r:c ",, .,.,. 'i 1 r·· 1,.,, ,-,, '' • ;·.: ·- dRf,.RY •e~~~~!• a~~'!.s!~~s~yariety~ 'I ') Marshalls mourn I By Giff Johnson President succumbs to heart, kidney complications In Ilawaii Marshalls has diplomatic ties For the Variety alerting them of the death of the MAJURO -Flags in the Marshall Queen's Hospital officials in remain calm, firm and united, Queen's Hospital in Honolulu." president. Islands were lowered to half mast Honolulu declined to provide de­ "however painful and profound The nation is grieving with the President's office staff indicated Saturday as news of President tails and family members were our distress." family of Kabua, who have been that a committee of both family Amata Kabua' s death reached the not available for comment. Lemari's short statement was at his bedside in Honolulu for the members and government offi­ nation. Acting President Kunio Lemari laden with grief, saying that"our past five weeks, Lemari said in cials had been quickly formed The President reportedly died issued a statement to the nation, hearts are at an utter loss ·as we the nationally broadcast message. and was meeting to prepare plans of complications related to heart broadcast on the government ra­ info1m the people of the Marshall Ministry of Foreign Affairs · · for a state funeral next week. and kidney problems that resulted dio station V7 AB at I :30 p.m. Islands and all our friends through­ officials began issuing this morn­ Kabua's body is expected to in his medical -evacuation from Saturday, announcing the pass­ out the world that our beloved ing diplomatic notes to heads of return home to the Marshalls by the Marshalls to Honolulu last ing of Kabua and calling on the leader AmataKabuadiedat 10:45 state in the region and to the more middle of this week, but arrange­ ·/ November 12. people of the Marshall islands to p.m. Friday (December 20) at than 60 countries with which the Continued on page 26 1 tfB!IJf tl.::.·;'i)iu.l? JM,J;r VariefyNews Staff . < DFWi'> THE fish densities in 10 of 20 . Itsobjecfrvewas to compare selected habitats in the Saipan the current fish population with Lagoon have decreased over that reported in a January 1979 an 18~yearperiod,areportsub- . survey. ·.·• .. · : Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio with some of the William S. Reyes Elementary School students who visited him for ;,rnitt~q tq~~rR.o~s~~~ R.~~<>~~~ ·.. :,: i~ont111u.~ _c:n~: ~si Christmas caroling Thursday at the governor's residence. PhotocourtesyoftheGovernor'sPIPO. Indonesian seamen )ump ship' · Thai firm ready to 'seize' Hillblom's ··Vietnam assets onto Tinian; DOLI after them By Ferdie de la Torre Ng said P.T.C. had requested Variety News Staff to pay $100,000 in monthly in­ Indonesian seamen who report­ By ~ojo Dass A THAILAND-based construc­ stallments, but such a request edly jumped ship and have taken Variety News Staff tion firm is likely to seize some was reportedly denied. LABOR and Immigration opera­ refuge on Tinian. of the late mil'lionaire Larry Ng, who had just arrived from Thomas 0. Sablan, Secretary tives are now closing in on nine Hillbiom's assets in Vietnam. Vietnam, claimed that the court of the Department of Labor and Tony C. P. Ng, managing di­ last October seized P.T.C. 's Immigration said a team of DO LI rectorfor Bangplee Golf Course $250,000 account, and agents have been sent over the Construction Co., Ltd., told the $243,000 of that amount was weekend to form a dragnet on Variety a Vietnam court would . paid to Bangplee. Tinian and arrest the foreigners. order the seizure if Hillblom's "We demanded for a balance He refused to give further de­ company fails to pay losses in­ ($805,740), but until now we tails on the ongoing operation for curred by their firm. received no payment," said the fear of jeopardizing it. Ng said the court gave managing director. "The operation is part of our · Hillblom's Golf Course Co., According to Ng, he along relentless campaign against ille­ Ltd. and Phan Thiet Club with a Vietnam judge, their gal aliens," he said in a phone Thomas Sablan 0. (P.T.C.) a IO-day notice from lawyer Phan Trung Hoai and i interview yesterday. Dec. 16 to settle its "damages" ·other members of the "official , I The seamen were reportedly on dents in the past, the sources said. receiver," recently went to the "The CNMI' s terrain 'is very to Bangplee. board a cargo ship dropping its The Appeals Court in Ho Chi project site and took photo­ favorable to 'jump ships.' Sea­ load in the CNMI last week. Minh City thrice rejected an graphs and records of the .as­ men were even reported to have DOLi sources ·said the vessel's appeal of P.T.C. ordering the sets. used life rafts to land on Rota or captain, whom they failed to iden­ company to pay $1,048,740 in If P.T.C. fails to pay by the Tinian where the population is tify, reported the incident. · contract loss to Bangplee. Co_ntinued on page 31 There have been similar inci- Continued on page 31 -~ • " I ' . I I 1 I • ' ' ' '. I •, • I • ' , t, I , ~ t -, ,- I / MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1996-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-3 2-MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-MONDAY- DECEMBER 23, 1996 Gingrich admits misconduct Dl,Nlt seeks USDA help By LARRY MARGASAK WASIIlNGTON (AP)- In a stun­ Speaker confesses but bargains ori punishment Sabla~ steps up bid to get meat export ban li-fted ported to Guam from the ning confession after two years of CNMI "but only on a limited· denials, Speaker Newt Gingrich could fall from that perch just as his job. While the speaker's de­ ing statement that "I, Newt THE DEPARTMENT of CNMI meat products. He said he suspects the re­ Lands and Natural Resources scale." admitted violating House ethics fast if the chamber votes instead to fense team bargained for him se­ Gingrich, admit" to wrongdoing. Guam authorities have im­ striction was meant to cut the has asked the US agriculture The ban used to cover all rules. Republican sources said censure him. The punishment is cretly with the House ethics com­ He acknowledged his failure to posed the ban a few months CNMI off the Guam meat mar­ /,' CNMI meat products, includ­ I' reserved for serious offenses, and mittee, the Republican hierarchy department to assist the Com­ back after it was found out ; _I Gingrich was bargaining for a rep­ seek legal advice that would have ket in favor of mainland sup­ ing USDA-inspected ones due !, monwealth in having the ban CNMI meat products are con­ rimand that would allow him to House rules prohibit censured swiftly closed ranks in hopes of prevented his use of tax-exempt pliers. to the confusion that arose ,, member:; from serving as speaker. on CNMI meat exports to taminated with Brucellosis, a remain the House's top official. ensuring his re-election next month. organizations forpolitical purposes. "We were being cut off. I shorty after it was imposed, ·,,' Guam lifted. disease characterized by in­ Gingrich, who had a meteoric · A lesser vote to reprimand Per:;istent denials ended Satur­ The ideological leader of the think this is the only possible Sablan explained. ',I rise to the speakership in 1995, Gingrich would allow him to keep day for the speaker with the strik- Republican's House takeover also In his letter last week to fections in young animals. reason why they [Guam au­ Thomas J. Billy, USDA Food He said results of blood tests OJ'. c;onceded, "In my name and over The ban came, Sablan said, thorities] imposed the ban," 1/,, Safety and Inspection Service taken on CNMI animal ·,, my signature, inaccurate, incom­ at a time when the CNMI's Sablan said. I. chief, DLNR Secretary .samples are expected to be out plete and unreliable statemenis meat export business was He said there has been no early next year. were given to the (House ethics) Benigno M. Sablan said the picking up having erected evidence of the contanination ban was "improperly im­ He expressed optimism, committee, but I did not intend to two slaughterhouses manned thus far. these test will finally clear the posed" in violation of the Fed­ by two USDA meat inspec­ mislead.''. Benigno M. Sablan Currently, USDA-inspected air and get CNMI back to the eral Meat Inspection Act. He was answering a 22-page Newt Gingrich tors. meat products are being ex- meat export business. "statement- of alleged violation," He said the ban has ad­ By Jojo Dass versely affected the Common­ the House version of an indict­ counsel when I should have in or­ Variety News Staff ment, that was approved unani­ derto ensureclearcompliancewith wealth, a "_major" customer of mously by an ethics investigative all applicable laws, and that was subcommittee of two Republicans wrong. and two Democrats. "Because I did not, I brought $·····-.sµ$pected·.prostjt1.1tes·: .. ·. The full ethics committee, five down on the people's house a con­ Republicans and five Democrats, trover:;y which could weaken the will hold a hearing on punishment. faith people have in their govern­ roii~ded u~ in Ga,rapan While the proceeding could be held ment." By Jojo Da~s · said, were mostly those who after the Jan. 7 speaker's election, Technically, the committee Variety}./ews Staff . went fo the CNML on a short · Gingrich still would have to leave found that Gingrich's conduct vio­ AT L,~AST eight suspected . term basis having acquired .a the post if he was elected and cen­ lated the House rule that obliges all Chinese prostitutes.