surfside here has lost its in the scenic bay. It also washed­ In Koror, P,tlau, mass confusion tl1ey were supposed to go upon !fl waves due to erosion caused by out the long beach and killed the and a booking mistake at tl1e airport m1ival on Guam. Tired m1d bun- !.I tall coconut trees that bordered caused I3 of 51 Kiribati atl1letesrm1g- g1y, tl1e group notified Air Nautu iJ typhoon Paka. the bay. ing in age from I7 to 35, to be acci- oftici,tls of their situation. ;ii Island officials are cuITently trying to come-up with strate­ Local boogie-boarder Susan Carlotta Leon Guerre~~ dentallyusheredontoaflighttoGuam __ _. ~~~ti~~e~~~, pa~~-~2-=- ~j gies to save the adjacent road Continued on page 22 =====.·.££,ili,,"\~,~~~~rn,~~nr;·:T''~'°f'"':."?.'.'i~-:~~~'t·7·~·;:;;~Y-";: 1";·'J:~:·'·l~··r:,::'i:~~~W2:"'ri';·;TTD1.J1.1~.:.::Z-,J.:iLl.~1Zct.,..1.~hT~~14-;P...;_~,:'.:.!.U Pa.c~ nu_,JS..f~ 5-h_c~ 1r----__ --== WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1998-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-3 To lay groundwork for 902 talks s to 8-year low • TOKYO (AP) - The U.S. dollar ningAgencyonTuesdaydowngraded financial authorities will reveal most Nomaguchi, a strategist at DaiwQ. cent, the day before. rose to an eight-year high against its assessment of the economy in its to be in worse shape than the banks Securities Ltd. The yield on the benchmark No. Sablm1 leaves for D.C. the yen Tuesday as Tokyo stock August report, saying the economy is have admitted. The broader Tokyo Stock Price 182 JO-year Japanese government By Aldwin R. Fajardo or what will be the most sensible gration granted under Section 503[ a] tackleenforcementoffederal laws in prices finished shaq,ly lower on "sluggish." With banks one of the biggest Index of all issues listed on the bond rose to U 95 percent from Variety News Staff issues or items that we need to dis­ of the Covenant and on customs un­ the CNMiby the federal govenunent concerns the government could Among major negative factors components of the Tokyo stock first section fell 20.21 points, or Monday's close of 1.170 percent, WlTI-1 over a month left before the cuss," he stressed. der headnote 3[ a] will likewise be orthrough jointeffortwith theCNML have trouble ;inning passage of undermining the yen Tuesday was market "the cool situation will 1.67 percent, to 1,186.88. It had driving its price down to 111.81 yen formal negotiations start, LL Gov. In his July 31 letter to Sablan, brought up du1ing the talks. TheUSandCNMinegotiatingteams key banking reform bills. continued declines in Japanese stock continue," said Tsuyoshi fallen 18.21 points, or 1.49 per- from 112.00 yen. Jesus R Sablan flies on Thursday to proposed that both CNMI and US The CNMI 902 negotiating panel will meet on Saipan beginning Sep­ At mid-afternoon, the U.S. dol­ prices. Washington DC in efforts to finalize panels draft a statement of objectives has suggested the inclusion of the tember 16 until September 18. lar bought 146.99 yen. up 0.34 The benchmark 225-issue Nikkei with the federal representatives the which will identify goals for each of issue on submerged lands to the dis­ Cohen mentioned that the issue of yen from late Monday and also Stock Average lost 219.43 points, or agenda that will be discussed during the three areas identified-immigra­ cussion but Cohen said it would not non-voting delegate status lies solely above its New York rate of 146.15 1.40 percent, closing at 15,406.99 Obuchi stays focus on reform the Covenant Section 902 talks next tion, minimum wage and transship­ be productive or prudent, citing the on the discretion of the US House of yen overnight. points. On Monday, the average courtpoliticalenemiestowinpassage month. ment law suit filed by the Commonwealth Representatives. "Because the Presi­ ''This sets the direction for a posted its sixth straight decline, drop­ oflegislation Sablan said he will meet with US He is anticipating that issues with for the US District Court to resolve dent already is on record supporting move toward 150.00 yen," said ping 202.75 points, or 1.28 percent , I "We will work toward getting the government's special representative regards to amending the Covenant to ownership and control of the 200- representation for all Americans, I Koichi Kubo, assistant general man­ Concerns among investors that understandingofandCOO]X:rationfrom to the 902 negotiations, Edward take away the Commonwealth's au­ mile Exclusive Economic Zone.