A Kick In the A...

Todays news on Marianas Variety, headlining the governor's reaction to Rep. Sablan's disappointment with him, reportedly "praising" the convicted Lt. Gov. instead of encouraging and motivating the community of such misconduct should not be tolerated.

The Governor said in the report that you "don't kick someone who is all ready down" in the dumps. He said it would be "un-Catholic" of him if he would add insult to injury.

I guess, it's just human nature to feel compassion to people who committed misdeeds. Besides, the Governor has worked with his partner years and years and for sure the Lt. Gov. has become one of his closest allies. Yet, this things happen.

On this island friendship and families matter the most. I remember some people's relatives would commit theft and other crimes and they would try to go to the media crying, trying to stop the press. "He's my uncle...She's my parent's cousin...He's a son of the former politician...," and so on.

The governor in the news said what happened to the Lt. Gov. should serve a warning to all.

On the other hand Rep. Sablan said, “My point, which the governor missed entirely, is that we should be lifting up all the people of the commonwealth who were victims of the crimes committed, and praising the people who demonstrated so much courage and worked so hard to bring this case to justice and uphold the rule of law.”

(source: MV)

May Day Rally Anyone?

How clever to name it May Day Rally. Either, the ship is sinking or it's on fire....

Yes. The local nonresident workers are up to it again for their voice to be heard once again.

I first read about this from Unheard No More blog but the news today says that the Dekada Movement would be joining the “May Day” rally on May 1. The group is calling on all workers in the Commonwealth-local and foreign alike-to unite and join in this celebration and call to action.

The rally will start at Fishing Base across the Kristo Rai Church in Garapan at 6pm on Friday and proceed to the American Memorial Park's amphitheater.

“The business community and general public should also join this effort because they have common interests and the economic future of the CNMI depends on capitalizing on those common interests,” according to Dekada president Boni Sagana in a statement issued yesterday.

(source: ST)

Playboy's Paradise Lost

Hey, who da thunk it?

That the infamous Playboy Magazine publishes investigative reports? WTH?

Well, they do apparently sending one writer to the CNMI, stayed at the PIC and immersed with the hotel's clubmates.

Paradise Lost. That's the title of the five-online page article. The article zeroes in how clubmates more than assist hotel guests and "F-around." According to the news today, the hotel manager denied the majority of the content of the story. "All made up characters."

As I read through, I noticed that the writer hid the actual people behind nicknames. I know one of them whom he named "Jim" that decided to work to teach soccer to the Marianas kids....

Another tourism piece for the CNMI?

The writer, a white guy, used to be a common face on the island. I didn't know that he's an award winning writer. He also wrote one notable book that talked about labor practices in the US that included the CNMI. A friend of mine met him a long time ago. He also had an Asian wife or a girlfriend. However, I heard they had a falling out at that time. Oh my, 'been watching too much "Gossip Girl" ;-)

Eye on the Trial: Guilty Pleasures....

Enough is enough...reportedly said by the prosecuting lawyer commenting about the stressful trial. Justice has been served, he added.

According to the report the verdict was handed down so fast that it "caught spectators and the media et al off guard." The sentencing, however, has been set in July and the defendants are free prior to sentencing.

In the news, the current governor expressed remorse for his Lt. Gov. who could face a maximum of 20 years imprisonment.

“But it seems to me that the jurors, when they were asked if this, in fact, was their verdict, they all seemed very confident and so I think the strength of the testimony, especially the employees of CUC, gave the jurors the courage [to come out with the guilty verdict],” the prosecuting lawyer told the media.

Will we ever learn from all this? Hmmm....

Update: Lt. Gov. has resigned from his post...read on.

When Free is Never Free

Ahhh...the newspapers are feasting on the latest news about the local government's adviser's supposed free legal services to the government when in fact he was reportedly reimbursed and paid for the services amounting to over $100, 000...

Hmmm,,,I guess the man has bills to pay too y'know. Perhaps he has done a tremendous assistance to the government office?

Now I wonder what Rep. Tina Sablan's next move on this....

Read on...

Go(vt) for Broke....

In theMarianas Variety today, the local government is said to be broke to pay the Retirement Fund its actuarial rate but will be able to pay on almost 1/3 of the actual rate....

The government owes $156 million plus 25 percent penalty, as reported, to the Retirement Fund.

I guess when the local government has budget problems, the inevitable domino effect is indeed "in effect." However, does this financial brink make the government get away from its responsibilities?

Every one has to make sacrifices and needs to understand the local situation.

You tell me....

Story here....

A Prayer for the Lost

We here at SMR would like to extend and say our prayers to the family of four from Rota that have been missing out there in the big blue....

Follow the story here....

Father, hear us as we ask You to rescue the lost from the domain of darkness and bring them into the kingdom of Your Son. You alone can draw and enable them. You alone can send Your Holy Spirit with power to convict them of the sin in their life and their need to repent and believe in Your truth--that Jesus is the only way to You, that He alone is the way, the truth and the life.

Father, we ask you to forgive the sins of the lost. We come in Jesus’ name to demolish the strongholds in their minds that those sins have allowed. We come in the authority of Jesus’ name to overcome the power of the enemy in their lives, to ask You to bind evil spirits away from them in the name of Jesus and the blood of the Lamb through the word of our testimony.

We come against the blinding of their minds and ask that You send someone to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light; help us to be willing to go. Father, don’t let their hearts be hardened, but open their hearts to receive Your truth. Rip away any veil that covers their hearts, any false teaching that confuses their minds. Help them to hear your Word with power and conviction as the Word of God and not the word of man. Give them understanding, so that Satan will not be able to steal Your Word from their hearts.

Father, help them see their need for a Savior, to know they must confess their sins, repent and believe--or they perish. Help them choose Your mercy and Your gift of faith, to believe with their hearts and confess with their mouths, Jesus is Lord. We ask in Your will, that not any should perish. In Jesus’ name, amen.(Kaye Johns)

Just A Thought....

Breaking News...

United Airlines to charge double for obese passengers...
In the story, the airline management shared with the media that they've received legitimate complains about horizontally challenged passengers on the plane occupying two seats or cramping travelers seated in the middle of three seat rows or columns.

Have you had similar stories? ;-)

Story here.
(Photo from Fat Man Unleashed blog/Davezilla.)

Should NMC Renew Its President?

Should the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents renew the contract of its current president Dr. Carmen Fernandez? According to the news today that her contract is now under the review of the college's human resources department for an endorsement to the BOR. What a BOR...;-)

Well, Fernandez has reaped a lot of challenges vis-a-vis with criticisms from her peers and the former founding president.

I remember she won the seat with intrigues and a warning from some concerned citizens here in the CNMI. I also remember that a letter was sent to the newspaper informing the dailies that this president used to be a senator and also a dean of a college in Guam. According to that letter to the editor this president also mismanaged that so-called college in Guam.

Oh well, let's see what happens now. It's in the hands of the BOR. Btw, how competent is this board anyway? Just asking....

Lone, Unpaid Doctor, Unlicensed?

While it is not right not to compensate a doctor, i.e. a lone doctor on Tinian for four months, is it also not right to make a non-US licensed doctor practice in the CNMI? Well, according to sources, this doctor that used to practice at CHC is not really a US licensed physician. Allegedly, this doctor practiced at CHC on special terms with the local government?

I guess, in the end, licensed or not, Tinian needs a doctor to treat its people.

Again, this doctor as witnesses would attest is not really adept to his profession. There were complains about this doctor in the past that I believe some of you are aware of. Won't delve further....

For the news report click here.

Article 12 on the Deep 6 Soon?

Is it finally on the roll? Will it really happen?

Is Article 12 nearing its end by 2011? This discussion has long been on the table for the past years and this year a group has been aggressively pushing for its abolition. During the recent Rotary Club of Saipan meeting the coalition took the stage to talk further about the issue. Some Rotarians are also members of this group.

According to the group Article 12 has been dubbed "discriminatory" a thousand times before. Is it really?

I long wonder if abolishing Article 12 will help boost the economy at all....They say Americans on the island can finally buy properties and help with the tax system in the CNMI.

However, the issue mainly revolves around the kith and kins of Northern Marianas descents will automatically acquire or inherit the properties their parents will leave them.

Oh well, you tell me....

For more news, click here.

Eye on the Trial: So It Has Begun...

The Lt. Gov. trial has begun after a long time. Do you think this trial will end before the election?

Well witnesses involved in the "fiasco" have been testifying that they only proceeded with the procurement of the so-called rydlyme based on the signature of approval from the Lt. Gov. Hmmm...didn't the Gov. nod on this one too?

Anyway, to keep track on the developments of this trial here are links:

Trial Begins...
Witnesses...

(photo taken from Unheard No More!)

180 Days Approved....

Good news or bad news, still it's newsworthy....

Below is a copy of the press release from Rep. Kilili's office in DC regarding the implementation of federalized immigration and labor in the CNMI:

NMI Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Richard Barth, and Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans, and Wildlife met today in Bordallo’s office on Capitol Hill. Barth delivered the notification from Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano that she had granted a 180-day delay in the commencement of federal immigration control in the Northern Marianas. Barth said the Department had listened to many people on the issue of the delay and that the decision was in many ways collaborative. “It’s the right thing to for you… It’s the right thing to do for us,” Barth told the two Members of Congress.

Kilili and Bordallo receive notification
Kilili sets out goals for regulations DHS must now write

Washington, D.C. – Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has decided to delay commencement of federal immigration in the Northern Marianas by 180 days. Assistant Secretary Richard Barth delivered Napolitano’s decision to Capitol Hill today, presenting a copy of the notification to Chairwoman Madeleine Bordallo and NMI Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan.
The decision came just a few days after the powerful Congressional Hispanic Caucus, of which Sablan is a member, weighed in on the issue, writing to Napolitano and supporting Sablan’s request for the 180-day delay.
“I am glad to finally have the Secretary’s decision,” said Sablan. “We now know with certainty that the transition to federal immigration will begin on November 28, 2009.”
U.S. Public Law 110-229, which extends federal immigration control to the Northern Marianas, set June 1, 2009 as the date for the transition to begin. But the law also gave the Secretary the power to delay the date by 180 days, if needed.
“As I have said before, this is not delay for the sake of delay,” Sablan said. “The reason to push back the date is so that the Department of Homeland Security has enough time to do it right.
“For that reason I have written a new letter to Secretary Napolitano, thanking her for her decision and pledging to work in Congress to make sure there is sufficient money for Homeland Security to stand up its border operations in the Marianas.
“I have also set out a number of proposals regarding the regulations that now need to be written.”
Sablan gave the 9-page letter to Barth at their meeting at Bordallo’s office. Bordallo chairs the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife.
Sablan’s letter identifies 5 different groups of people, who now are legal residents of the Northern Marianas, who may be hurt, if regulations are not carefully written. Sablan said he is particularly concerned about keeping families together. But he also emphasized the requirements of the law, including “as much flexibility as possible in maintaining existing business and other revenue sources, and developing new economic opportunities.”
One concern that applies to several of the groups is whether people will be able to leave the Northern Marianas—for medical emergencies or other reasons—and then be able to get back in. Sablan wants regulations to be written that will allow any legal resident to leave and re-enter without the need for a new US visa.
Sablan is also concerned that families that have both US citizen and non-US citizen members may not be able to afford the cost of getting US visas for the non-US citizen family members. Visas applications are expensive and they require that families earn at least 125% of the federal poverty level.
He has proposed that Secretary Napolitano use her authority to make it more affordable for families to get US visas for spouses, parents, or children.
“I am hopeful that now that the new Obama Administration is settling in we will be able to get down to the nitty-gritty of writing these regulations,” Sablan said. “It’s been almost a year since the law was enacted. It’s time that we start clearing away all the uncertainty that exists without clear regulations.”