a n a n a s V a r i e t y ® ™ Micronesia’s Leading Newspaper Since 1 9 7 2 ( s o y ^ S Vol. 22 No. 169 V Saipan, MP 96950 ©1993 Marianas Variety Friday'f· N ovem ber s , 1993 Serving CNMI for 20 Years I Panel alleges corruption at CUC By Rafael H. Arroyo hensive report to the House of Rep- tions quickly denied by the utility “Mr. Speaker, this cover letter claimed was about three inches resentauves. firm’s controversial executive di­ cannot even pretend to be a brief thick, includes documentation and THE PUBLIC Utilities, Transpor­ According to Committee Chair­ rector, Ray Guerrero. summary because the volume of exhibits for about 30 separate au­ tation and Communication Com­ man Heinz S. Hofschneider, the He quickly recommended that a improprieties and irregularities, as dits of individual CUC transactions mittee of the House of Representa­ report his committee produced af­ full blown investigation be done by you will see, takes up over approxi­ incorporated into one whole pack­ tives has wrapped up its oversight ter several months of legislative the US Inspector General to ascer­ mately 300 pages. We have only age. inquiry of the financial manage­ investigation, shows a long-term tain the extent of the committee’s cited random examples. From this He cited at least four specific ment of Commonwealth Utilities pattern of “corruption, greed and findings and to further evaluate per­ nearly random sample which forms instances of alleged wrongdoing Corp. and is submitting a compre- mismanagement” at CUC, allega- formance of the firm. ourpreview, you can probably guess which the committee uncovered in In a cover letter accompanying the size and seriousness of the main the course of the oversight inquiry the report, Hofschneider cited ex­ feature,” Hofschneider said in a that lasted about 18 months. amples of improper and unethical November 2 transmittal letter that In the case of Mitsubishi, sup­ practices, which he said all amounts accompanied the report. plier of CUC’s power plant en- toembezzlementoftaxpayers funds. The report which Hofschneider continued on page 58 Vote on the future of the Commonwealth 11,857 voters troop to the polls tomorrow By Rafael H. Arroyo while checking on the voters ’ list. but registered voters. He, however, noted that some Latest figures show there is Heinz S. Hofschneider THE PEOPLE of the Common­ 100 voters in Rota and another 60 9,758 voters on Saipan, 825 on wealth will make a decision ei­ in Tinian are being challenged as Tinian and 1,274 on Rota. ther to retain the incumbent ad­ to their residency and voting eli­ Diaz said there will be close of De Lugo hopes Palau ministration of Governor Larry I. gibility by some concerned par­ 400 absentee, off-island and on- Guerrero or go with the Demo­ lies. island voters. cratic ticket of Challenger Froilan Diaz said those who wish to The biggest precinct is election Compact gets okayed Tenorio in tomorrow’s general challenge voters must do so dur­ precinct 1 with 3,805 voters; fol­ elections. ing election time. lowed by election precinct 3 which By Rafael H. Arroyo After the last vote on the Com­ According to the Board of Elec­ As of the close of the voter has 3,035. Precinct 4 has 1,818 pact in 1991, island leaders said tions, a total of 11,857 registered registration lastOctober7th, there and precinct 2 has 1,100 voters. VIRGIN Islands Member of US the relationship could not be ap­ voters are expected to troop to the are about 11,900 persons eligible Up for grabs tomorrow is one Congress Ron De Lugo yesterday proved unless certain polls after some 17 different poll­ to vote. This is broken down as position each for governor and expressed optimism that Palau’s longstanding concerns of their ing centers on all three maJor is­ follows: Saipan, 9,787; Rota, lieutenant governor and Wash­ Compact of Free Association with people - which had been inad­ lands open at 7 a.m. on election 1,278; and Tinian, 835 registered ington representative; six sena­ the United States will get ratified equately tackled by the Reagan day Saturday. voters. tors - two each from Saipan, Tinian by the people of the Pacific island and Bush Administrations - were “Everything is ready,” said Juan But updated figures released and Rota; 18 congressmen - 16 chain in an upcoming plebiscite addressed. Diaz, executive director for the yesterday by Diaz indicate there from Saipan and one each from November 9th. “The leaders of Palau earnestly Board of Elections, in an inter­ is but 11,857 voters eligible to Rota and Tinian; four island m ay­ In a statement he made before sought the needed talks and sig­ view yesterday. “We foresee no vote tomorrow after Election staff ors, three members each for the the US House of Representatives, naled a cooperative approach but problems so we expect the elec­ finished striking out recently de­ municipal councils of Saipan, De Lugo said the relationship the Bush administration still re­ tions to be very smooth,” he added ceased, convicted or incarcerated continued on page 59 would make Palau a sovereign fused to address the problems,” state, secure military rights for said De Lugo. the US for as long as 50 years, In an effort to encourage a more grant the islands some S500 mil­ positive response, De Lugo said lion in assistance over 15 years Palauans late last year took the a w a y and give Palauans free access to “extraordinarily difficult step of the nation. lowering the approval require­ PROMINENT Saipan businessman and known “MaJorities have voted infavor ment to a simple maJority” rather philantrophist JoseC. “Joeten” Tenorio passed away early of the relationship seven time be­ than the current 75% affirmative this morning. fore but it has not been approved vote. Tenorio, 70, is survived by his wife Soledad, six children by the territory because the num­ According to the Insular and and several grandchildren. ber always fell short of the consti­ International Affairs Subcommit­ Informed sources indicate Tenorio was on the way back tutionally-required 7 5 said De tee chairman of the US House, from Honolulu where he accompanied his wife for a knee L ugo. recent breakthroughs have some­ surgery weeks ago. He, however, said this lime he what answered the concerns of He died at around 5:30 a.m. this morning on the Conti­ foresees it would get approved. Palau’s leaders and gave them nental flight from Honolulu to Saipan before reaching the Palau, reputed to be the only assurances on thew compact and Guam stopover. remaining part of the last territory other agreements. Details surrounding his demise were not immediately placed under the trusteeship ad­ “We have authorized the rela­ available, but knowledgeable sources close to him pointed ministration of the United Na­ tionship to be put into effect out he already had two heart bypass operations in the past tions after the last world war, is through a law that I am proud to 15 years. voting whether to freely associate have sponsored. Along with other . The body is still in Guam and his family is currently wiJh the US, the country, said to measures to guide the compact making funeral arrangements. -u«- have been largely responsible for through its implementation, the Tenorio, a long time businessman, is revered in the local its transformation into self-gov- law addressed maJor problems continued on page 2 Jose C. “Joeten".Tenorio reming status, continued on page 59 S w / u 2-MARiANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS-FRIDAY-NOVEMBER 5,1993 Polling places Peeking through the Palms--by b.b. Some Favorite Mistranslations Where to go to vote From a Bangkok dry cleaners: Drop your trousers here for best results. In a Norwegian cocktail lounce: There shall be seventeen (17) vot­ Road, then east to Juan Mendiola’s Jose Village proper, Chalan Kiya, Ladies are requested not to have children in the house at As Perdido, then due north bar. From a Japanese booklet on an aircon: If you ing places in the Northern Mariana Chalan Laulau, and those areas want just conditions of warm in your room, please Islands and the following shall be to Susupe Lake, then southwest to immediately south of Gualo Rai. control yourself. (From Pacific Pipeline, 1991) the polling places: the comer of Jose C. Camacho’ s •(3-B) Garapan Elementary house, then west to the comer of School My friend Gottcha from Garapan Francisca ChargualaFs house, then said that when he learned a lot Election District No. 1 For all voters residing at Gualo about the Democratic Governor ♦(1 - A) San Antonio Elementary south to the corner of Jesus Rai, Garapan, Rapugao, Puerto Candidate, it School Palacios’s house, then west to Juan Rico, and Sadog Tasi area, W est of "scared the Froilan" out of him. For all voters residing at Chalan Cepeda’s house, the point of be­ Capitol Hill Road. Piao south of the Cock-pit and all ginning. •(3-C) Island of Agrigan I was glad to see my opinion confirmed on Sai­ those residing south of the Agri­ •(2-B) Municipal Building •(3-D) Island of Aiamangan pan Cable TV by Veteran Political Analyist Sam Lobby McPhetres. Sam is experienced, having been associated with the ESG. culture Station Road all the way to •(3-E) Island of Anatahan or, Education for Self Government period of the Trust Territory. W hen the intersection of Antonio M. For all voters residing in the •(3-F) Island of Pagan my friend Travis Kauffman asked him what were the key issues in the Benavente’s residence southwest Municipal District No.