.

THANK YOU! OLOMWAAY & SI YU'US MA'ASE!

2009-11-15T18:40:00.003+10:00

Dear Friends, Family, and Wonderful Supporters Near and Far:

I want to thank each and every single one of you for the many months of hard work in supporting my bid for the Senate. While we came up short of our goal, we were able to finish a very, very strong and respectable 3rd in a field of 8. I know that this race would not have been as close if I did not have your untiring support and vote of confidence.

The future remains exciting for me. I am weighing several options at the moment. One thing that remains constant is my love for the people of the CNMI and these beautiful islands we call home. Rest assured that I will continue to serve our people and our communities as I have done in and out of public office.

Once, again, you have my most heartfelt gratitude. I LOVE YOU ALL!

Peace and GOD BLESS!

It's Official! Cinta Kaipat to run for Senate

2009-05-18T01:51:00.002+10:00

Cinta Kaipat to run for Senate
Friday, 15 May 2009 00:00 By Zaldy Dandan - Variety Editor
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LABOR Deputy Secretary Jacinta M. Kaipat yesterday said she is running for the Senate on the Covenant Party ticket to continue making a difference in solving the larger issues facing the community.

An environmental advocate, the former House member is also known as a strong proponent of more local participation in the private sector’s workforce.

Kaipat promises to “bring people together.”

“I believe that our people will work together to make our collective lives better and better. I founded Beautify CNMI! on that principle. In the Beautify CNMI! efforts, we welcome everyone’s efforts and we organize to pursue a common goal. We need to focus more on our common goals and the common good. Dividing people is not the answer. Bringing them together is a better solution. I believe I can do that.”

She said she will focus on specific big problems and get them solved.

“I like to work through broad participation. When I was in the 15th Legislature, I held hearings, formed joint public-private task forces to come up with acceptable legislative language, worked with my fellow legislators to get agreement, and got important legislation passed. I particularly want to focus on health care. Affordable, quality health care is a problem that affects all our people. We need to confront our limitations, be creative in our solutions, and above all, be responsible in what we can afford. But we cannot just let this current situation go on and on. Health care crises tend to be individual problems for individual people who are sick and individual families who have to care for loved ones. But our whole community is harmed when we cannot provide the quality health care, and especially preventive health care, that everyone needs.”

Kaipat at the same time said the CNMI must also “face up to some basic realities in our situation…and come to terms with it in ways that allow our citizens to live comfortably on our islands.”

“I want to work on alternative power for individuals as one aspect of this. I think that ‘big power’ is necessary; but that ‘small power’ has great potential for us. I want small wind energy and small solar energy for individuals so that residences and small businesses can have their own source of power without having to pay [Commonwealth Utilities Corp.] rates for all their power. I think we can help finance ‘small power’ for individuals because the payback is there — everyone uses power — and the benefits are clear.”

The CNMI, she added, must “look ahead to our future and capitalize on some of the changes that are happening out there in the world. Although we are small and isolated geographically, we are a part of the world through the Internet. We can conduct commerce efficiently, even within our islands, on the Internet. We can help expand our education system by tapping far-away institutions and capabilities through the Internet. And we can expand our personal horizons as well. I want to bring the Internet to everyone who wants it. I want to explore ways to support Internet access for everyone.”

Her plan includes training everyone who wants to participate with free classes in how to benefit from the Internet.

“We need to get more computers into our classrooms and schools, and use more of the on-line resources to augment the education we provide for our kids, particularly in the specialized subjects in which we can’t always provide instruction in person.”

A law graduate, Kaipat described herself as a fiscal conservative.

“I don’t believe in spending money we don’t have. That never works in the long run. I believe we should have a required budget analysis attached to every bill that is introduced in the Legislature. How much is this measure expected to cost if it is enacted? Is this cost already built into the next year’s budget? If not, where will the funds come from? Everything the Legislature does affects the allocation of our scarce resources. We cannot kid ourselves — nothing is really for free. So we should have a system that requires everyone to declare and debate, up front, what a proposed legislative measure will cost, no matter what topic that bill covers.”

She said everything the Legislature does has to be done while keeping an eye on the effect on jobs.

“Jobs for our U.S. citizens is the primary factor that drives our economy. That is clear from all the professional economic reports on our current situation. When we grant incentives, we need to ask how many jobs will be created. When we work on taxes, we need to ask how will this affect jobs. When we issue permits to foreign investors, we need to ask how many citizens will be employed. When we place burdens on local businesses, we need to ask whether jobs will be affected. The Legislature needs to get useful and factual reports on these things and to hold hearings to hear from the public if the numbers seem to be wrong. We must make progress on jobs — real, verifiable, productive jobs accounted for one by one if necessary — over the next four years.”

Asked why the people should vote for her, Kaipat replied: “I humbly ask for everyone’s vote because I care deeply about the people and the future of our islands. I will use my education and work experiences gained from working abroad in the United States as well as here in the commonwealth to continue serving our communities to the best of my abilities. I am dedicated and take my job seriously, no matter what the job is. I never forget who I am supposed to represent and work for. And, I’m a doer; I get the job done. As a lawmaker in the 15th Legislature, I succeeded in getting important pieces of legislation passed and signed into law. And, finally, I pledge my full commitment to my family and to the people of our commonwealth that I will neither embarrass nor betray your trust in me.”

Gus Left for San Francisco This Morning

2009-05-10T19:58:00.004+10:00

He's off with his uke to work with the composer hired to work on the music for the PBS documentary film that we've been collaborating on with Horse Opera Productions. He will be performing at the screening of the documentary at California State University.

As they say in show biz, "Break a Leg", Gus!

Pete & Emma Were Here!

2009-05-10T18:51:00.006+10:00

Gus and I went to dinner with Pete and Emma Perez, who were on island for a short few days to visit and scuba dive. Pete and Emma live in San Francisco and it was a real treat to have them here. (Pete co-founded PaganWatch with me. PaganWatch is a citizens' watchdog group that diligently exposed the shenanigans that led to the dissolution of MPLA by the Legislature in 2006!)

Anyhow, we went to Abyss for dinner Friday night and we all agreed that the food was excellent. (Thanks to my WOW sis Laurie Peterka for the restaurant suggestion.) We had one and a half orders of mixed sushi, two orders of special shashimi, an order of otopus kelaguin, and an order of garlic octupus. Well, that garlic octopus was SO good that we couldn't resist ordering two more dishes! Yes, that's three orders of garlic octopus! Yummy! Yummy! Yum!

Great great company, great conversation, great garlic octopus, what more could anyone ask for?

[I'll have to upload photos later because the computer is too slow tonight!)

2009 Flame Tree Arts Festival

2009-05-10T18:29:00.008+10:00

This year's Flame Tree Arts Festival concluded and, unfortunately, I didn't take any photographs because I was waiting for the battery charger I ordered for my camera to arrive, but the charger arrived too late.

One of the highlights of the Festival for the family was seeing Gus and the young Kaipat kids perform. Gus did a couple numbers, followed by (L-R) Jun, Aj, and Dusty. This was the second time Jun performed at the Flame Tree Arts Festival. Last year, he performed with Gus, though he only played the uke. This year, he got to sing.

The three were joined on stage by Kadie and Josiah (who stood between Jun and AJ). So, with the exception of Jun, all the kids (Kadie, Aj, Josiah, and Dusty) made their performance debutes at the Festival.

Speaking of debutes, we also had TJ operating the camera. He'd never done that before and was pressed into service that day because his Uncle Gus did not bring the tri-pod and, well, consider yourself forewarned. Heh! Heh!

After the kids' numbers, Uncle Gus joined them for one final number. Poor Uncle Gus, he was supposed to grab the uke from Josiah, but Josiah would not surrender the uke to him, so Uncle Gus had to go on with the show and sang while the kids played. Heh! Heh! We had a pretty good laugh about this aftewards.

All in all, everyone had a great time.

Okay, still want to see that video? Again, sorry for the camera work. :)

See you all next year!

Speaking of Olomwaay, someone posted this on Youtube (thanks for sharing!). This was when Olomwaay opened for Jake Shimabukuro at last year's fundraising concert that he held for Beautify CNMI! and HANMI. Gus (in the blue t-shirt in the middle of the red t-shirts) sings lead, backed by Dee Saures, Cris Kaipat, Ben Limes, and Miki Lisua on vocals.

28th Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival Kicks Off Tonight

2009-04-23T13:12:00.003+10:00

Flame Tree Photos in header and this post courtesy of my friend Mike Tripp.
Flame Tree Arts Festival kicks off today
Thursday, 23 April 2009 00:00 By Raquel Bagnol - Variety News Staff
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THE 28th Flame Tree Arts Festival officially begins at 6 tonight at the Civic Center in Susupe.

Arts Council coordinator Lucille Ayuyo said over a hundred visitors from Guam, Palau and Rota are already on island for the four-day festivities.

“The community will be treated to four days of cultural entertainment,” Ayuyo said.

She said the canoe welcome ceremony will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. today at the Civic Center.

The two traditional canoes will come from Satawal, Yap.

Ayuyo is urging the community to participate in the festival and grab the chance to sample local food and drinks as well as artwork and crafts.

Logistics committee chairman Parker Yobei earlier said that the festival “is a chance for the community to showcase different cultures in one place.”

“Artists and exhibitors will be demonstrating and teaching their respective culture, arts and traditions to the community, and this is an experience everybody should not miss,” he said.

The Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture has reserved 23 slots for arts and education booths.

This year’s festival theme is “Uniting Rainbows of Culture and Tradition.”

For this year, there will be no traditional booth competition but prizes of $500, $300 and $200 are at stake for the float parade on Saturday morning.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

2009-04-18T02:32:00.008+10:00

I CAN'T thank everyone enough! A MILLION THANKS to all of you who came out yesterday and will come out again today to participate in the 2009 Island-wide Cleanup in observance of this year's Environmental Awareness Month. The number of participants this year shattered the number we established almost three years ago with the 2006 Island-wide Cleanup called "1020 on 10/20" (Where we asked for at least 1,020 volunteers to participate in the Island-wide Cleanup on October 20, 2006, but got 3,380 volunteers instead!) This year, well over 4,000 volunteers (4,040 yesterday morning and counting!) from government, private, and the community set aside whatever they were going to do yesterday to collectively do one GREAT thing for our community -- BEAUTIFY IT and walk right into history while at it!

WAY TO BEAUTIFY CNMI!

Angelo Villagomez (of Beautify CNMI!, the Rotary Club, Pew Environmental Group, Friends of the Monument, and MINA)and Joe Kaipat of DEQ did an outstanding job of organizing this massively successful cleanup.

Thanks to our wonderful sponsors: The Rotary Club, DEQ, MVA, NTT Docomo, McDonald's, Ron & Nancy Kramis, PDM Promoters, Marianas Tourism Education Council, and Beautify CNMI!

Oh, and by the way, THANKS to Bank of Guam and Shirley's for donating the money to build our Beautify CNMI! trailer and THANKS to FMI for building it. Joe and the DEQ gang put the trailer to good full use during the cleanup!

And one final thought -- Can you all think of a better way to showcase our beautiful islands to our many friends and visitors who will be arriving by sea and air to attend our Flame Tree Arts Festival? Please...Let's keep our islands clean and beautiful. Let's continue to Beautify CNMI!

Cinta M. Kaipat
Beautify CNMI!

Thousands Pick Up Trash to Clean Up Saipan

2009-04-18T02:30:00.000+10:00

Local
Saturday, April 18, 2009

By Anthony Pellegrino
Special to the Saipan Tribune

Terry Camacho, 62, of the Office of Personnel Management, picks up trash at the Garapan Fishing Base yesterday afternoon as part of the islandwide cleanup, in observance of Environmental Awareness Month in the CNMI. Inset, Department of Public Health employees pick up trash from the Bureau of Environmental Health office on Navy Hill to Horiguchi Building in Garapan and back. (Haidee V. Eugenio)

Close to 4,000 young and adults picked up tons of trash along Saipan's major roads, beaches, parks, dive sites and other tourist spots yesterday as part of the islandwide cleanup highlighting the observance of Environmental Awareness Month.

“I hope this day will make a difference for the environment and our children,” said 62-year-old Terry Camacho of the Office of Personnel Management. “I hope that next time somebody throws trash anywhere, he would think twice and think about those who are cleaning up the environment.”

Camacho was among the OPM employees and their families who picked up trash at the Garapan Fishing Base starting at 2:30pm yesterday.

Just a few meters from her was 4-year-old Ila Seman, the youngest of the OPM employees' family members to take part in the activity.

“Please do not throw your trash anywhere,” Joannie Laniyo, 7, said as she tagged along with her mother, OPM employee Benita Seman, for the cleanup.

From 7am to 4:30pm, thousands of volunteers from the private sector and the local and federal government cleaned Saipan of litter-from cigarette butts, plastic bottles, soda and beer cans, plastic bags to soiled baby diapers.

Michael Lizama, 12, a seventh grader at Hopwood Junior High School, said most of what they picked up on campus and at the beach were cigarette butts and plastic bottles. His classmate, Alicia Lloren, 12, said she and her classmates are proud to be part of making their campus cleaner.

Hopwood Junior High School had the most number of cleanup participants at 1,113.

TJ Litulumar of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration joined eight other TSA employees in picking up trash at the beach side fronting the Quarter Master Road intersection all the way to the 13 Fishermen Monument and back.

“We're supposed to clean up only from 9am to 11am but it's now around 12,” said Litulumar, adding that this is part of TSA's community outreach programs.

Mariana Coats and Jeremy T. Sasamoto of the Department of Public Health said they didn't mind the heat and dust to be able to help clean up Saipan. DPH employees picked up trash from Navy Hill to Horiguchi Building and back, starting at 2:30pm.

“Many of what we picked up were beer cans and plastic bottles. I hope people will stop littering,” said Sasamoto.

Aya Matsumoto, vice president of Pacific Eagle Enterprises, said they started cleaning up the area around the 13 Fishermen's Monument on Beach Road at 9:30am.

“We also planted a flame tree. We'd like to show tourists that Saipan is clean and beautiful. We'd like tourists to come back to the island again,” she said.

The cleanup will continue today. Joleen Torres, from the Committee to Elect Juan “Pan” Guerrero and Joe Camacho, said they expect 45 volunteers to clean up Beach Road this morning.

Joe Kaipat of the Division of Environmental Quality and co-chair of the islandwide cleanup, said 55 volunteer groups including public and private schools, government agencies and private businesses took part in the cleanup of 48 sites around Saipan.

The islandwide cleanup is cosponsored by Beautify CNMI, the Division of Environmental Quality, Rotary Club of Saipan, Marianas Visitors Authority and the Marianas Tourism Education Council.

Beautify CNMI looking for award nominations

2009-04-10T03:21:00.000+10:00

Friday, 10 April 2009 00:00
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(Beautify CNMI) — The Committee chairs of Beautify CNMI are seeking nominations for their annual Beautify CNMI Steward and Beautify CNMI Champion awards. The two awards will be given out at the end of April.

The awards are given out to recognize the individuals or groups who have been environmental leaders during the past 12 months.

There are two award categories, the Environmental Steward and the Environmental Champion.

The Environmental Steward award recognizes a person or group that leads the community in activities that help protect our environment in a variety of ways. This individual or group has demonstrated the need to take pride in our islands and to take care of the place we all call home. They serve as an example for others, especially the next generation, to follow.

According to Beautify CNMI volunteer Angelo Villagomez, “The Steward Award winners are the back of Beautify CNMI. These are the people that volunteer their time every single weekend to improve our environment and our islands.”

The Environmental Champion award recognizes a person or group that exemplifies the Beautify CNMI spirit. Those qualities include volunteerism, cooperation, innovation, creativity and the ability to infect others with the Beauty Virus. The Environmental Champion is a role model for others to follow. They bring environmental issues to the forefront of public consciousness. They make things happen and effect change.

“The Champion Award winners are the environmental leaders on Saipan,” explained Beautify CNMI founder Cinta M. Kaipat.

To nominate an individual or group, submit a written nomination explaining why that person or group deserves recognition.

You can make as many nominations as you like, but individuals and groups can only be nominated for one award category.

Nominations must include the award category the nominee is being considered for, a well written argument detailing the reasons why this nominee should be considered, and contact information for the nominee and for the person making the nomination.

Send nominations to Angelo Villagomez at angelovillagomez@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or mail them to PMB 360 BOX 10001; Saipan, MP 96950 or call 285-6462 for more information

Former First Lady Laura Bush

2009-03-27T00:55:00.000+10:00

Former first lady thanks Friends of the Monument
Friday, 27 March 2009 00:00
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(Friends of the Monument) —Former First Lady Laura Bush recently wrote to the Friends of the Monument thanking them for their role in supporting the creation of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.

Friends of the Monument’s Agnes M. McPhetres with then-first lady Laura Bush and then-Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne pose for a photo after the monument declaration signing in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2009. Mrs. Bush holds the two orange Mariana Trench Monument t-shirts presented by McPhetres. Contributed photo

Friends of the Monument’s Agnes M. McPhetres with then-first lady Laura Bush and then-Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne pose for a photo after the monument declaration signing in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2009. Mrs. Bush holds the two orange Mariana Trench Monument t-shirts presented by McPhetres. Contributed photo
The letter, embossed with the official White House seal reads, “We are pleased that you joined us at the White House for the signing of the proclamation to create the Pacific Marine National Monuments. Your gifts will always remind us of your support throughout the process that led this special occasion.”

Friends of the Monument’s Agnes M. McPhetres presented Mrs. Bush with two orange Mariana Trench Monument t-shirts after the monument declaration signing in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2009.

The former first lady added, “Conservation and protection of our ocean resources is vitally important to our nation and the world. I am proud of the accomplishments of my husband’s administration to protect America’s oceans. He joins me in sending best wishes to your organization for future success in advancing marine conservation.”

The letter from the former first lady included an autographed photo of her and former President George W. Bush.

Friends of the Monument’s Angelo O. Villagomez said of the letter, “I am really proud of our people. We are showing the world how local actions can have global consequences. Even the former president of the United States and his first lady know about our work here.”

The Friends of the Monument were the main proponents for a marine monument in the Marianas.

When local elected leaders were not receptive to the idea of a marine monument, the Friends started a petition drive and collected over 6,000 signatures.

They also gained endorsements from the business community and prominent community leaders.

The islands’ political establishment ultimately supported the monument.

According to a statement issued by Gov. Benigno R Fitial on the day of the designation, “I welcome President Bush’s historic announcement establishing the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument…. Over the past few months, I have been actively engaged in discussions with the White House Council on Environmental Quality regarding the objectives and scope of the proposed monument. I have been joined in these discussions by President Pete Reyes of the Commonwealth Senate and Speaker Arnold Palacios of the Commonwealth House of Representatives.”

When asked about what he was going to do with the letter, Friends of the Monument’s Ignacio V. Cabrera said, “I’m going to hang it on my wall at home so that I can remember all we have accomplished.”

Friends of the Monument officers Agnes M. McPhetres, Ignacio V. Cabrera, and Angelo O. Villagomez were on hand to witness the historic monument declaration this past January.

More information on the Friends of the Monument and the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument can be found at http://marianamonument.blogspot.com.

2009-02-19T06:00:00.003+10:00

This is a great thing for Saipan Southern High School and the CNMI.

Officials consider alternative energy for schools
Thursday, 19 February 2009 00:00 By Junhan B. Todeno - Variety News Staff
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STUDENTS, school and government officials witnessed yesterday how the wind turbine operates at Saipan Southern High School and expressed confidence that this alternative energy will reduce the school’s monthly power bills.

The wind turbine stands tall on the campus of Southern Saipan High School yesterday. Photo by Junhan B. Todeno

The wind turbine stands tall on the campus of Southern Saipan High School yesterday. Photo by Junhan B. Todeno
Calling the project as a CNMI milestone, both Education Commissioner Rita Sablan and Board of Education Chairwoman Lucy Blanco-Maratita are hoping that all schools will soon have renewable energy sources.

“This is one of the ways we can conserve energy,” Sablan said.

The wind turbine will not only minimize the need for Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s power, it will also show that the school cares for the environment, Blanco-Mararita said.

She said BOE members have discussed adapting alternative energy sources to reduce the schools’ power bills.

SSHS vice principal Craig Garrison acknowledged the efforts of the Allied Pacific Environmental Consultant for installing the wind turbine on campus.

Robert Jordan, Allied Pacific Environmental Consultant program manager, said the wind turbine is still in the system test stage.

“This is a first in the Pacific and first time the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a supplemental environmental project that utilizes renewable energy as a pilot project,” he said.

Jordan said the project was proposed to the school by the now defunct Concorde Garment Manufacturing Co. of Tan Holdings as an alternative means of settling the fines it owed to EPA for violations of its rules.

Senate President Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, said the project is highly recommended.

He attended yesterday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $90,000 Skystream 3.7 wind turbine and nine Kyocera 18V solar panels.

SSHS administrators, he said, should start thinking now where to install another wind turbine on their campus.

Reyes said he is hoping to see SSHS to have nine more wind turbines so it can entirely operate on renewable energy.

Tom Polevich, Allied Pacific Environmental Consulting president, said the project in CNMI a major step forward toward the future of alternative energy use in the commonwealth.

SSHS student government president Janina Maratita said the students are looking forward to seeing similar projects on campus.

Golden Rays

2009-02-16T11:36:00.005+10:00

A friend of mine shared this with me and I think this is so incredibly amazing I just had to share it with you.

...in the sea, thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico. The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters. Gliding silently beneath the waves, they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, stumbled across the phenomenon while looking for whale sharks.

She said: 'It was an unreal image, very difficult to describe. The surface of the water was covered by warm and different shades of gold and looked like a bed of autumn leaves gently moved by the wind.

'It's hard to say exactly how many there were, but in the range of a few thousand'

'We were surrounded by them without seeing the edge of the school and we could see many under the water surface too. I feel very fortunate I was there in the right place at the right time to experience nature at its best' Measuring up to 7ft (2.1 meters) from wing-tip to wing-tip, Golden rays are also more prosaically known as cow nose rays.

They have long, pointed pectoral fins that separate into two lobes in front of their high-domed heads and give them a cow-like appearance. Despite having poisonous stingers, they are known to be shy and non-threatening when in large schools.

The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates, in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to the Yucatan.

The Secret Life of Paper

2009-01-31T04:37:00.000+10:00

Inspirational One-Legged Salsa Dancer!

2009-01-31T04:17:00.001+10:00

2009-01-29T01:09:00.002+10:00

Local

Thursday, January 29, 2009

CNMI residents connecting on Facebook

By Haidee V. Eugenio
Reporter

Besides being politicians, what does Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, Delegate Gregorio “Kilili” Sablan, President Barack Obama, and several lawmakers have in common?

They are all on Facebook and the number of people in the CNMI who are joining the largest online social networking Web site is growing by the day. From politicians to doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, clerks, students, parents and even the jobless now have a Facebook account.

Given Saipan's isolation, many individuals use Facebook to connect and chat with distant friends, relatives and classmates from elementary, high school or college.

“It's addicting,” said John Blanco, director of the Department of Commerce's Central Statistics Division.

He said in less than two weeks since he became a member, he already has 198 friends on Facebook.

“A college roommate I hadn't heard from for 15 years was on Facebook so I got to connect with him again,” he said.

Many post images of Saipan's tourist spots, photos of all the parties they attended, or links to current events or cute feature stories. Others also turn to Facebook and other social networking sites when news breaks to share stories and pictures.

Floor Leader Joseph Camacho said Facebook allows him to show a side of him that the public doesn't see, including the chance to post jokes and stories.

He, however, maintains his public website, www.camachocnmi.com, where the public can view proposed legislation, committee reports and voting records, among other things.

Camacho and Rep. Tina Sablan are among two members of the CNMI House of Representatives that maintain a Facebook account, along with top officials including Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, acting Attorney General Gregory Baka, Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez, Board of Education vice chair Herman Guerrero and Labor Deputy Secretary Cinta M. Kaipat.

“Since Facebook is a personal forum, I can show my personality outside of my official public role. For example, I like jokes, Sci-Fi shows and old music videos so I post these things. Those who know me for a long time know that I am a joker and love telling stories. With Facebook, I can express that side of me that the public does not always see,” Camacho said.

Others use it to tell their friends and relatives, “I am happy” or they are “looking forward to a long weekend” or “is going to Forbidden Island today” or “Now engaged.”

Many use Facebook to post upcoming events or as a marketing tool. One user, for example, said in her Facebook status yesterday, “recruiting Teams for the 2009 Marianas March against Cancer.”

Frank Tudela of the Marianas Visitors Authority uses Facebook on a daily basis “to post upcoming events” related to MVA, as well as to keep in touch with family members. He said he spends hours on Facebook, and thinks he “will never leave” the social network.

“It has also helped me with annual events and get more friends,” he said.

Tudela prefers Facebook over MySpace, while Camacho said Facebook is easy to use. “You do not have to be a computer expert,” he added.

Just like the other users, Tudela thinks Facebook is now the “in” thing on Saipan. His cousins, best friends, and close friends are members, too.

Kae Atalig, 21, said this is one site where “people with no jobs and people with lots of responsibilities in government” meet. She has 135 Facebook friends and counting.

“It's a way to connect with my long lost relatives and friends,” said Atalig, whose favorite Facebook “activity” is tagging people in photos and posting shoutouts.

President Barack Obama and his supporters used Facebook for his grassroots presidential campaign. Many on Saipan are “fans” of Obama on Facebook.

Facebook started as a social network exclusively for Harvard students. It was launched on Feb. 4, 2004, by Mark Zuckerberg and later became one of the biggest online phenomena. Facebook's growth in the fall of 2007 was staggering. Over 1 million new users signed up every week, 200,000 daily, totaling over 150 million active users.

Its competitors include MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, LinkedIn, Tagged, Hi5, Piczo and Open Social.

Witnessing History in the Making

2009-01-24T10:28:00.003+10:00

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading Angelo's posts of his adventures in DC during the inauguration festivities. For those of us who couldn't be in DC for the momentus occasion, we had to settle for the television and living vicariously through Angelo.

I tried to get some shut eye so I would be bright eyed and bushy tailed for that 3 a.m. inauguration, but it was a challenge. I got caught up in all the hoopla leading up to the actual oath taking. I woke brother Gus up around 2:30 a.m. and reminded him not to sleep through history.

Just watching the millions of people freezing to be a part of that memorable day in time was awe inspiring. Much has been said about Justice Roberts' flubbing of the oath, but that doesn't make the occasion any less magical. Not to me.

I tried to stay up for the parade, but I fell asleep and woke up before the parade ended. I watched President Obama and the First Lady walking in the parade and I couldn't help thinking -- OY! I hope she's wearing comfortable shoes! I fell back to sleep. It was worth it.

Inauguration of President Barack Obama!

2009-01-24T10:19:00.001+10:00

The Bears And I

2008-12-08T09:51:00.000+10:00

Subject: Bear Story - Once In-A-Lifetime Photographs

THE BEARS AND I
Black bears typically have two cubs, rarely one or three. In 2007, in northern New Hampshire , a black bear sow gave birth to five healthy young. There were two or three reports of sows with as many as four cubs but five was, and is, extraordinary. I learned of them shortly after they emerged from their den and set myself a goal of photographing all five cubs with their mom, no matter how much time and effort was involved. I knew the trail they followed on a fairly regular basis, usually shortly before dark. After spending nearly four hours a day, seven days a week, for six weeks I had that once in a lifetime opportunity and photographed them in the shadows and dull lighting of the evenin g. Due to these conditions the photograph is a bit noisy as I had to use the equivalent o f a very fast film speed on my digital camera. The print is properly focused and well exposed with all six bears posing as if they were in a studio for a family portrait. (Read on?)

I stayed in touch with other people who saw the bears during the summer and into the fall hunting season. All six bears continued to thrive. As time for hibernation approached, I found still more folks who had seen them and everything remained OK. I stayed away from the bears as I was concerned that they might become habituated to me, or to people in general, as approachable friends. This could be dangerous for both man and animal. After Halloween I received no further reports and could only hope the bears survived until they hibernated.

This spring, before the snow disappeared, all six bears came out of their den and wandered the same familiar territory they trekked in the spring of 2007. I saw them before mid April and dreamed nightly of taking another family portrait, an improbable second once in a lifetime photograph. On April 25, 2008 I achieved my dream. (Read on ?)

When something as magical as this happens between man and animal, Native Americans say we have walked together in the shadow of a rainbow.

And so it is with humility and great pleasure that I share these photos with you.

Sincerely, Tom Sears

Man Killed for 'Hogging Karaoke'

2008-12-07T16:33:00.003+10:00

My Dear and Precious Friends and Family--Near and Afar:

I came across this story and just had to share it with you all. I heard from one of you that this type of incident actually happened twice in the PI, so all the Karaoke bars took out "My Way" from their songbooks. Apparently, this song, more than any other song, provoked way too many fights over who sang the song better. In fact, the arguments ended up getting so heated that two people ended up meeting the same fate as the poor soul in the article below. (Note to Tonei: Pick another favorite song to sing on your next Karaoke outing in the PI.)

So, think of this as some sort of "insurance policy."

As the Holiday Seasons are once again upon us and before I receive any Karaoke invitations from any of you, I simply have this one small and simple wish--Please pass the microphone and Let there be Peace on Earth!

Man killed for 'hogging karaoke'

A Malaysian man has been stabbed to death for refusing to stop singing and hand over the microphone at a karaoke bar, police say.

Abdul Sani Doli, 23, reportedly angered some of the customers when he hogged the stage at the bar in Sandakan town on eastern Borneo island.

Witnesses said he was attacked, and the fight spilled out on to the street.

He was punched before being stabbed to death with a knife. His body was found a short distance from the bar.

Sandakan's police chief ACP Rosli Mohd Isa said two men were in police custody, helping them with their inquiries.

Karaoke, in which amateurs can sing along to their favourite songs, first emerged from Japan and became hugely popular across Asia during the 1980s, before spreading to other parts of the world.

President-Elect Obama's Victory Speech

2008-11-08T03:40:00.003+10:00

Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama-as prepared for delivery

Election Night

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

Chicago, Illinois

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It’s the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House. And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn’t do this just to win an election and I know you didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, “We are not enemies, but friends.though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.” And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Planting Flame Trees With Kanagawa Truckers Association

2008-10-25T23:46:00.010+10:00

Our friends from Isa CNMI, led by Aya-san Matsumoto and Horiguchi-san, led some members of the Kanagawa Truckers Association of Japan to this afternoon's flame tree planting at American Memorial Park. Beautify CNMI's Cinta Kaipat, Angelo Villagomez, Gus Kaipat, and the Kaipat boys (Marvin, AJ, Jun, and Dusty) along with my other nephew Peter Angui, joined the group. Brad Doerr of MINA was also there and brought the flame trees that were planted.

The flame trees that Herminia Fuscho donated, which had been growing under the Ylang Ylang tree at my Mom's house were loaded into the Beautify CNMI! trailer that Gus and the boys hauled to American Memorial Park. The rest of the flame trees will be planted as soon as the Park staff decide the most appropriate places to plant them. Ranger Nancy is off island, so we got to meet Ranger Rianna (I hope I spelled her name right). I was going to shake her hand when I introduced myself, until I saw how muddy her hand was (you'll see it in the slideshow), so...never mind. :) Anyway, thank you, good folks at American Memorial Park and Park Rangers Nancy and Rianna!

The Kanagawa Group makes a living driving trucks. It is remarkable and commendable that they came to Saipan to plant trees to do their part to help reduce the carbon footprint we humans have left on Earth. Thank you SO much! Arigato gozaimasu!

The X Chromosome Panel

2008-10-25T23:45:00.019+10:00

Local
Saturday, October 25, 2008

Panelists: Women need to continue to seek equality

By Kristi Eaton
Reporter
Laura Manglona speaks at the X Chromosome: Gender Equality in the CNMI forum Thursday night. Sen. Maria Pangelinan, Cinta Kaipat and Frances Sablan are in the background. (Kristi Eaton) Gender inequality is improving but it continues to be an issue, a panel of highly regarded women from the CNMI and Guam said Thursday night.(L-R) Laura Manglona; Senator Maria Frica Pangelinan; Cinta Kaipat; Moderator Frances Sablan; Rebecca Warfield; Guam House Speaker Judith Won Pat; and Kimberlyn King-Hinds

“Is gender a moot point?” asked Sen. Maria Pangelinan, one of the panelists. “No, as long as we have the human race made up of males and females, gender will still matter.”

The other panelists at The X Chromosome: Gender Equality in the CNMI were: Cinta Kaipat, deputy secretary for the Department of Labor; Kimberlyn King-Hinds, general manager of Tinian Ice and Water Co. and member of the Public Utilities Commission; Laura Manglona, a former educator from Rota; Rebecca Warfield, assistant attorney general for the CNMI, and Judith Won Pat, Guam's Legislative Speaker.Frances Sablan was the moderator of the event, sponsored by the NMI Council for the Humanities as part of its We the People Project and organized by Taro Leaf Inc. More than 50 men and women were in attendance.

As a woman, Pangelinan said, she can pull from experiences different than her male counterparts.

“We have a different setup, our experiences are different, our set of eyes are different,” she said before the forum began. “Running a house is like running a Legislature.”
Society dictates a woman to act a certain way, Kaipat said, but females should not be afraid to stand up for themselves, including seeking equal pay.

“We have not achieved equality,” she said. “Absolutely not. Look around you. There is no way we're achieved equality. Ladies, we have along way to go. We need to march along.”

When it comes to pay, Warfield said one thing she has learned is that men can count.
“If I'm saving you money, you will pay me so I will not disappear,” she said. “As long as you have the ability to make yourself necessary, you can demand to make yourself count.”

Won Pat, who was one of the first women in Guam's Senate, said legislation was passed in Guam requiring an equal number of men and women on boards and commissions.“But because governors are male, that isn't the case,” she added. Out of 25 boards, only eight have equal representation, she said. But females do hold several powerful positions in Guam. A woman leads the Office of Public Auditor, the Attorney General is female and there is a woman federal judge, she added.

Won Pat said growing up she sometimes received conflicting messages from her family about her gender role. Her father often told her education was important, but women are expected to be the homemaker, telling her, “You have to get an education. You have to be able to compete in this world. If something happens to your husband you have to be the bread winner.”

It is important that women are not their own worst enemy, Won Pat said.

“When one is elevated, it should be an example, but sometimes there is jealousy,” she said.

Kaipat said women should aspire to hold positions that in the past have been dominated by men, like engineers or architects.

“Men think those are just for men,” she said. “Women are just as qualified as men to hold those.” (L-R): Vice President of Tinian Ice Kimberly King-Hinds; Deputy Labor Secretary Cinta M. Kaipat; Senator Maria Frica Pangelinan; Former CUC Board member Laura Manglona; Guam House Speaker Judith Won Pat; Moderator Frances Sablan; Humanities Council Chair Dr. Debra Cabrera; and former DPS Commissioner and current Assistant Attorney General Rebecca WarfieldThanks to my Ace photographer for the evening -- Auntie Chailang Palacios, aka Acha Baby!

Open Letter To President Bush

2008-10-25T07:31:00.002+10:00

October 25, 2008

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Bush:

The Friends of the Monument was formed in the spring of 2008 to express the voice of the local community and consists of a cross-section of indigenous and resident people of the CNMI who are dedicated to the conservation, preservation and protection of marine flora, fauna and geological features of the oceans; and the creation and proper management of a Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.

We, the Friends of the Marinas Trench Marine Monument, thank you and support your interest in declaring the marine ecosystems surrounding the three northernmost islands of Uracus, Maug, and Asuncion as a marine national monument, in accordance with the Antiquities Act of 1906. Declaring the waters as a monument under the Act would expedite the process of bringing protection to the precious resources found in the waters there, while establishing specific federal responsibilities toward governance of the monument, and enhancing our ocean legacy.

Additionally, we ask that you specifically include in the language of the Executive Order under the Antiquities Act that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, through its National Marine Sanctuaries Program, be the federal agency that administers, co-manages, and enforces the monument, along with the CNMI.

Furthermore, any co-management agreement must anticipate unknowns and allow for responsible change. The management arrangement, goals, and objectives of the monument should be reviewed on a regular 10-year basis.

The health of the world's oceans has declined drastically over the past several hundred years, and we believe the most effective means of restoring their wellbeing is through the setting aside of large no-take zones or sanctuaries, such as the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. This would offer marine life a safe haven.

We believe that the creation of a monument in our northern waters would generate many benefits for the CNMI. The monument will enhance the stature of the CNMI on the world stage as a contributor toward the revitalization of the world's oceans, and as a contributor to the Micronesia Challenge to set aside and effectively conserve 30 percent of the region's near-shore resources by 2020. The monument would also provide countless benefits to the people of the CNMI.

We have taken the liberty of spelling out a number of the benefits, in the form of a vision that we believe would accrue from the monument. These fall into six categories: management and enforcement, culture and tradition, conservation, education, research, and economic development, which we address, in turn, below.

Management and Enforcement, by which we mean not only management of the monument once it is declared, but also the process of defining how the monument would function once it is established.

The Friends envision that the federal and local government officials will co-manage the monument. We would like the Friends to be involve in this co-management; we are sure that there are innovative means for our members' support and contribution. For example, we hope that the initial Advisory Committee for the Monument includes members of the Friends and other conservation-minded people who actively supported the creation of the monument.

Additionally, critical to see these efforts are the necessary resources to enforce any protections established by a special designations. With this regard, we would request your assistance with the necessary equipment, training and support to properly enforce the designated area. We envision having planes and boats for enforcement and patrol. In order to better manage and enforce the protections of the monument, we suggest that all vessels entering the monument area should be required to carry a VMS tracking system and adopt strict invasive marine and terrestrial species prevention measures.

Culture and Tradition, by which we mean the lifestyle, practices and beliefs of the Chamorro and Carolinian peoples that have been handed down from generation to generation.

The Friends believe, first of all, that the Chamorro and Carolinian cultures and tradition must be treated with respect, and taken into full account in decisions that are made about the management and use of the monument. We should take into consideration the precepts of our indigenous culture and tradition when deciding issues like, for example, sustenance fishing, canoe travel and other similar matters.

Conservation, by which we mean the protection and preservation of the marine ecosystems and their interrelationship with land ecosystems; and their continued presence and existence in the future.

The proposed monument contains some of the world's most unique habitats and unusual features, such as chemosynthetic and photosynthetic organisms living side-by-side, mud volcanoes, vent communities and other natural wonders. One of these is volcanic coral reefs, which occur nowhere else in Micronesia. The coral reefs that exist there are flourishing and vibrant, and need protection to help guard our planet from the threat of global warming and potentially act as a source of corals for other marine areas.

The Friends acknowledge that people of the CNMI and the world have historically relied on the oceans for food and other resources. We believe that the need for continued availability of our precious, limited marine resources does not conflict with conservation. We believe that creating the monument will help increase the oceans' abundance by contributing to the survival and recovery of depleted marine resources and biodiversity.

Education, by which we mean both formal and informal education, for students as well as the public, for residents as well as the rest of the world, in all relevant media formats, produced both commercially and non-commercially.

The Friends believe that funding should be made available to enable oceanography to be taught in schools, at the college and through lectures and programs for the public, and to ensure that pertinent education materials will be readily available, that careers in the marine and geological science will be encouraged, that opportunities for field trips for students, teachers, the general public and tourist should be made available.

We envision a Visitors' Center, including a centrally-located facility funded under the auspices of the NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries Program that would be open to everyone that would contain not only displays of various sorts, but would also offer related items for sale.

The Friends believe that the Visitors' Center would bring benefits not only to the local economy by attracting tourist, but to the people of the CNMI as it would showcase information about marine geology in general, about the monument in particular, about the CNMI, and about its indigenous history and culture to all who visit it; it would present, in a variety of formats, the results of marine research done in the area and relevant research done elsewhere; it would regularly present programs open to the public on matters related to marine life in general as well as marine life specific to the area, thus allowing the people of the CNMI, tourists, and other visitors to benefit from the establishment of the monument.

It is our dream that this monument will inspire and contribute to the first indigenous students receiving their Ph.D. in marine biology, deep-sea geology, or other related sciences.

Research, by which we mean the process of studying marine life, geology and other sciences, and of data generation, as well as the products of such activity generated by scientists, teachers, or students.

The Friends believe the researchers and scientists who base their work on the marine monument and its environs should be asked to obtain permission prior to undertaking research in the area and should share the information they garner with the local community through presentations at the Visitors' Center or in other forms and forums. They should make accommodations to take along local students and teachers on research trips, so that local students are encouraged to become scientist and researchers.

Economic Development, by which we mean assistance in improving the economy toward enabling the CNMI to become self-sufficient. The CNMI, being a small island with limited assets, will always be dependent to some extent on outside forces and influences, but certainly more is needed and can be done to increase independence.

There are many great economic benefits that we anticipate from the monument. We envision a surge in the media attention from your designation of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, which will attract more visitors to the CNMI. The CNMI relies heavily on tourism as its number one industry, and help to this sector of economy-whether from traditional or high-end visitors-will have a significant beneficial impact. The monument will likely attract scientists and other researchers, who will contribute financially while visiting or living here. The operation of the Visitors' Center and administration of the monument will create jobs, both directly and indirectly.

The contribution that a monument would make to the CNMI economy is in stark contrast to the present situation, where the only economic benefit that presently occurs from this significant resource is limited to illegal foreign fishing activities, such as shark finning. Obviously, this current economic activity has little benefit to the CNMI.

The Friends believe that the anticipated economic activities from the monument are much more suited to the CNMI's image in the world and more productive of tangible benefits. The increased flow of traffic from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota to the monument would also benefit the people of the CNMI in that it would make more feasible resettlement of the Northern Islands and provide transportation and communication with the “lower” Northern Islands.

We envision the northern island of Pagan being used as a staging area for research, fuel storage facility, and other needs. Of particular benefit would be the expansion of the landing strip for easier and faster access. The provision of the floating dock could preserve its unique black and beach.

Greater protection of our monument resources from illegal fishing, exploitation, or harvesting will also help our fishermen who follow the law to stay competitive.

In conclusion, the Friends of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument hope that you make the designation of this monument soon and expressly give it the highest possible protections available by law.

Ignacio V. Cabrera
Chair, Friends of the Monument

Agnes McPhetres
Vice Chair, Friends of the Monument

Andrew Salas
Vice Chair, Friends of the Monument

Belinda Norita
MarjaLee Taitano
Ken Kramer
Chailang Palacios
Karl T. Reyes
Jane Mack
Cinta M. Kaipat
Emelain D. Fejeran
Wes Bogdan
Lynn Knight
David M. Sablan
Ruth L. Tighe

2008-10-23T04:47:00.003+10:00

Thursday, October 23, 2008
Local
Wednesday, October 22, 2008

At forum, public speaks out on NMI monument

By Stefan Sebastian
Business Editor

Members of the public both for and against the White House's plan to establish a marine monument in the CNMI gave federal authorities feedback during a public forum at the Fiesta Resort Monday night. (Stefan Sebastian) A sea of people, some sporting orange t-shirts and others holding protest signs, filled a conference room at the Fiesta Resort and Spa Monday night for a forum on the White House's proposal to declare the waters around the CNMI's three northernmost islands as a marine monument.

The proposal-which would place thousands of square miles of ocean water around the islands of Maug, Asuncion and Uracas under heightened federal protections-has become one of the most hotly contested local issues of the day, with supporters saying it will preserve a unique haven for undersea life and opponents arguing it will trample on the rights of people in the CNMI.

Diving into the fray this week are officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality, who earlier on Monday held a four-hour talk with the local Legislature and private discussions with Gov. Benigno Fitial. In Monday night's forum, the White House team did far more listening than talking as members of the public both for and against the monument gave them a piece of their minds.

Throughout much of the forum, the public participants engaged in discussion groups to answer a host of questions about the proposal on topics such as, among others, what resources should be considered in the White House's assessment of the waters at issue and how to structure a co-management scheme for the region.

Among the key concerns raised by the discussion groups were whether the federal government could guarantee funding linked to the monument, whether indigenous people would continue to have access to the northern islands if the plan moves forward, and the Bush administration's timeline for making a decision-which some critics have said is rushed given the president's pending departure from the White House in January. For his part, CEQ chief James Connaughton appeared ready to try to calm the nerves of many in the crowd who came with apprehensions about the plan.

“This is an opportunity to put the Northern Marianas on the international map,” he told them. “But it's an opportunity that the people of the Marianas have to want.”

A crucial reservation many opponents of the proposal have long voiced is that it will limit or bar access in the future to undersea mineral deposits in the region and geothermal energy resources. However, in an interview, Connaughton said that preliminary scientific data on the plan suggests that the undersea geological resources within the proposed monument's boundaries are uniquely arranged so that they could potentially be extracted without harming the surrounding ecosystem, a point the White House is considering as it weighs how to manage the waters.

“There does not appear to be a conflict between the biological resources there and the other natural resources,” he said. “This region is blessed with having all of these resources but not in conflict with one another, so all of the different interests could be met.”

On the amount of access indigenous people would have in the monument, Connaughton added that “freedom of navigation” would be assured under the plan if it moves ahead and noted that when the federal government established a similar monument in Hawaii several years ago, it made significant accommodations for native people.

“You as a culture are already there on conservation,” he said to one member of the crowd who had raised the issue. “What this could do is reflect that.”

Some critics of the monument proposal at the forum, however, remained skeptical after Connaughton's assurances. Rep. Ramon Tebuteb (R-Saipan) said the short period of time available in the twilight of President Bush's final term might be too little for the local community to come to grips with the issue and make a decision.

“Now we have a two-month grace period before the president leaves,” said Tebuteb. “Is that enough time for everybody to understand the pros and cons of this situation?”

And rather than declare the northern waters a monument, commercial fisherman David Lewis suggested the area should instead become a federal marine sanctuary, a designation he said would give more flexibility to his industry and others when it comes to the economic activities federal regulations would allow to take place there.

“I just think that the people here need to consider what they would be giving up,” he said. “In order for anything to change once you create a monument, it would require an act of Congress.”

Nevertheless, proponents of the monument pointed to a slew of prospective benefits the proposal might bring to the CNMI, such as an increase in tourism and new opportunities for federal funding. Deputy Labor Secretary Jacinta Kaipat, for example, who was raised on the island of Pagan near the monument's waters, said the plan could open up opportunities for indigenous people to resettle some of the northern islands with federal aid.

Kaipat added that the plan could give the CNMI's public image a boost.

“Let's get some good press for a change,” she said.

Restaurateur and former congressman Andrew Salas noted the monument could also help to heal the CNMI's relationship with the federal government after heated controversies over minimum wage and immigration laws.

“This is the beginning of repairing that relationship,” he said. “I hope that based on this, we can begin to develop some trust.”

But for Connaughton, a major incentive in establishing a monument in the CNMI is the rare and untouched coral reef ecosystem that it would contain, one that could give the world a bright example when it comes to how to manage reefs around the globe.

“This is not about t-shirts and signs,” he said, noting later that the diversity of life in the monument is richer than almost any other place on Earth. “This is the world's control for what a truly pristine coral community is supposed to look like. It has much to teach the rest of the world, so we have to do this right.”

120 on 10/20 IS TODAY!!!!

2008-10-20T04:27:00.011+10:00

Caption: Cinta Kaipat places a mwaar on the head of CEQ chairman James Connaughton while 65 other Friends of the Monument members look on. Inset, James Connaughton greets the line of Monument supporters at the entrance to the Hyatt Regency Saipan yesterday afternoon. (Contributed Photos)

Don't forget to wear your Orange t-shirts and come on out to the Hibiscus Hall, Fiesta Resort, for the 5:30 p.m. workshop meeting today! Your presence matters!

Angelo has a great post and pictures of the warm welcome reception we gave the White House officials who arrived at the Hyatt yesterday. Visit The Saipan Blog - Saipan, CNMI's most popular blog since ever since
http://www.thesaipanblogger.com

While you're at it, visit the other blogs that Angelo contributes to --

--
Angelo O'Connor Villagomez

Saipan Coordinator - Ocean Legacy
PMB 360 BOX 10001
Saipan, MP 96950

(670) 234 2665
http://www.globaloceanlegacy.org

Volunteer
Beautify CNMI
(670) 285-6462
http://www.beautifycnmi.com

120 ON 10/20

2008-10-13T01:16:00.001+10:00

Monday, October 13, 2008

120 on 10/20

By CINTA M. KAIPAT
Special to the Saipan Tribune

Two years ago, the people living in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands set out to do something extraordinary. Members of the Beautify CNMI! coalition challenged themselves to recruit 1,020 volunteers to clean up our island on Oct. 20, 2006. We called this day 1020 on 10/20.

On that fateful day, not 1,020, but over 3,000 people came out to clean up litter from our roads and beaches, paint over graffiti, and plant trees. It was one of my proudest moments knowing that I was a part of it-I was part of something bigger than our community.

In the two years since that day, our people have learned the value of a beautiful, clean island. On an almost weekly basis, we see pictures of community groups, schools, and churches pitching in to do their part to keep our islands beautiful. Our community members are doing this on their own, not at the urging of the government, but because they know it is the right thing to do and because it makes our islands a better place to live and visit.

As a result of this new ethic among our residents, it is a safe bet to say that the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota are now the cleanest islands in Micronesia. That is something of which we can all be proud.

In a few days, the people of the Commonwealth will again have the opportunity to be a part of something large with potentially global implications, and it happens to fall on the two-year anniversary of 1020 on 10/20.

The federal government will be holding a public workshop on the proposed Marianas Trench Marine National Monument on Oct. 20 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. This will be an opportunity for our people to stand up and tell the federal government and the world that we support the preservation of our marine resources.

Preservation is enshrined in our Constitution. Article XIV, Section II of the CNMI Constitution protects the islands within the proposed Marianas Trench Marine National Monument for the preservation of birds, wildlife, and plants. The constitutional protections do not extend to the marine environment, however, and we now have an opportunity to fulfill the intent of our Constitution by working with the federal government to declare a monument.

I hereby challenge the people of the Commonwealth to come out in support of preservation and the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.

I hereby declare Oct. 20, 2008, 120 on 10/20.

I call for 120 of our community members to join hands with me on 10/20 to support the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. I challenge at least 120 of you to attend this meeting to show the federal government and the world that we support preservation.

I look forward to seeing you there in your bright orange t-shirt!

Biba Monument! Biba Preservation!

Cinta M. Kaipat, the deputy secretary of Labor, is one of the founders of Beautify CNMI.

PLEASE HELP US FIND OREO!

2008-10-07T21:01:00.009+10:00

I'm reposting the e-mail below which I received from Angelo. Please help find our favorite mascot, Oreo!

(Picture stolen from Angelo.)

Hafa Adai,

My dog Oreo escaped. He was last seen in the China Town/Garapan area Tuesday night at 6 PM. Help! Please call Angelo at 285-6462 if you find him or see him. Oreo is a small white dog with some black fur. He answers to "Oreo" and is wearing a brown leather collar with silver metal studs. Please repost this on your blog and/or print in the newspaper.

Thanks,

Angelo

--
Angelo O'Connor Villagomez

Saipan Coordinator - Ocean Legacy
PMB 360 BOX 10001
Saipan, MP 96950

(670) 234 2665
http://www.globaloceanlegacy.org

Volunteer
Beautify CNMI
(670) 285-6462
http://www.beautifycnmi.com

Visit The Saipan Blog - Saipan, CNMI's most popular blog since ever since
http://www.thesaipanblogger.com
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We Believe!

2008-09-17T11:39:00.000+10:00

2008-09-12T16:26:00.002+10:00

Marine Protected Areas as Effective Fishery Management Tools

The marine protected area system is an integral part of the CNMI's coastal zone management program. Our marine sanctuaries, reserves, and conservation areas provide a tool to manage human activities and sustain multiple fishery species using an ecosystem-based management approach. Managing fisheries on a species-by-species basis can be very difficult. Therefore managing them as a whole through managing the ecosystem is the most efficient and cost-effective method. Furthermore, no take zones are much simpler to monitor and enforce than conventional fishing regulations such as gear and harvest restrictions. This is particularly true in the CNMI where such a large area of the sea and reef requires surveillance.

No-take zones where fishing is prohibited can enhance fishing in surrounding areas in a number of ways. First, fish are more abundant in the no take zones and grow to a larger size, since fishermen don't remove them. By protecting reef fish stock within marine sanctuaries, fish live longer and grow larger. Generally, bigger fish produce more eggs and offspring than smaller fish and the greater number of fish in the sanctuary will produce more offspring overall. These larvae are not strong enough to swim faster than ocean currents so many of them may be carried out of the no take zone. As the larvae develop into adults, they help replenish the surrounding fishing grounds and can be captured by fishermen.

Second, inside no take zones the density of fish can increase to the point where things become too crowded. Fish compete more intensively for food and suitable habitat. As a result, some adults and juveniles will "spillover" into adjoining areas and become available for capture and harvest.
On many of our coral reefs, high fishing pressure has changed the natural community structure, damaged habitats and removed some of the large target species such as groupers. By prohibiting fishing and destructive practices in marine protected areas, important habitat and fish stocks can restore themselves and the ecosystem can return to its natural functioning state.

Third, fishery management is bedeviled by uncertainty. In order to determine harvest levels that do not result in over-fishing, fishery managers need to accurately estimate the population size of the fish being caught and some of their biological characteristics, such as how fast they grow. Getting this information is difficult because the fish are hidden underwater and may swim long distances. In addition, population size can fluctuate widely due to environmental conditions such as typhoons, ocean warming, and volcanoes. At the least, no take zone sanctuaries provide an "insurance policy" to mitigate these uncertainties.

Studies in Guam, Fiji and throughout the Pacific have shown that the weight of fish per unit area was far greater in marine protected areas than at other sites. Fish were more abundant, and there were more species present than in fished areas. Other studies have shown that populations of lobster, conch and shellfish within protected areas increased significantly, demonstrating that these areas had recovered from over-fishing. In Fiji, no take zone sanctuaries have increased fish catch for villagers dependent on fisheries for food, and in Florida recreational fishing has improved dramatically with the inception of their marine sanctuaries program.

Fourth, marine protected areas can protect vulnerable species and habitat critical to their survival. These organisms may naturally exist in low numbers or have become endangered as a result of man's activities. Others may be relatively abundant but their biological characteristics-slow growth or low fecundity (few offspring)-make them especially susceptible to over-harvest. Sea Turtles for example, take over a decade to grow and mature to a point where they lay eggs. Then, they only lay their eggs at the beaches where they were born. By that time, the beach may have eroded or been replaced by man with housing or commercial establishments, or predators may eat the turtle or its eggs before they have a chance to replenish the population. In some instances a fully developed network of sanctuaries and conservation areas could replace other management measures. For example, if a significant proportion of a population were protected in no take zones, there might be less need to set harvest limits and restrictions, which can be hard to accurately determine and expensive to enforce.

Fifth, removing species directly, whether due to fishing, habitat damage or pollution, affects biodiversity (species richness) in an area. A species doesn’t have to go extinct for biodiversity to be diminished in any given area. If an organism's home range is reduced, ecosystems in those places where it no longer occurs are less diverse and less diverse ecosystems are often less productive. Removing species can also have indirect effects. For example, if a predator disappears its prey can proliferate, displacing other species. Alternatively, if one of two competing species is removed, the other will dominate the ecosystem and may imbalance the system making it less productive.

Sixth, many human activities, especially certain fishing methods, can damage fish and reef habitat. Even recreational activities can cause harm, if they result in anchor damage to sensitive reef areas, boat groundings, littering, or trampling of bottom-dwelling organisms by inexperienced snorkelers and divers. If these activities are restricted within marine protected areas, damage is less likely to occur. However, marine protected areas cannot prevent pollution originating outside their boundaries from harming habitat. The no take zone boundaries will not turn away oil spilled in an adjacent area or sediment and polluted water that runs off from land during heavy rainstorms.

Seventh, marine protected areas can directly benefit people by enhancing recreational opportunities and protecting cultural resources. People seeking to enjoy the natural environment expect scenic beauty and minimal evidence of human impacts. By prohibiting destructive uses, marine sanctuaries and conservation areas help sustain this concept of nature. In the CNMI, marine protected areas protect important cultural sites such as shipwrecks and Indigenous burial sites and permit traditional practices such as Fiirourow.

The existence of more, larger and many different types of fish makes marine protected areas very attractive for diving and snorkeling, and thus enhances the tourism industry. Based on their benefits to the fishing and tourism industries, marine protected areas are a good investment for the CNMI. They are similar to no-hunting areas within terrestrial wildlife conservation areas. Fishing rights, like hunting rights, must be balanced with conservation needs, the rights of other marine resource users, and the rights of future generations to have sustainable resources. Marine protected areas provide a good means of protecting these rights. No take zones ensure the protection of marine bio-diversity, which is the source ultimately of all fisheries productivity, the source of marine life that attracts divers and snorkelers, and provides the basis for our unique island culture and lifestyle.

The Marine Sanctuaries program at DFW has supported the formation of Advisory Committees for all no take zones to ensure input from stakeholders and those parties affected by the establishment of marine sanctuary’s and conservation areas. DFW encourages the public and these stakeholders to actively participate in the planning, management and enforcement of protected areas. By reinforcing social and cultural lines of enforcement, balanced use, and fisheries management, our marine protected areas can sustain our needs today and the needs of generations to come. Please help support and promote the No Take Zone policy by participating, whether directly as an informed stakeholder, or passively by respecting the restrictions in marine sanctuary’s, conservation areas, and reserves. It’s the right thing to do! And, it’s the law!

(NOTE: This used to be on a CNMI Government Agency website, but they took it down.)

Thank You, Aya-san and Willy-san!

2008-07-10T21:29:00.006+10:00

It's been quite a while since Beautify CNMI! friends enjoyed an evening out together. I have to thank Aya-san and Willy-san for the invitation. Arigato Gozaimasu!

The leader of this Japanese group (the gentleman with me in the first photo in this slideshow) brought a group to Saipan last year to shoot a movie and to promote the Japanese version of "Miss Saipan" contest. (The winner got a part in the movie.) Last year, the film crew landed in Saipan and went straight from the airport to Pau Pau Beach to do a cleanup with Beautify CNMI! This gentleman is the film director.

Now, they're back with a new set of contestants and some members of the first crew. Welcome back and thank you for promoting our islands.

To sum up the evening -- the food was delicious, the company was great, and everyone had a great time!

Angelo has a post on this evening and the contest here.

Oreo Kenobe as Cinta Kaipat

2008-06-11T08:15:00.009+10:00

(Picture stolen from Angelo.)

Check out Angelo's blog for more cute pictures of Oreo.

By the way, Catie, Angelo's little sister who entered Oreo in show, went as Angelo. Is she cute or what?!

http://jetapplicant.blogspot.com/

Okay, I'll admit it, Oreo, you look so darn cute!

Ron and Nancy Kramis Eco-Exercise--Wing Beach

2008-05-24T22:10:00.003+10:00

It's never too late to say Thank you, so Thank You, Ron & Nancy!

Ron Kramis at Wing Beach

Hi Gus and Cinta:

I'm sending a picture from our Sunday, February 24th Wing Beach excursion as you requested. Most of the obvious litter was around the parking area and the picnic areas nearby, but the rest of the beach looked very good in general. It was clear that people have been taking very good care of Wing Beach.

We covered a great length of the beach and into the picnic and shaded areas adjacent to most of the beach so obviously we got a lot of old stuff along with some new. Personally I left a small bit of stuff that was being guarded by those large spiders I don't like. After two hours of hiking we only got about two large garbage bags full. Very nice to have the garbage container there.

We highly recommend this as a nice early morning weekend activity for folks------eco-exercise. Who knows where we'll strike next weekend! :)

See you soon,
Nancy

Making A Difference

2008-05-24T00:10:00.001+10:00

The Beautify CNMI "Beauty Virus" Is Alive And Well

2008-05-18T23:14:00.012+10:00

Thanks to Aya-san and Willy-san of Isa CNMI for keeping the Beautify CNMI "Beauty Virus" alive and well!

Gus and I got our niece and nephews together and headed up to the Last Command Post in Marpi, Saipan, this bright Sunday morning for a cleanup with Isa CNMI and 200 visitors from Japan. They are members of the Nenpoushinkyou group in Japan. They say they have 800,000 members. WOW!

I put together this slide show of the day's events. The first 100 or so pictures were taken of the cleanup.

The last pictures are of the first blooming flame tree of the group we planted on lower Dandan Road (the road leading up to Dandan from the Welcome/Adios Sign). We planted these trees last year, and now one of them is already blooming!

The last pictures are of the road sign on Tun Kiyoshi Road.

Thanks to everyone who pitched in to help. Isa CNMI's Aya-san and Willy-san Matsumoto led the effort with Beautify CNMI and her coalition partners MVA, PDI, Tasi Tours, RC&D, PEW, and community members. In addition to Gus and I and our niece Sheena Saures and nephews Peter Saures, Franklin, Josiah and Jun Lizama, other community members who were there included Juanita Fajardo and her niece Breana and nephew Vince.

Once, again, thanks to everyone for a fine job! Arigato-gozaimasu!

New PSA for Beautify CNMI!

2008-05-02T23:58:00.004+10:00

Thanks to Cory McRae and Mike Tripp for this awesome new PSA. Bravo!

1st in a Ron & Nancy Kramis Eco-cise Series

2008-04-28T17:45:00.004+10:00

It is people like Nancy Kramis and her husband Ron who help make Beautify CNMI! what it is today. Nancy travels to work in the CNMI periodically to help our people learn to better assist and serve those citizens in our community who are deaf and/or hard of hearing. Depending on the need, Nancy stays for weeks, and sometimes several months at a time, and her husband Ron has made some of these trips out here with her several times. Their invaluable contributions as Beautify CNMI! community volunteers deserve to be recognized, so here begins the first posting of the Ron & Nancy Kramis Eco-cise series right here. After some begging, Nancy was kind enough to give me permission to post these photos and accompanying eco-cise journal that she shared with Beautify CNMI's Kaipat family (that would be my family and her adopted Island family).

The series starts here....

A couple of pics of Ron's and my Sunday a.m. eco-exercise program for your collection. Sunday, March 9 we did a round trip from the Bird Island lookout past entry to Kalabera to the end of the road. About 3 hours and not too much junk. Looked fairly good.We then hiked down to the beach and noted that the ocean has left way too many "presents" for us at the high tide line. So we high tailed it outta there with plans to return another day with many big bags.Gettin' outta there!

STAY TUNED NEXT TIME FOR MORE.

********************
Nancy and Ron have contributed in so many other ways, from adopting a flame tree. . .L-R: Chuck Sayon of MINA; Nancy Kramis of Beautify CNMI Bellingham, Washington; Cinta Kaipat; and Doreen Jesus of Beautify CNMI Guam at the 2007 Flame Tree Arts Festival.

. . . to making a $500 donation at the 1st Anniversary Dinner for Beautify CNMI held at the Aqua Resort last year. They were there again this year at the Jake Shimabukuro Benefit Concert for Beautify CNMI and HANMI.

In addition to their own Eco-cise, they've also participated in numerous Beautify CNMI! activities, including the monthly clean-up of the Paseo de Marianas, which is the heart of the Garapan Tourist District, and they've attended some Beautify CNMI General and Committee meetings. Ron is a member of Beautify CNMI!'s Parks & Trails Committee headed by Ken Kramer of RCD.

Even when they're back in Bellingham, Washington, they still participate from afar in spreading the Beautify CNMI "beauty virus" in the mainland. Their dog, Molly Kramis, even planted a tree in honor of Arbor Day as we in the CNMI celebrated it here.

Thanks, Nancy and Ron! Congratulations again on being winners of the 2007 Beautify CNMI! Spirit Award. You are quite an inspiration to many of us.

Thanks For Nothing!

2008-04-27T23:52:00.006+10:00

I know, I know...I haven't been blogging much lately, so you're probably surprised I am posting this within hours of my last post, but DARN IT! I just read Ken Kramer's letter in the Variety on the lost opportunity with PEW and it's very upsetting! Click here to read Ken's excellent letter to the Editor.

I knew it wasn't good when I read that the Legislature passed a resolution voting against the Marianas Trench National Park of the Sea proposal. I just don't get it. Or should I say -- they just don't get it.

I, for one, still believe that we had not given this community a chance to fully explore this opportunity. The resolution was premature but effective in killing a wonderful opportunity for the CNMI. Lucky are those who welcome PEW with open arms. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to do enough to help PEW succeed. Most of all, I'm sorry for all of us.

Last Day of Flame Tree Arts Festival

2008-04-27T19:59:00.012+10:00

Jun joined Gus for a few numbers. Actually, he was only supposed to join Gus for one number, but when he got on stage for the sound check, he decided to stay from beginning to end!

It sure was hot out! But, in the end, it was well worth it. At the end of the performance, Parker presented Gus with an appreciation certificate. (Photo courtesy of sister Nan Kramis.)
Sisters Cil, Vio & Niece Lei enjoying the Festival. (Photo courtesy of Nan Kramis.)
Nan and Cin. (Photo courtesy of Nan.)
Cin & Gus say "See you all next year!"

Give PEW A Chance

2008-03-25T01:15:00.002+10:00

Opinion
Monday, March 24, 2008

Give PEW a chance

By JACINTA M. KAIPAT
Special to the Saipan Tribune

I am fully aware that there are some individuals, and one individual in particular, who have been actively spreading misinformation about PEW and PEW’s intent. Rumors, innuendos, and political rhetoric should not play a part in preventing each and every one of us from exercising our responsibility to gather as much information and examining both sides of this issue before making up our minds.

My late father, Frank Borja Kaipat, was a congressman and District Administrator in charge of the Northern Islands in the ’60s up until 1972. In Carolinian culture, we believe that where a person dies is where their spirit shall forever remain. My father breathed his last breath on Pagan Island. This is another reason I care deeply and will ALWAYS care deeply about the Northern Islands. One thing that my father’s leadership taught me by example was that all of our islands are interconnected and that what happens on one island impacts the rest. I’ve always understood this.

I was first introduced to Jay Nelson of PEW by Rep. Diego Benavente. I introduced Jay to Angelo Villagomez. For those of you who don’t know me, my love and loyalty to our people and our islands is unquestionable. I was born in the Northern Islands. I will ALWAYS care deeply about these islands and future of these islands probably more than anyone who has never been there or lived there. The Northern Islands will ALWAYS be special to me.

I just served as a congresswoman in the 15th Legislature and founded the well-respected, award-winning environmental organization Beautify CNMI! My track record speaks for itself. My beliefs in the preservation of our core traditional and cultural values are well-documented in the award-winning cultural and historical documentary film Lieweila: Navigators’ Children/A Micronesian Story.

I have known and worked with my friend Herman Tudela in assisting our local fishermen. As a Senate aide to former senator Tom Villagomez, I appeared and testified before WESPAC in support of the preservation of our local Chamorro and Carolinian cultural and traditional fishing practices. I served for years as a member of the Historic Preservation Review Board. My keen interest in enhancing our people’s quality of life has a direct influence on my passion for enhancing our land and water environment and in the preservation, conservation, and propagation of our plant and animal species (in the broadest sense).

Please, I humbly and respectfully ask each and every single one of us NOT to rush to judgment, but to allow our community to have this much-needed open dialogue with PEW representatives on this very important issue. Only then would we be able to collectively and responsibly make a well-informed decision that would be in the best short and long-term future interest of our people, our islands and our natural resources. Our children deserve nothing less.

I Taotaota! I Tanota. I Linalata! Aramasach! Faluwasch! Malawasch! Our People! Our Land! Our Way of Life!

Jacinta Kaipta is a former congresswoman in the 15th Legislature and is currently the deputy secretary of the CNMI Department of Labor. She helped found the environmental group Beautify CNMI!

Beautify CNMI Awards To Be Presented On March 27

2008-03-20T02:10:00.001+10:00

CNMI News
Thursday March 20, 2008

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beautify CNMI! to award environmental champions next week

By Raquel C. Bagnol
Variety News Staff

THE winners of this year’s Beautify CNMI! Steward and Champion awards will be announced at the Saipan World Resort on March 27.

Beautify CNMI! volunteer Angelo Villagomez said the two recipients of the awards will be recognized for their contribution as exceptional environmental leaders during the last 12 months.

“Beautify CNMI! is celebrating its second anniversary and we will be giving out two award categories: the Environmental Steward and the Environmental Champion,” Villagomez said.

The Steward Award is given to an individual or an organization who has demonstrated real concern for the islands of the CNMI.

The Champion Award is given to a person or group who shows the true spirit of Beautify CNMI!

Among the criteria used for picking the winners are volunteerism, innovation, cooperation, creativity and the ability to spread the “beauty virus” all over the island.

As part of their anniversary celebration, Villagomez is also inviting the public to get their tickets now for the world renowned ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro’s concert which will be held on the same night.

“VIP tickets for the concert are already sold out and we are urging everyone to buy their tickets now before everything is sold out,” Villagomez said. He said the doors will open at 6:30 p.m. as the concert will start at 7 p.m.

“We are inviting one and all to come to the concert. This is a real treat for the people of CNMI,” he added.

The proceeds of the concert will benefit the Beautify CNMI! and the Hotel Association of the Northern Marianas Islands.

Villagomez said the local audience will surely be entertained by the Shimabukuro’s revolutionary musical playing which ranges from jazz, blues, funk, and classical, bluegrass, folk, flamenco and rock.

Villagomez said the tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children less than 12 years in age. Tickets are available at the Century Hotel, the Marianas Eye Institute or you may call Beautify CNMI! volunteer line at 285-6462.

Foreign Workers and S. 2739

2008-03-19T00:52:00.003+10:00

[I still fail to see how foreign national workers and their leaders could support this bill (and its predecessors) when the bill intends to reduce the foreign worker population down to zero. This is the same thing that the Variety claims is the intent of PL 15-108 even though PL 15-108 never had a provision in it to reduce the size of the foreign worker population down to ZERO. Go figure!]

Wednesday March 19, 2008

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Foreign workers can transfer anytime if S. 2739 becomes law’

By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

FEDERAL Labor Ombudsman Jim Benedetto says the ability of foreign workers to transfer is guaranteed if S.2739, which includes the CNMI federalization measure, is enacted into law.

But he said questions about the implications of certain provisions of the bill can only be determined after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security adopts specific regulations.

The U.S. Senate is expected to deliberate and act on S. 2739 after their Easter break.

Under the bill, Benedetto said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is tasked to establish, administer and enforce a system for allocating and determining the numbers, terms and conditions of permits that will be issued to each guest worker in the CNMI who will be considered as transitional worker.

Benedetto said this means that the department has to pass implementing regulations that should determine how many years transitional workers can work in the commonwealth, among other things.

“It could be a year, three years or five years. That has not been determined yet pending the passage of regulations,” Benedetto told Variety in a phone interview when asked about the length of stay of transitional workers.

He said the provisions of S. 2739 concerning the Northern Marianas should be implemented within a year after its enactment, but it also has a clause that allows the federal government to extend them for another 180 days.

The measure aims to gradually reduce the number of foreign workers every year. By 2014, the CNMI can no longer employ foreign workers.

But Benedetto said this is impossible to achieve given the islands’ small population, and this why the drafters of the bill inserted a clause to allow an indefinite extension of the federal guest worker program in increments of five years, subject to the approval of the U.S. Labor secretary.

“If the secretary of labor determines that such an extension is necessary to ensure an adequate number of workers for legitimate businesses in the commonwealth, the secretary of Labor may, through notice published in the Federal Register, provide for an additional extension of up to five years,” a portion of S. 2739 stated.

Uke Virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro To Hold Beautify CNMI/HANMI Fundraiser Concert

2008-03-14T23:23:00.009+10:00

Angelo has a post on this Fundraiser Concert here.

For Olomwaay fans, the great news is that Olomwaay will be opening for Jake. Brothers Gus and Cris will be teaming up with Brother Benji Limes to jam some original Olomwaay tunes that we hope to release soon.

So, March 27 is the date. Tickets are $25 pp and $15 children under 12.

Come on out and support a worthy cause!

Presentation at the 15th General Association of Mariana Islands Mayors and Council Members

2008-02-29T04:02:00.002+10:00

Alfred Pangelinan, Director of CNMI Labor's Employment Services Division; Bert Johnston, Education Director of Trades Academy of Guam; Cinta M. Kaipat, Deputy Secretary of CNMI Department of Labor; Eric Plinske, Director of NMC's Small Business Development and SWAT Coordinator; Edith Guerrero, Executive Director for the CNMI Workforce Investment Agency (WIA); and Alice Concepcion, CNMI Labor Employment Services Supervisor.
SWAT Team at 15th General Assembly of the Association of Mariana Islands Mayors
Deputy Labor Secretary Cinta Kaipat speaks to Assembly on PL 15-108 and SWAT
Deputy Secretary of Labor Kaipat fields questions from the mayors and council members
SWAT Coordinator Eric Plinske (NMC) gives an overview of SWAT's mission
List of SWAT Partners

Friday February 29, 2008

NMI mayors no show at general assembly

By Emmanuel T. Erediano Variety News Staff

THE 15th general assembly of Association of Mariana Islands Mayors, Vice Mayors and Municipal Council Members is hosted by the CNMI but none of its mayors showed up for the meeting that started yesterday at the Saipan Grand Hotel in Susupe.

Sixteen municipal officials traveled all the way from Guam to attend the assembly where they discussed the economic impact to the region of the pending military build-up.

The group will elect a new set of officers today.

Tinian Mayor Jose San Nicolas confirmed attendance days ago, but due to “unforeseen circumstances,” he said his presence will not be possible.

San Nicolas said he is sending Tinian Municipal Council Chairman Antonio H. Tudela to attend on his behalf.

He said in a letter addressed to the association that “I strongly value our association and believe that the end results of our objectives will be realized if we work together.”

San Nicolas said he has to hold a very important meeting with the department heads on Tinian.
Rota Mayor Joseph S. Inos also sent a letter to group saying his tight schedule does not allow him to leave Rota. He instead sent Alfred M. Apatang Jr. as his proxy.

Northern Islands Mayor Valentin I. Taisakan, according to the assembly secretariat, did not confirm his attendance prior to the assembly.

Saipan Mayor Juan B.Tudela, the secretariat said, has resigned from the association years ago.

Those who attended from the CNMI are the members of the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, which is composed of Chairwoman Antonia M. Tudela, Vice Chairman Ray Blas Camacho and member Felipe Q. Atalig; the Rota Municipal Council’s Roy James A. Masga, Alfred M. Apatang Jr., and Vicente M.Calvo; and the Tinian council’s Antonio Borja, Charlene M. Lizama and Eugenio L. Villagomez.

Department of Labor Deputy Secretary Cinta Kaipat, Division of Employment and Training Services Director Alfred Pangelinan, Labor supervisor Alice Concepcion, Northern Marianas College’s Eric Plinske and Workforce Investment Agency’s Edith Deleon Guerrero were invited to make a presentation on CNMI labor issues. They all showed up.

Guam Mayors Council executive director John F. Blas declined to comment on the CNMI mayors’ absence.

All he could say is that the meeting is important as it focuses on the pending military build-up.
“The economic opportunity brought about by the military build up on Guam will, at some point, impact the CNMI,” Blas said.

He added that yesterday’s meeting also focused on CNMI’s labor situation and the Guam Contractors Association need for skilled workers.

Mark Your Calendars! Go See Brad and Jeff in Play Buffet

2008-02-23T11:43:00.005+10:00

Hey, Everyone:

Be sure to check out Jeff, Brad, and gang which opens March 7!

Two weeks from Friday, March 7, is the opening of the Play Buffet in the American Memorial Theater in the Park. Nahal Navidar, an amazing actress, is in it. Brad Ruszala has a part, I have a piece, as do a bunch of other cool people. To help promote live theater on the islands, I'd appreciate it if my fellow bloggers would post this image on their blogs until we conclude the run in three weeks.

Jeff

Check out my Saipan Blog at http://turbittj.blogspot.com/

CNMI LABOR FORUM

2008-02-10T15:07:00.000+10:00

Greetings!

If you would like to know more about PL 15-108 and what's happening at the Department of Labor, I invite you to visit the CNMI Labor Forum at www.cnmilaborforum.blogspot.com

President Bush Proposed A U.S. Guest Worker Program In 2004

2008-02-09T05:09:00.000+10:00

Letters to the Editor
Saturday, February 09, 2008

Philosophy behind guest worker program

Lots of debates regarding the pro- and anti-federalization plus Public Law 15-108 (which is now in effect), forums, informal meetings and toolbox talks are very much alive in the Commonwealth among locals and foreigners alike at this very moment. Aside from attending forums, meetings and to find a more viable input, I found a very significant article coming from an independent organization that I hope will support the effort of many foreign workers here in the island seeking for improvement in their working status.

This article, titled "Guest Worker Program," was published in the US Immigration website (http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/guestworkerprogram.html). I am providing you with a copy of the said article so that both locals and foreigners will understand that no less than President Bush himself wants to improved the status of foreign workers because of their great contributions to the US economy.

Guest Worker Program

In 2004 President Bush proposed a guest worker program as a way of giving back to illegal immigrants. He discussed the important role that immigrants have played in the United States by shaping America into what it is today. The United States has had a tradition of welcoming foreigners into the country who have tended to assimilate well into American culture. Bush mentioned that the growth of immigrants over time has propelled the economy into the world's largest and has allowed it to become a powerhouse. Their contributions continue to be evident as they take on difficult jobs that many times require long hours. Immigrants are also known for starting their own businesses which help contribute to the U.S. economy. President Bush drew upon his personal experiences as a Texan to point out how Mexican immigrants he knew had made a difference in the country. He also added that they bring certain values with them like family, work ethic and independence. One specific example that he brought up was the thousands of immigrants that currently serve in the military. They may be foreign born but this did not deter them from embracing the service opportunities that this country has to offer.

Bush emphasized the qualities that immigrants brought to the country and how the United States was dependent upon them. Therefore, he suggested that changes in the current immigration system needed to be introduced. Some employers take advantage of the current situation of illegal immigrants by paying them less than minimum wage. Many hard-working illegal immigrants find themselves fearing deportation due to nationwide raids where documents are verified. Another possibility is that someone will report them to authority figures which can lead to deportation as well. Bush mentioned that having to spend their efforts on patrolling the borders so as to prevent immigrants from entering the country illegally hampers the efforts of securing the country overall. Thus, President Bush has proposed that a better immigration system be introduced so that more immigrants are able to achieve the American Dream.

Many immigrants come with the intention of improving their lives which is something that is shared by humanity in general. President Bush mentioned how they end up taking the jobs that many Americans will not even consider. Illegal immigrants make many sacrifices to reach the United States and often take abuse. Other times they are exploited but this goes unreported due to fear that they may end up being deported. Bush claimed that the current immigration system was not fair and that laws needed to become more humane. Under Bush's proposed temporary worker program, foreign workers would be given the opportunity to fill a job that Americans are not willing to take. Beforehand, the company must make reasonable efforts to find an American that will take the job. In the case that they cannot find a willing American, then they can resort to hiring an immigrant who has a valid permit. Permits will be given for a three year period and would be renewable upon meeting certain requirements. Those violating any requirements or laws will have their permit revoked and deported to their homeland. Employers will be required to hire only those with a valid permit. In addition, employers must report the information to the government so that they can keep track of those in the system. The government will also enforce harsh penalties for employers who violate any work laws under the guest worker program.

Those who participate in the program will be required to register and possibly pay a fee. This would depend on whether they were currently residing in the country or if they are currently abroad. To identify individuals in the program they will be given a temporary worker card. Bush would also work closely with the foreign governments to make sure that after the permit has expired they will have incentives to return to their country. In addition, he would also find a way to have the credit of a temporary worker applied to the retirement system in the foreign country. The temporary workers would also be able to contribute part of their earnings to some type of retirement savings plan. While the program proposed in 2004 was not approved, the guest worker program still is being promoted by President Bush. He mentioned the need for such program in a two day summit in Cancun, Mexico in March 2006. Currently, the guest worker program is part of a Senate bill on immigration reform that could grant amnesty to 12 million immigrants in the United States.

Disclaimer: This article was published by an independent organization. It should be used for information purposes only. Access it at http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/guestworkerprogram.html.

Carlito Jimenez Marquez
Puerto Rico, Saipan

Howard Willens On H.R. 3079

2008-02-05T02:07:00.000+10:00

Tuesday February 5, 2008

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The plain meaning of H.R. 3079

By Howard Willens
For Variety

FOR more than a decade commonwealth residents have debated the pros and cons of federalization of the CNMI immigration and labor laws. Today this debate is focused on the provisions of H.R. 3079, currently before the U.S. Senate for final approval. Although the debate on the merits of the bill undoubtedly will continue, it is desirable to strive for a common understanding of what the bill means.

The issue

Recent media reports originating from an unnamed source at the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, plus numerous letters in support of H.R. 3079, have proposed an interpretation of the legislation’s transition program which I find to be clearly wrong. The question at issue may be simply stated: Does the transition period under H.R 3079 involve one or two special programs for guest workers in the CNMI?

In support of the two guest worker programs theory

The anonymous committee staffer (quoted in the Marianas Variety of January 30, 2008) and the letter writers contend that there are two separate guest worker programs provided by H.R. 3079 under which employers may hire nonimmigrant foreign workers during the transition period.

First, they state that “current guest workers would be eligible for the new CNMI-only temporary guest worker program.” They go on to say that this will give these workers “the chance to remain in the CNMI as long as that program is operating and it will certainly last at least six years beyond the date” of the bill’s enactment and “probably longer, given the CNMI’s very large dependence on guest workers.” (This description is misleading. It fails to acknowledge that during this transition period federal officials are required to reduce annually the number of workers covered by the permit system in order to achieve eventually the goal of zero. It offers small comfort to the 19,000 guest workers in the CNMI to know that a few of them will have the “chance” to be the last to be repatriated.)

Second, they state that “guest workers would be eligible for the non-immigrant worker program under existing federal law on H visas, and allows the CNMI to participate in it without numerical caps.” Conceding that the goal of the legislation is to eventually reduce the number of the guest workers under the CNMI-only temporary guest worker to zero, the proponents of the two-programs interpretation state that “guest workers would continue [to] be able to enter the CNMI indefinitely under the existing federal non-immigrant worker program or [sic] H visas.”

In support of only a single guest worker program

I find that there is a single transition program defined by H.R. 3079, which imposes a permit system on all employers seeking to use nonimmigrant foreign workers, whether that worker is presently in the CNMI or comes in on an H visa. Furthermore, the law requires reductions in the number of permits on an annual basis to zero by the end of 2013, subject to the granting of an extension. After the transition period ends, nonimmigrant workers could enter the CNMI only with an H visa and the commonwealth would be subject to the national caps (unlike Guam). Because it would have to compete with all other U.S. jurisdictions for H visas under the national caps (after the transition program ends), the commonwealth would get few, if any, of these visas.

I find that the two-program theory is unsupportable for these reasons.

First, there is nothing in either the language of H.R. 3079 or its legislative history that refers to two separate guest worker programs during the transition period. All preceding versions of this bill have defined only a single such program to help bridge the gap between the CNMI’s current situation and the full application of the federal immigration laws. This is true of the original versions of H.R. 3079 and S. 1634 as introduced in Congress in 2007, as well as S.1052 passed by the Senate in 2000 and S. 507, approved by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in 2001. Each of these bills defined a single special transition program lasting 10 years (or possibly longer) during which the number of nonimmigrant guest workers in the commonwealth would be reduced to zero.

Second, the proponents of two programs infer the existence of the second guest worker program from the exemption from the numerical caps for H visas that H.R. 3079 provides to the CNMI during the transition program. Such an inference is not supportable and the subsection authorizing the exemption does not permit federal officials implementing H.R. 3079 to admit nonimmigrant workers under an H visa who are not covered by the permit system established by the CNMI-only transition program.

1) The language of the exemption provision, subsection 6(b) of H.R. 3079, imposes no duties whatsoever on federal officials implementing the legislation. It provides only that “An alien, if otherwise qualified, may seek admission to Guam or to the commonwealth during the transition program as a nonimmigrant worker” under the H visa programs “without counting against the numerical limitations” contained in the Immigration and Nationality Act.

2) The exemption from the national caps was necessary to permit the federal officials to issue one or more H visas to meet particular employment requests in the commonwealth without the need to take such visas away from other jurisdictions in the United States. Such exemptions were contained in all previous bills addressing the CNMI situation, with no reference whatsoever in any of these bills to a “second” guest worker program.

3) In earlier versions of the law, the subsection dealing with the exemption from the caps on H visas was contained within the description of the CNMI-only guest worker program. It was almost certainly moved out from this description once it was decided to extend the exemption to Guam as well as the CNMI. It would have been inappropriate, and perhaps misleading, to have this provision relating to Guam contained in the subsection dealing with the CNMI-only guest worker program.

4) The subsections dealing with the CNMI-only guest worker program (with its permit system and objective of annual reductions) indicate that their provisions apply to workers entering the CNMI on H visas, as well as those workers currently in the CNMI who would be entitled to a nonimmigrant classification.

— Subsection 6(d) begins with this statement: “An alien who is seeking to enter the commonwealth as a nonimmigrant worker may be admitted to perform work during the transition period subject to the following requirements [of the permit system]”

— Subsection 6(d)(2) states: “No alien shall be granted nonimmigrant classification or a visa under this subsection unless the permit requirements established under this paragraph have been met.”

— Subsection 6(d)(3) provides that the Secretaries of Homeland Security and State shall establish the conditions for admitting such nonimmigrant workers during the transition period and states: “An alien admitted to the commonwealth on the basis of such a visa shall be permitted to engage in employment only as authorized pursuant to the transition program.”

Third, if the drafters of H.R. 3079 as approved by the House of Representatives had intended to exempt the workers coming in under the H visa program from the CNMI-only transition program, they knew how to do so. In the version of H.R. 3079 that was the subject of hearings in August 2007, there was a provision for the use of employment-based immigrant visas, if necessary, to supplement the available CNMI workforce. Before such visas could be used, the Secretary of Labor under Subsection 6(c)(3) of the bill had to conclude “that exceptional circumstances exist with respect to the inability of employers in the commonwealth to obtain sufficient work-authorized labor, in addition to the commonwealth-only transitional workers authorized under section 103(d)….” (emphasis supplied) As the United States Supreme Court has observed, “where Congress includes particular language in one section of a statute but omits it in another…, it is generally presumed that Congress acts intentionally and purposely in the disparate inclusion or exclusion.” Keene Corp. v. United States, 508 U.S. 200, 208 (1993) (quoting Russello v. United States, 464 U.S.16, 23 (1983)).

Fourth, the contention that the bill provides for two, very different, guest worker programs during the transition period simply makes no sense. In the first place, why would any guest worker choose to participate in the so-called temporary program, with the chance of having the available permits being reduced to zero, if such an easy and non-threatening alternative were available under this hypothetical H visa program. Secondly, the argument assumes that the very same federal officials required to apply the harsh provisions of the CNMI-only guest worker program would conclude that Congress intended them to admit all H visa applicants seeking to work in the CNMI without regard to the permit system imposed by the CNMI-only program. This proposition cannot withstand rational analysis.

The fact is, H.R. 3079 mandates the reduction of guest workers in the commonwealth to zero within five years, or perhaps longer if an extension is granted. There are no exceptions, and there is no alternative for guest workers or CNMI employers, who will have to compete for the permits remaining after the required annual reductions. Those who drafted the bill intended this result. There is absolutely no legislative history indicating anything to the contrary. The congressional drafters of this bill (and the Senate bill) and their collaborators at the Department of the Interior declined to provide to the commonwealth any draft of the proposed bill that they ultimately sent to the House of Representatives for passage. If we had been given this opportunity, we could easily have pointed out these and other deficiencies in the proposed legislation and the inevitable and serious adverse effects on the commonwealth and its guest workers that will result from its enactment.

Meeting With Filipino Community

2008-02-02T12:52:00.000+10:00

[This reporter reported this story accurately. Thank you, Haidee.]

Home > Pinoy Abroad > Top Stories
CNMI officials to Filipinos: Give new labor law a chance
By HAIDEE V. EUGENIO, GMANews.TV
01/30/2008 | 02:09 PM

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SUSUPE, Saipan – Key officials of the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) government told about a hundred representatives of various Filipino groups on Saipan to give the new labor reform law a chance.

In a three-hour open forum on Tuesday night exclusively covered by GMANews.TV, the CNMI officials said Public Law 15-108 or the Commonwealth Employment Act of 2007 still allows foreign workers to transfer jobs through administrative orders and not necessarily through the filing of a labor complaint against their current employers.

The officials said the new law allows foreign workers to have part-time jobs of up to 32 hours a month, and provides more protection to guest workers than the current system.

The labor reform law takes effect on Feb. 1.

Thousands of Filipinos and other foreign workers joined a unity march in December 2007 to protest the new law, citing its anti-worker and anti-business provisions that restrict consensual and contract expiration transfers and require guest workers to periodically exit the CNMI from 60 days to six months.

But on Tuesday night, the CNMI officials led by Governor Benigno R. Fitial's special legal adviser Howard Willens and his wife and volunteer attorney Deanna C. Siemer, along with Labor Director Barry Hirshbein and former Rep. Cinta M. Kaipat who introduced the bill in the previous legislature that became Public Law 15-108, said workers may have only been misinformed about the advantages of the new law.

"Even the United States has a touchback provision which requires foreign workers to exit (for one year)," said Siemer, adding that the new CNMI labor law only requires a periodic exit of 60 days to six months.

The CNMI Department of Labor also grants exemptions from the periodic exit requirement.

"Public Law 15-108 is better than any law you can find in the world, including the United States…This is the best system there is," Siemer told the Filipino workers, adding that guest workers should "give the new law a chance."

Workers interviewed by GMANews.TV said what they heard during the open forum was the direct opposite of what they knew about the law.

Opponents and critics of the new labor law say the measure will further disenfranchise guest workers in the CNMI now numbering only 19,856 from 20,883 on Sept. 30, 2007 and from 35,000 just a few years back due to a declining economy.

"Tingnan natin kung sino ang nagsasabi ng totoo pagdating ng Feb. 1," one worker said after the open forum.

The CNMI officials also said that contrary to many guest workers' belief, the immigration federalization bill now pending in the U.S. Senate will phase out the guest worker program.

The federalization bill's provision granting non-immigrant status to thousands of eligible long-term foreign workers in the CNMI was removed before it cleared the U.S. House of Representatives, to the disappointment of over 8,000 long-staying Filipino workers in the CNMI and thousands more of foreign workers.

A non-immigrant status allows eligible foreign workers to freely travel, work and study in the United States and its territories.

Jerry Custodio, president of the Human Dignity Movement, said the open forum did not convince him that the new law is as good as the officials want Filipino workers to believe.

Last year, Gov. Benigno R. Fitial himself was quoted by local media as saying that the exit requirement under the new labor law is to prevent foreign workers from gaining permanent residency status should a bill offering such status is introduced in the US.
Congress.

On Jan. 31, representatives of the Filipino community will meet with US Federal Labor Ombudsman Jim Benedetto in another open forum. Benedetto is one of the most vocal critics of the new labor law, saying it diminishes the right of foreign workers.

The workers said they are also eager to personally hear the concerns of the critics of the bill.

Towards the end of open forum at around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, another worker addressed a question to Philippine Consul General to the CNMI Wilfredo DL. Maximo. She asked permission to speak in Filipino to which the consul general agreed.

The worker asked why the Philippine Consulate General has never issued a statement to defend Filipino workers in the CNMI who were called "animals" and other derogatory terms by certain members of the local community.

Maximo said the Philippine government "does not intend to add more fuel to the fire," as he cited an anonymous called who called Filipinos "animals."

"Hindi tayo magpapadala sa ganyang mga incendiary comments… Kapag sumagot kami, parang sinabuyan naming ng gasolina (ang apoy). Hindi naming hahayaan na magkaroon ng racial tension dito," Maximo said.

He called on his fellow Filipinos to maintain friendly relations with all the members of the CNMI community. - Haidee V. Eugenio, GMANews.TV

Transition Program Under H.R. 3079 By Howard Willens

2008-01-27T13:55:00.001+10:00

[Note: Press Presentation By Howard P. Willens, Esq.]

January 26, 2008

SUMMARY OF COMMONWEALTH POSITION REGARDING
THE TRANSITION PROGRAM UNDER H.R. 3079

1. The provisions of H.R. 3079 relating to the transition program mandated by the legislation must be interpreted in light of their language, objective, and legislative history – including the earlier bills on the subject considered by the Senate in 1998-2000.

2. The consistent objective of these bills has been to establish a process for reducing the Commonwealth’s reliance on temporary nonimmigrant foreign workers and to require that the CNMI employ only U.S. citizens, freely associated state citizens, or workers admitted on an immigrant basis into the Commonwealth.

3. H.R. 3079 prohibits the CNMI from increasing the number of temporary nonimmigrant foreign workers in the Commonwealth (currently about 19,000) after the enactment of the legislation.

4. Nonimmigrant foreign workers lawfully working in the Commonwealth may remain to the conclusion of their contracts in place on the effective date of the transition program but no longer than two years after that date – which may be either one year or 18 months after the enactment of the legislation.

5. The transition period under the bill applies to all temporary nonimmigrant foreign workers in the CNMI unless otherwise entitled to be in the Commonwealth under one of the exceptions provided by the Immigration and Nationality Act for workers who enter under treaties with the United States, freely associated state citizens, or those covered by one of the many specialized provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act (business visitors, exchange visitors, employees of international concerns, etc.) All foreign workers admitted in the Commonwealth’s 706K immigration category are temporary nonimmigrant workers who do not fall within any of the exceptions under the federal statute.

6. The permit system under the transition program therefore covers both the foreign workers currently in the CNMI and any person who may be issued an H visa during the transition period under the provisions of H.R. 3079.

7. H.R. 3079 permits an alien to apply for a H-1B or H-2B visa to enter the CNMI during the transition period without regard to the national caps on the numbers of such visas. Guam is given an exemption from these caps of indefinite duration. With respect to the Commonwealth, the exemption from the national caps does not authorize the admission of nonimmigrant foreign workers into the CNMI during the transition period outside of the permit system implemented by the federal officials under H.R. 3079.

8. H.R. 3079 eliminated the three alternative means for supplementing the local workforce of US and freely associated citizens contained in earlier versions of the bill – family sponsored immigrants, employment based immigrants, and a “grandfather” provision for long term foreign workers in the Commonwealth.

9. Under the permit system, each temporary nonimmigrant foreign worker employed in the CNMI must fill a position for which his or her employer has obtained a permit from the federal officials.

10. The federal officials are given broad discretion for developing and implementing the permit system under H.R. 3079. This will necessarily involve decisions affecting industries (and companies within industries) differently – with increasingly intense competition for the reduced number of foreign workers available each year under the transition program.

11. According to H.R. 3079, the permit system must operate to reduce the number of permits – and therefore the number of nonimmigrant foreign workers – in the CNMI to ZERO by the end of 2013. This very short time for reaching zero is four years earlier than the deadline provided in any earlier version of the legislation.

12. The bill does provide for one or more extensions – of up to five years – of the transition period. The Secretary of Labor is given the authority to grant such an extension after consultation with other federal officials and the Commonwealth. Such extensions are wholly within the discretion of the federal officials and no assumptions can be responsibly made as to when an extension might be requested or granted. Extensions would still require a reduction to zero but would probably allow smaller reductions each year during the extended transition period.

13. On the effective date of the transition period H.R. 3079 preempts all CNMI immigration laws and most, if not all, of the Commonwealth’s labor laws. This will remove all employer and Commonwealth Government benefits for foreign workers in the CNMI.

14. The fees to be charged by federal officials administering the transition program are certain to be substantially higher than those currently charged under CNMI laws. H.R. 3079, if enacted, would deny the Commonwealth its right under the Covenant to seek the return (or cover over) of the immigration fees from the federal government.

Howard P. Willens
Special Legal Counsel

PL 15-108 Is Progress. Progress Is Incremental

2008-01-23T00:19:00.000+10:00

Below is Senator Frica Pangelinan's Opinion piece on PL 15-108 which was published by the Saipan Tribune. Click here.

Opinion
Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Notes From the Hill

'PL 15-108 is progress. Progress is incremental.'

By Maria Frica T. Pangelinan
Special to the Saipan Tribune

These are the thoughts that evolved out of my research on Public Law 15-108 and ultimately motivated my support of its enactment. I felt it important to share with you as I believe that information is an essential component of constructive progress.

The dynamics of our labor market affect many, not just people in the Commonwealth. The families of citizens, permanent residents and foreign nationals who live on the U.S. mainland and in home countries are influenced as well.

The original labor laws were created on the premise that certain foreign nationals would fill jobs that could not be filled by our resident population. There were two reasons. First, we felt that our small population would not be able to provide a large enough labor pool to fully supply the needs of the industries we were trying to attract. Second, we needed time to prepare ourselves with education, training, and experience, for full participation in the workforce. After 30-plus years, we are more than ready. Even so, we have been slow to acknowledge and address the “brain drain” of citizens leaving our islands. Our investment in the secondary and postsecondary education of ourselves and our young people is being lost as they migrate out of the Commonwealth. Some of our college graduates never even return from the mainland, simply entering the workforce there. We are about a half a generation behind in coordinating the provisions of our labor laws with these realities.

The authors of the bill took on a huge task. Not only were the old laws and regulations complex, they were flawed and fragmented. The original purpose of the Nonresident Worker Act had been lost in a morass of piecemeal amendments. There were loopholes and weaknesses that allowed abuses, not just by employers, but by employees as well. It was a thankless job, not likely to please everyone, and fraught with political and social risk. Nonetheless, led by Rep. Cinta Kiapat, they took on the task of reforming the entire Act, something that no legislators before had been willing to tackle. For this, they have my respect. They did their jobs.

The new law and the accompanying regulations are still complex. Laws that deal with the movement and employment of people across international borders deal with complex issues. That being said, the new law is more streamlined and organized than the old.

PL 15-108 does not address every issue I would have liked. The exit provision makes no allowance for foreign nationals who have lived and worked in the Commonwealth for many years, some with children who are U.S. citizens. Some have no home or family to return to in their home countries during the newly required exit period. Although the regulations provide an alternative exit period of 60 days for some foreign nationals employed by qualifying employers, I do not yet see a clear solution for this issue and it needs to be addressed.

I would also like to revisit the new medical insurance provision. CHC struggles under the burden of being owed millions of dollars for services rendered. This is not a problem created solely by non-payment of medical services for foreign nationals. There are others in the Commonwealth who do not have medical insurance. I would like to explore the possibility of expanding the role of the newly created insurance pool. Perhaps by eliminating self-insurance we could build a larger insurance pool, insuring CHC gets paid more often, an additional benefit for the entire Commonwealth. I am continuing to study this issue.

There is also the issue of foreign nationals who enter the Commonwealth under tourist visas and intend to work. Some of them know they are breaking the law, some do not. The screening procedure used by our Immigration officers at the point of entry should take this into account. At this point I do not know if the current procedures effectively identify these persons, or how the situation is handled. I plan to explore this with the Director of Immigration.

Over the years there has been an accumulation of claims, and court cases pointing to loopholes and weaknesses of the old law. Most people, businesses, and government employees, are honest, hardworking, and law abiding. However, some employers and employees have taken advantage of loopholes, or chosen to break or circumvent the law. Next are the hard lessons we have learned while administering the local labor and immigration laws. People have been taken advantage of and lives have fallen through the cracks. There were as many as 20,000 foreign nationals employed in the Commonwealth in 2007 and the number of tourists was almost 400,000. Only a small number of human trafficking cases occurred during that period. The fact remains, however, that each case is a tragedy for the victim and their families. Every loophole we close is progress toward ending this horrendous practice.

The authors of PL15-108 took these issues and more, into account, integrating input from the Attorney General's Office, the Department of Labor, the business community, private citizens, and many others.

Below is an overview of labor and related issues in the Commonwealth.

Labor Problem

1. A government with too many employees

2. Government revenues are shrinking

3. Average wages are higher in the public sector

4. Relatively high unemployment among residents

5. Highly skilled and educated citizens living on the mainland

6. Residents have problems finding private sector jobs

7. Poor working and living conditions of some foreign nationals

8. Human trafficking

9. Lack of health benefits for foreign nationals who are not workers

10. Abandoned and unpaid foreign nationals

11. CHC has difficulty getting paid for services provided

Solutions

1. Reduce the number of public employees

2. Reduce expenses (payroll), raise revenues

3. Equalize wages in the private and public sector

4. Increase local employment in the private sector

5. Increase employment opportunities in the private sector

6. Improve the system of identifying and matching qualified residents with private sector employment opportunities

7. Improve the inspection and enforcement power of DOL

8. Close loopholes in the foreign national labor laws

9. Mandatory health benefits

10. Improved bonding/increased enforcement by DOL

11. Mandatory medical insurance; disqualifying employers who do not pay medical bills for their foreign workers

PL 15-108 creates rewards for employers that exceed statutory standards and increases the severity of penalties for those, including government employees, who do not uphold the law. The new law is said by some to increase the administrative burden on local businesses. Yes, it does. Hiring a new foreign national is now a special and final option for an employer, and only when it is a documented certainty that no citizen, permanent resident, or foreign national already in the Commonwealth is willing and able to fill the position. This is the same premise on which the Federal guest worker programs are based; to augment the resident workforce, not displace it.

Our entire labor market is shrinking. Payroll is usually the largest expense of a business. The private sector has always adjusted to the economy, increasing and decreasing the number of employees based on demand.

Now, whether by design or by necessity, public sector employment is decreasing also. Payroll is the largest expense of the government as well. Reducing the number of employees while controlling the wages of those who remain must be part of the government's path to solvency. Some who leave the government will retire, some will go off island for employment, and some will depend on social services and family for a means of support. However, many will be searching for private sector employment. We must now work even harder to connect our resident work force with the available jobs.

Part of the solution is to improve the process by which we identify and target career opportunities in the private sector for citizens and residents of the CNMI. The faulty stereotype of all private sector jobs offering only minimum wage is challenged by a study recently completed by the Office of the Public Auditor. During a twelve month period ending August 2006, over 800 nonresident permits were issued for positions that pay over $10 per hour. Many of these positions require the same skills and experience as public sector jobs. It has been reported that some of these positions are protected by a treaty provision and are not available to citizens and permanent residents. I will work with the OPA to verify these reports.

The report is available at: http://www.opacnmi.com/reports/053007%20Jobs%20Study%20Committee%20Final%20Report.pdf

High unemployment among our residents as well as losing them to mainland life is unreasonable in light of the findings of the OPA's job study. Actively recruiting qualified residents for positions should be a priority for private sector businesses.

Employers certainly recognize that by hiring citizens and permanent residents, they are keeping money circulating in the economy that would otherwise be lost to foreign countries in the form of remittances. Keeping these dollars in the Commonwealth takes advantage of the multiplier effect in our economy and this benefits everyone.

Change always causes angst and uncertainty. Some say that PL 15-108 is pointless, as it is soon to be overridden by federal immigration statutes. I respectfully disagree. We have identified problems with our labor laws. We legislators have a duty to correct them. "If “federalization” comes, in its current form, it will not become effective for a year after the bill is signed into law. At a minimum, we have a year during which we continue to be directly accountable for how we deal with identified problems. As our great American hero, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said: "The time is always right to do the right thing”.

Does PL 15-108 solve all of our labor problems? No. There are larger economic factors, some global, that no law can fix. Our labor market is smaller than in the past and there will be fewer foreign nationals in the Commonwealth, but those that are will enjoy an improved quality of life because of PL 15-108.

PL 15-108 is progress. Progress is incremental. I will continue to monitor the implementation, and work to address the issues I have identified, as well as others that may arise.

(Maria Frica Pangelinan is a senator in the 16th Legislature.)

Tribune Publishes My Response To Hodges

2008-01-19T02:47:00.000+10:00

Saturday January 19, 2008
Letters to the Editor
Saturday, January 19, 2008

Hodges' distortions are shameful

H.R. 3079, the federalization bill now pending in the U.S. Senate, does indeed deport every single foreign worker from the Commonwealth. That bill is awaiting action by a Senate that doesn't know much about the Commonwealth and, for that reason, may pass the bill. Let's make this clear: EVERY FOREIGN WORKER IN THE COMMONWEALTH WILL BE DEPORTED WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF PASSAGE OF THE FEDERALIZATION BILL. There are no exceptions. It is possible, as Pete A. says, that there will be an extension of another five years. But the Marianas will have no say in that. It is the intent of the federalization bill, and those like Mr. Hodges who support it, to deport every single foreign worker, bar none, from the Marianas.

The new Commonwealth labor law, P.L. 15-108, welcomes foreign workers, as the Commonwealth always has, and improves their working conditions and protections to a standard virtually unmatched anywhere else in the world. Tell me, where in the world do foreign workers get guaranteed medical coverage? Nowhere. And where in the world do foreign workers get bonded protection that their wages will be paid? Nowhere. One could go on and on. Mr. Hodges’ comparison to Hitler is despicable!

And let's look at the treatment of minors. Mr. Hodges is once again not only wrong, but so terribly wrong that one has to conclude his efforts are deliberate propaganda to slander the U.S. citizens who are of Chamorro and Carolinian heritage. What do you suppose Mr. Hodges is doing in the classroom? Maybe we need parent monitors in his classroom to be sure nothing like this unfounded hateful propaganda is going on there.

Here's the deal. Under H.R. 3079, the federalization law, when all foreign workers are deported, all U.S. citizen children will likely go with them unless they have U.S. citizen or permanent relative residents in the U.S. somewhere. Under U.S. law, when a foreign worker is forced to leave, he or she may petition the U.S. immigration officials for what they call “cancellation of removal” but the foreign worker will have to show “exceptional and extremely unusual hardship” to their U.S. citizen son or daughter. It is very difficult to meet this standard. (See, for example, the decision in In re Ariadna Gonzalez Recinas, et al., Respondent, file A75 696 573 (Los Angeles), decided Sept. 19, 2002, by the Board of Immigration Appeals.) If the foreign worker has any relatives or any resources in their home country, or any capacity to earn a living there, however small, the U.S. will not allow them to stay, no matter what hardship may occur to their U.S. citizen children from the move to the home country.

Under PL 15-108, the Commonwealth labor law, foreign workers will be required to leave the Commonwealth only for 60 days, once every three years, if the foreign worker is an employee of a qualifying employer and for six months, once every three years, if the foreign worker is an employee of a non-qualifying employer. If a foreign worker meets this periodic exit requirement (perhaps during the children's summer school vacation), the foreign worker can remain in the Commonwealth for as long as they are employed.

The new labor law is now in effect. I urge Mr. Hodges to take the time to read it, as he has obviously not done. The regulations under the new law will come into effect on Feb. 1, 2008. Similarly, I urge Mr. Hodges to read the regulations as they apply to the periodic exit. Anyone can see that the Commonwealth law is quite generous, especially compared to U.S. law. Nothing in PL 15-108 deprives any foreign worker of any aspect of belonging in the community. That is certainly more than one can say for “federalization” which has, from the beginning, divided the community, pitted foreign workers against U.S. citizens, and generally aroused negative feelings on both sides. Shame on Mr. Hodges and equal shame on federal officials who told foreign workers that “federalization” would benefit them.

Cinta M. Kaipat
Author of PL 15-108

Hodges' Shameful Distortions

2008-01-18T04:26:00.000+10:00

The following letter to the editor from Ron Hodges appears in this Friday, January 18, 2008, edition of the Marianas Variety.

Letter to the editor: Chamberonomics XXX…my comments on P.L. 15-108

P.L. 15-108 is the Northern Marianas Islands equivalent of Adolph Hitler's "final solution." Hitler originally sought to enslave persons of color, predominately Jewish, to provide the Third Reich with a free factory and domestic labor force. When his conquests began to crumble, he ordered implementation of the "final solution," or elimination of undesirables, as though it was his master plan from the beginning.

Big business here wants to save money by not paying back wages or settling labor claims and deport guest workers to P.I. and China without due process. Our business leaders do not want federalization or P.L. 15-108, so we can only assume they want to keep the status quo of servitude. Our guest workers here have not been properly represented. Lawyers refuse to represent them, with few exceptions, due to financial conflicts of interest and the fact our guest workers are poor and unable to pay legal expenses. Our judges and politicians have not represented them properly because guest workers are disenfranchised and do not vote.

How could our community justify enforcing such a program of racism and shame? We must defend U.S. minor citizens from being deported to places where children have half the life expectancy of the U.S . mainland and regularly die from lack of basic medical care. One man has burned himself to death at the Labor Department to heighten awareness of this horrific situation, our community marched against this law in unprecedented numbers, and the two authors of this bill were defeated by primarily indigenous voters, so what else must the people do to stop this law?

"There are unjust laws just as there are unjust men" — MK Gandhi.

The U.S. should improve the status of guest workers here. Some guest workers would vacate the impoverished commonwealth, which would help to alleviate our labor glut and unemployment debacle. This action by the U.S. alone would force big business here to increase their numbers of local employees, which means more jobs for young indigenous residents here. The "chamber" cringes at the thought of bearing this retraining expense, but in my opinion, they can do business here or not. I think hotels here are slave driving organizations that pay third world wages while charging tourists top dollar prices. If that greedy group doesn't want to retrain a young local work force, then good riddance.

When my wife was 12 years old, her brother contracted measles. His conditioned worsened. Lacking adequate medical care, Avilino Villar Jr. died at the tender age of seven years old. Sadly, this was not a newsworthy event in the Philippines, but a daily fact of life. Sending one American citizen child to the third world is depraved indifference to the welfare of a minor. I am asking the U.S. Congress to act and prevent such a disgrace from happening.

RON HODGES
Puerto Rico, Saipan

**************

The following is my response to Hodges which I've sent in to both papers to print.

Letter to the Editor: Hodges' Distortions Are Shameful

H.R. 3079, the federalization bill now pending in the U.S. Senate, does indeed deport every single foreign worker from the Commonwealth. That bill is awaiting action by a Senate that doesn't know much about the Commonwealth and, for that reason, may pass the bill. Let's make this clear – EVERY FOREIGN WORKER IN THE COMMONWEALTH WILL BE DEPORTED WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF PASSAGE OF THE FEDERALIZATION BILL. There are no exceptions. It is possible, as Pete A says, that there will be an extension of another five years. But the Marianas will have no say in that. It is the intent of the federalization bill, and those like Mr. Hodges who support it, to deport every single foreign worker, bar none, from the Marianas.

The new Commonwealth labor law, P.L. 15-108, welcomes foreign workers, as the Commonwealth always has, and improves their working conditions and protections to a standard virtually unmatched anywhere else in the world. Tell me – where in the world do foreign workers get guaranteed medical coverage? Nowhere. And where in the world do foreign workers get bonded protection that their wages will be paid? Nowhere. One could go on and on. Mr. Hodges' comparison to Hitler is despicable!

And let's look at the treatment of minors. Mr. Hodges is once again not only wrong, but so terribly wrong that one has to conclude his efforts are deliberate propaganda to slander the U.S. citizens who are of Chamorro and Carolinian heritage. What do you suppose Mr. Hodges is doing in the classroom? Maybe we need parent monitors in his classroom to be sure nothing like this unfounded hateful propaganda is going on there.

Here's the deal. Under H.R. 3079, the federalization law, when all foreign workers are deported, all U.S. citizen children will likely go with them unless they have U.S. citizen or permanent relative residents in the U.S. somewhere. Under U.S. law, when a foreign worker is forced to leave, he or she may petition the U.S. immigration officials for what they call "cancellation of removal" but the foreign worker will have to show "exceptional and extremely unusual hardship" to their U.S. citizen son or daughter. It is very difficult to meet this standard. (See, for example, the decision in In re Ariadna Gonzalez Recinas, et al., Respondent, file A75 696 573 (Los Angeles) decided Sept. 19, 2002, by the Board of Immigration Appeals.) If the foreign worker has any relatives or any resources in their home country, or any capacity to earn a living there however small, the U.S. will not allow them to stay, no matter what hardship may occur to their U.S. citizen children from the move to the home country.

Under PL 15-108, the Commonwealth labor law, foreign workers will be required to leave the Commonwealth only for 60 days, once every three years, if the foreign worker is an employee of a qualifying employer and for six months, once every three years, if the foreign worker is an employee of a non-qualifying employer. If a foreign worker meets this periodic exit requirement (perhaps during the children's summer school vacation), the foreign worker can remain in the Commonwealth for as long as they are employed.

The new labor law is now in effect. I urge Mr. Hodges to take the time to read it, as he has obviously not done. The regulations under the new law will come into effect on February 1, 2008. Similarly, I urge Mr. Hodges to read the regulations as they apply to the periodic exit. Anyone can see that the Commonwealth law is quite generous, especially compared to U.S. law. Nothing in PL 15-108 deprives any foreign worker of any aspect of belonging in the community. That is certainly more than one can say for "federalization" which has, from the beginning, divided the community, pitted foreign workers against U.S. citizens, and generally aroused negative feelings on both sides. Shame on Mr. Hodges and equal shame on federal officials who told foreign workers that "federalization" would benefit them.

Cinta M. Kaipat
Author of PL 15-108

Final Message of 2007

2007-12-31T19:32:00.000+10:00

To All My Friends and Family From Near and Afar, and, of course, to my Beautify CNMI Families--

May you all be blessed with great health, hapiness, and prosperity in 2008. Thank you all for bringing many, many blessings into my life and for making 2007 a wonderful year for me. As these final minutes of 2007 tick down, I would like to take this moment to wish each and every single one of you a . . .
HAVE A SAFE ONE WHEREVER YOU MAY BE AT A MINUTE PAST MIDNIGHT. WHY? BECAUSE I LOVE YOU ALL.

Appearance on the John Oliver Gonzales Show & 360 Restaurant

2007-12-27T14:43:00.000+10:00

LAST SHOW OF THE YEAR. The final showing of John Oliver Gonzales' show for 2007 which featured House Representative Cinta Kaipat and Senator Maria (Frica) Pangelinan aired on December 26, 2007. The topic was the Commonwealth Employment Act (Public Law 15-108). Replays of the December 26 Gonzales show can be seen on Saturday, December 29, and Wednesday, January 2, on Channel 2 at 7 p.m. (Photo Courtesy of Janet King)

*************

After the show, we went up to the 360 Restaurant for dinner. This was the first time I've been up there. I've read Jeff's endorsement of the Restaurant, so I was curious to check it out myself. Brother Gus had the 360 burger; I had the super burger; my prima Janet King ordered the huge delicious salad; and Senator Frica ordered fish & chips. Jeff was right -- the food was good and plentiful and a couple of the owners stopped by our table for a chat. Given our topic on the John Gonzales Show, I was happy to hear from one of the owners that this Restaurant has made some genuine effort to recruit and employ local resident students to work as waitresses. According to the owner, they are doing just fine. Kudos to the management and staff of 360 Restaurant!

Setting The Record Straight

2007-12-18T06:13:00.000+10:00

I wrote the following response to this post by Jeff Turbitt.

Jeff:

The December 12, 2007 edition of the Marianas Variety MISATTRIBUTED the following quote to me:

"THE principal sponsor of the bill that is now Commonwealth Employment Act of 2007 says foreign workers who can't stand the local labor system can leave."

For the record, I NEVER made the above statement that was MISATTRIBUTED to me. Since I didn't have a tape recorder the day that I had this impromptu interview with Gemma -- though she did -- I'm going to relate to you what was said to the best of my recollection. And, by the way, if you want to verify any of this, why not ask Gemma for the taped interview? If she can't or won't give it to you, there were several other witnesses to this interview: Rep. Joseph Guerrero, Rep. Ramon Tebuteb, Toni Apatang from PTI, Nace from the Governor's Office, and other Legislative staff. These people were only a few feet from us and observed the whole heated discussion that went on.

Rep. Ray Tebuteb, who went to sit by Joe Rep. Guerrero, invited me over to speak with him right after we recessed from one of our sessions. As I walked up to him, I heard Rep. Guerrero telling Gemma that he wanted to wait and see how PL 15-108 works out before making any amendments to the Law. I'd heard and read several reports that Tina Sablan is talking to other lawmakers about repealing PL 15-108 once they get in, so I inferred that Gemma was asking Rep. Guerrero this very question when I joined Rep. Tebuteb. Her next response was "What about the six-month periodic exit?" I heard Rep. Guerrero say, "That's why we put in the 10%..." and as he was saying this, he looked over and motioned for me to jump into the conversation. I picked up where he left off. "Ten percent key employee exemption." "That's all?!" was Gemma's retort as she turned and headed towards me and Rep. Tebuteb to put the tape recorder down in front of us. "And you're going to send everyone home?!" She posed this question and successive questions to me in a challenging, confrontational way, rather than the normal tone she used to use to pose questions to me BEFORE I introduced HB 15-38, which has now become PL 15-108. I kept holding my hand up to indicate to her that I wanted her to stop interrupting me and to allow me to speak and finish what I was saying before she continued with her questions.

I said, "Gemma, you know that the 10% key employee provision is there because we don't want to jeaopardize the businesses. It was intended to make sure that the key employees of a business remained on the job to run the business with other employees while the employer staggers the periodic exit for the rest of the employees!" Her follow-up retort was: "With what skilled employees are you going to replace them with?!" I said to her, "Come on, Gemma! You mean to say that we're ALL unskilled and uneducated? And are you saying that we'll be unskilled and uneducated forever? How many educated and skilled locals have left these islands because they couldn't get jobs here?! ," I exclaimed.

"Have you seen the Public Auditor's Jobs Study Report?", I continued. This Report came out in May 2007. She claimed she saw the Report. I began discussing the Report when my staff handed me a copy of the actual Report. I read an excerpt from page 6 which talked about a one-year study that the OPA Jobs Study Group conducted. The one-year study that ended in August 2006 found that the Department of Labor renewed 800 job applications for "nonresident workers" who are making $10 an hour on up to $20+ an hour . Her retort was "Well, that's a small number. That's what... only 10% of the population!" I was stunned by her reply. I said to her, "Gemma, this may ONLY be 10% of the much larger Filipino population, but for the much smaller local population, that's A LOT of jobs!" I continued: "We have 400 government employees who will be losing their jobs at the end of December. I'm sure there's a lot of them who are skilled and educated!"

Gemma then said "The nonresidents came here and built the economy...." I said to her, "Let's go back and examine that statement. The foreign national workers were brought here to build our economy? Did you come to the CNMI to 'build our economy' or did you come to the CNMI because you needed jobs and we needed workers, so we opened up the opportunity to you? Now, I know some employers did not pay their workers, and that's unfortunate, but for most of the workers, did they not get paid for their work?"

I continued, "Ever since the enactment of the Nonresident Workers Act in 1983, the law established that we were to only bring in the workers to supplement our Labor workforce where needed -- not to replace our local workforce. We have that right to decide how many workers to bring in." Gemma continued to insist that the number of foreign workers displacing local workers from jobs is merely a small number. I vehemently disagreed with her and, at this point, Rep. Joe Guerrero jumped back into the conversation and said, "The number's not the important thing here. The important thing is that IT has already happened."

I then said to Gemma, "Do you think that we could go to the Philippines and do the same things that you all are doing over here?" She said "No; you can't compare the two places because they're different!" I said, "Why?" Her response was "Because they have a bigger workforce! It's a different situation there."

"You know, Gemma," I said, "there are many components to PL 15-108 than just the "Exit" provision or the removal of the consensual transfer. Why is it that you (Gemma and the Variety) only print negative things about the Law and none of the good things I put into this Law??" Gemma said, "I'm just an employee. I'm just telling you what they're saying." Rep. Tebuteb said "And she has an editor who also edits the stories." Gemma nodded her head in agreement. I continued, "Why don't you report the good things I put in the Law, such as the mandatory orientation which even the United States law doesn't have? This helps foreign national workers know what their rights are upon arrival in the CNMI. There's also the mandatory insurance provision which protects workers from a bad employer who may force the worker to pay his or her own medical expenses and possibly forcing the worker to forego seeking medical attention? We all know that the CHC is broke. It has had all these problems with employers who don't pay their bills." I said, "I tried to educate the public on this bill, but you guys (the Variety) have been boycotting me for months! Her response was, "Well, I'm interviewing you now!" I said, "I've sent you guys at the Variety educational materials to publish about this Law, but you've REFUSED to print them! In fact, rather than print what I send you, you go out instead to find someone to interview who just happens to be hostile to the bill who hasn't bothered to read the bill. Your reporting is not balanced. All we ask is that you be balanced in your reporting!"

In the heat of this "debate," Gemma started complaining about the $3.05 minium wage that was the prevailing rate in the CNMI for years. She said, "There's a lot of anger about the minimum wage being so low. What could you buy for $3.05 an hour?!" At this point, I was indignant. "Come on, Gemma! If it's so bad here, then why is it that we have such a hard time getting anyone to leave?" [Jeff and anyone else who reads this: Notice that this statement is different from the quote above that was attributed to me.]

I said to Gemma, "It's not just the foreign national workers that were paid the $3.05 an hour minimum wage. The locals were paid the same amount. What I didn't point out at that time was that despite being paid the same minimum wage amount, the locals were a lot worse off because the employers did not provide them with the same 100% medical coverage that they are mandated by law to provide their foreign national employees. Other benefits factored in for the foreign national workers, such as food, transportation, and housing. As a matter of fact, when Rosemary Cowan, a high official of U.S. Labor visited the CNMI last year. her take on this was that it was reverse discrimination!

In this interview with Gemma, she threw in a side question which was: "Do you think the Labor Law cost you the elections?" I replied that I'd be a fool to think it had no effect. Of course, it did! But if my losing the elections resulted in waking up the government officials to do something about the fact that many locals are now unemployed or will be unemployed and we have more foreign national workers in the CNMI than we have jobs, then I didn't mind losing.

At this point, Toni Apatang of PTI stood up to leave and said to Gemma, "I hope you put in the article everything she said!" as she gestured towards me. Gemma said, "I can't put everything in," and Toni said, "Then put in the important things." Representative Tebuted remarked again about the editor's role.

As the interview winded down, Gemma sat down and we were able to have a quieter conversation. I was stunned to hear her admit, though with the tape recorder off, but with Rep. Tebuteb still sitting with us that (1) The abuses in the Philippines are a lot worse than those that have been reported here in the CNMI; (2) that in the PI, the employers employ workers for six months and then, after that, they just let them go and hire replacements easily from the large pool of surplus workers.

****
The next morning, all the Variety reported was the side question Gemma asked me about whether I thought the Labor Law cost me the elections. It wasn't until the December 12 article came out that had some substance of the interview in it. Unfortunately, and perhaps not surprisingly, of course, Gemma's lead-in sentence LITERALLY put words in my mouth! There was also no attempt to use the OPA Jobs Study Report, a copy of which I gave her, to provide support for the information provided in the interview that there are a number of jobs that are being held by foreign national workers who aren't being paid the typical $3.55/hr that critics of PL 15-108 always cite.

As to your observation that I should have involved the Chamber ealier, I don't know how much earlier I could have involved them when they were part of the Task Force from DAY 1! The Task Force first met in April of 2006. Alex Sablan represented the Chamber and he received every meeting notice and updated version of the bill as drafted by the Task Force members. He is also a signatory on the OPA Jobs Study Report which came out in May 2007 indicating that there is a large number of jobs paying a minimum of $10/hr that are currently being occupied by foreign national workers! I assure you that the Chamber was HEAVILY involved. In fact, they asked for a private consultation before we conducted a public hearing so they would not have to give their comments publicly. Task Force members met with the Chamber prior to the public hearing at the Legislature. One of the compromises reached with the Chamber to address their concern about the exit provision was the 10% key employee provision which was incorporated into the version that the JGO Committee reported out of Committee. Hence, despite their request for an earlier PRIVATE meeting, the Chamber and HANMI presidents still appeared at the public hearing and testified anyway. Lynn Knight even urged the Committee not to report out the bill until after the OPA Jobs Study Report had been published. The Committee heeded this request and waited. It adopted the OPA Jobs Study Report findings within one week after the Report's publication.

The Task Force continued to meet with the Chamber again after the public hearing. The Committee remained opened to suggestions -- reasonable suggestions that is. Some suggestions were adopted; others were not. Even after the House passed HB 15-38, several members of the Chamber, including Harry Blalock, trotted up to the Senate to see Senator Pangelinan and Senator Reyes. I understand that some of the Chamber members were somewhat embarassed when she pointed out that having taken the time to read the bill section by section, Senator Pangelinan found that the House Committee had, in fact, accommodated the Chamber quite a bit! That was part of the problem -- some of the members never bothered to read the bill and relied on a small group of people to give their opinion about the bill. Yet, they were some of the most vocal critics of the bill. I understand that the former Chamber president even admitted to one of the Task Force members that he never read the bill because it was too thick, yet he remained a very vocal critic of the bill. So, to correct your assumption, Jeff -- one of the things I've got to make clear is that I may have been the principal author of HB 15-38, which is now PL 15-108, but there were MANY, MANY fingerprints on this bill, INCLUDING those of the Chamber folks!

Another thing that want to say to those who say we don't need a new Labor law; we just need to enforce the old ones. They forget that the Labor Law that was on the books prior to the enactment of PL 15-108 had been piece-mealed together and was easily circumvented. My challenge as we drafted HB 15-38 was to gather all the bills that that the House and Senate members introduced during the 15th Legislature and CONVINCE THEM to allow me to incorporate them into HB 15-38 and into the Labor Regulations where appropriate. Believe me -- this was no easy feat, let me tell you! Anyhow, the notion that we should just go out and enforce the old law was impractical in that years ago, Judge Munson struck down several of the enforcement statutes. Those statutes remained worthless until PL 15-108 rehabilitated them. Besides, it is very important to bear in mind that PL 15-108 has MANY components to it -- not just the parts that critics of PL 15-108 write about and complain about on tv.

As to my friend Zaldy Dandan's accusations that PL 15-108 is really about removing all the foreign national workers from the CNMI and returning to a much simpler time, this is Zaldy's interpretation of this Law, not mine. PL 15-108 is not a deportation act, which bars you from returning to the CNMI forever. We recognize that we will always need foreign national workers to help us and that's fine as long as they are not displacing our local workforce from jobs, which is the unfortunate current situation right now. And I don't mean the $3.55/hr jobs only either! Contrast that to the U.S. House Bill which recently passed which states that the number of foreign national workers will be reduced to ZERO within five years (2013) unless the transition period is extended for another 5 years. In addition to this, a whole host of benefits for the workers were also given up. Now, which part of this House Bill are the Unity March leaders and marchers celebrating?

Cinta

Garapan Elementary School Beautifies with Visiting Marines

2007-12-02T17:41:00.000+10:00

We were scheduled to have a session last Friday, so I couldn't join the Beautify CNMI event that the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and Angelo Villagomez set up. They managed to pair 100 visiting marines with students from Garapan Elementary School. Thanks to Principal Boni Gomez for her usual 100% support of Beautify CNMI events!
I checked in on the crew on my way up to the Hill and arrived just in time to see Principal Boni lead her charge to the American Memorial Park parking lot.Here we are prepping the kids before the marines arrived. She said a few words.... . .and then I said a few words......and then I thanked them and wished them a great day and went on to the session. Again, thanks to the Marines, Principal Gomez and the students and faculty of GES who participated in the cleanup, and all the participants for the awesome job they did cleaning up the Garapan Tourist District. Thanks, Angelo, for anchoring the event!

Thanks, Again!

2007-11-28T16:09:00.000+10:00

Thanks to all the friends and family who braved the rain showers to show up at my Appreciation Picnic. Your being there made the occasion all the more special!

Message Of Appreciation

2007-11-20T22:47:00.000+10:00

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, there are many things that I have to be thankful for.

I am thankful for the constituents of Precinct 1 who gave me the opportunity to serve in the 15th Legislature.

I am thankful for the people of Precinct 1 who voted to retain me in office.

I am thankful for my supporters from outside Precinct 1, on-island and off-island.

I am thankful for my Committee to Elect.

I am thankful for my staff, the best staff anyone could ever ask for.

I am thankful for my most loving and supportive friends and family.

I am thankful for my ever-expanding Beautify CNMI family.

And as a token of my heartfelt appreciation, I invite all of my supporters to a Thank You BBQ to take place this Saturday, November 24, at the Susupe Beach Park at noon.

Finally, I would like to congratulate the six representatives elected in Precinct 1. I wish them the best of luck.

Sincerely,

Rep. Cinta M. Kaipat
Your representative in the 15th CNMI Legislature

* * *

Lamegai na manera ni bai hu fan nahe, pat sino bai hu extendi un dungkulo na agradesimento yan apreciacion, yan Si Yu’us Ma’ase ya taya maas propio yan bonito kumo ha’aanen i Thanksgiving.

Para ayo siha na man bibota gi Precinct 1, hu extetendi un sen dungkulo na Si Yu’us Ma’ase pot i opotunidat ni ma nahi yo pot para bai fanetbi gi muna Kinsi na lehislatura.

Un sen dungkulo na agradesimento para ayo siha na siudadano siha ni ma nahi you nu’i botun konfiansia kosake sina bai hu kontinuha mona sumetbi i taotaota yan para minaulek yan mas adilanto gi Precinct 1 yan para todo i islata siha enteramente.

Hu extetendi lokue un sen dungkulo na Si Yu’us Ma’ase yan agradesimento para i man atungo’hu, familia, yan man parentes siha pot todo i ayudo yan minapot niha, yan kuntodo ayo siha i manmanapota parehu ha gi palo siha na election precinct yan i man gaigi gi otro tano na manasaga.

Sen mas, i mamamaila na sabalu, Nobiembre dia 24, 2007, gi talu’haane, hu extetendi i inbitasion para todo ayo siha supottadot siha ni mu nahi yo nu I botun konfiansa gi Precinct 1, ya tafan hita man ma nunu guato gi Susupe Beach Park gi fihon I Saipan Grand Hotel.

Pot los otimus, saludu yan Buena suerte para I seis ni man ma elihi para representadod election precinct numero uno gii muna Disi-seis na lehislatura.

Sinceramente, Olomwaay, yan Si Yu’us Ma’ase,

Guaho si Cinta M. Kaipat
I Representanten miyo gi muna Kinsi na lehislatura.

***

Ngare bwuluul Thanksgiving, esogh milkka e’mescheragh bwe sibwe iira bwe yeew tomwoogh na Olomwaay me ghilisow.

Me’rei, ngalirr alongeer schoo’kwe re bobota me lool Precinct 1, Olomwaay reemi reel aami ngaleai yami botool konfiansa bwele ibwe mwalil tolong lol imwal Seigh me Limoowal imwal kongreso ngare ghang yaami kongreso.

Bwaal yew tomowgh na Olomwaay ngaleer schoo’kwe re lol’loo Precinct 1 kwe re bwal ngaleai sefali yaar botol konfionsa lool raalil botasion ye e’ghulaal mwetsangi ghisch.

Bwaal Olomwaay ngaliir alongeer scho’kewe ay ghi abwibwi, schoo’kewe ay ghi ghulefengeel, me alongeer ay schoo kkwe re towow bwe rebwe scheliay lool ay mwaghutghut ngali me sangi botasion ye e ghulaal mwutch loo ewewee schaagh ngaliir alongeer scho’kkwe re lolo lool akkaw precinct pat schoo’kkwe ra mwetsangi faliw kka faliwasch bwe raalo loloto mwe wool yew faliw.

Wool saabwal ye e’kke mwatto, Nobiembre 24, 2007, ye atol laalewaas, i’kke amuschaligh ghami alongeer schoo’kkwe re suppotali ay bwe ow sibwe schoo fengeel bwe ow’sibwe ghisch le apwesch reel Susupe Beach Park, arool Saipan Grand Hotel.

Ngalir schoo’kkwe majoria botadouur precinct 1 re botaliir bwe eer rebwe representaliir aramasal precinct 1 lool Seigh me Oloow na imwaal kongresu, ikke ngaleghami yew tumowgh na good luck me lios sam schoolwaami.

Tirow me Olomwaay reemi.

Ngaang nge Cinta M. Kaipat
yaami kongresa me lool Seigh me Limow na lehislatura.

JG Sablan Continues To Bring Unwanted International Publicity To The CNMI

2007-11-18T00:18:00.000+10:00

Sunday, November 18, 2007

EPA report highlights hazardous wastes in Pacific

By Marconi Calindas
Reporter
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued its Pacific environmental enforcement accomplishments and highlighted hazardous waste-related cases in the CNMI and the rest of the Pacific region for 2007.

The EPA's enforcement actions for 2007 in Guam, American Samoa and the CNMI highlight the agency's successful efforts to make polluters achieve on-the-ground improvements to bring environmental and public health benefits.

The report said that increased focus on compliance with hazardous waste, underground storage tanks, and oil spill management regulations made up a majority of the cases for CNMI, Guam, and American Samoa.

“Polluters committed to more than $2.48 million to correct environmental violations and prevent future pollution, resulting in over 1 million pounds of pollutants reduced in the environment,” said EPA.

The report highlighted three environmental citations issued to three major entities in the CNMI.

One firm is the Everbright Company, Ltd., which was fined $5,000 for hazardous waste violations at its facility at the Fina Sisu Village. The company is a full-service screen-printing business and generated wastes such as toluene, turpentine, naphtha-based and other cleaning solvents, and waste ink.

Another company cited was the JG Sablan Rock Quarry Inc., which was fined $400,000 for used oil and used battery management violations at its Lower Base facility on Saipan.

The report said that in March 2005, EPA inspectors discovered 2,000-gallons of used oil and 85 severely corroded and leaking 55-gallon containers of used oil inside the company's secondary containment area. The inspectors also found heavily oil-stained soil under 50 additional containers and on surrounding soil, along with many other leaking containers, vehicles, and lead acid batteries throughout the facility.

The EPA also ordered the government-owned Commonwealth Utilities Corp. to clean up spilled oil and prevent discharges of oil at Power Plants 1 and 2 at its Lower Base facility on Saipan. The order required CUC to stop all oil discharges and take steps to prevent future spills. The order also required CUC to develop a used-oil management and disposal program aimed at reducing the amount of used oil stored at the facility.

“Our actions against companies mismanaging hazardous waste in Guam and CNMI will provide island residents cleaner air, water and land,” said Wayne Nastri, administrator of the EPA's Pacific Southwest office. “The EPA will continue to enforce environmental laws and ensure compliance of environmental regulations to improve public health.”

The EPA worked with the Guam EPA, CNMI Division of Environmental Quality and the American Samoa EPA to continue the successful compliance and enforcement partnership in the islands.

The report also cited its enforcement achievements in Guam and American Samoa.

The Carrier Guam of Tamuning, a refrigeration and heating equipment services company, was fined $63,922 for allegedly importing refrigerants regulated by the Clean Air Act. The company imported 32,356 kilograms of hydro chlorofluorocarbon, an ozone-depleting substance.

Guam Waterworks Authority was fined $40,000 for failing to fully comply with a 2003 court order to repair and improve its wastewater system. “GWA failed to meet April and June 2007 deadlines for the Agana sewage treatment plant and a May deadline for the Northern District plant to ensure compliance with federal permit limits from these two facilities,” said the report.

California-based Four Seasons General Merchandise, Inc. and 26 California Bazar were fined $24,960 and $9,360 respectively for the alleged sale and distribution of unregistered pesticides in Guam and California, a violation of federal pesticide law.

Four Seasons sold the unregistered pesticides Clorox Disinfecta, a Mexican version of Clorox Bleach, and Citronella Incense mosquito coils to retailers in Guam and California on five occasions between August 2006 and March.

26 California Bazar sold the unregistered Pyrethroid pesticide, Camping Mosquito Sticks, to Guam retailers on two occasions. In addition to the fine, the company has agreed to stop selling the product.

The Guam Waterworks Authority was issued a compliance order for improperly reusing sewage sludge from its Northern District Sewage Treatment Plant. EPA found sewage sludge from the treatment plant that was distributed, violating the Clean Water Act. Sludge of an unknown quality was distributed between January and August 2006 to several individuals for use on fruit trees and bushes.

In American Samoa, the American Samoa Seaside Service Station was fined $10,400 over alleged federal underground storage tank violations at its facility in Malaloa Village. Seaside Service Station failed to meet federal requirements by not conducting line tightness tests or using a monthly leak detection method on its petroleum piping, and by not adequately monitoring the underground tanks for leaks.

For the full description of US EPA 2007 enforcement cases visit http://www.epa.gov/region09/enforcement/results/index.html. The report also provides full description of the EPA_s enforcement cases throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands in 2007.

For information on the EPA's national enforcement summary for 2007, go to http://www.epa.gov/compliance/data/results/annual/fy2007.html.

Clarifying misconceptions about labor reform bill

2007-11-16T01:31:00.000+10:00

Friday November 16, 2007
Letters to the Editor
Friday, November 16, 2007

Editor's Note: The following is a letter addressed by the author to the members of the Legislature. She has requested that it be published as an open letter.

Dear colleagues:

The Department of Labor will soon publish its regulations with respect to PL 15-108, the new labor bill. Before the regulations are even published, the Ombudsman is condemning the implementation of the new law as “unacceptable” in three regards, and he is already seeking amendments. I want to assure you that none of these complaints is new and none has any basis in fact. The Labor Department's plan is to assess performance under PL 15-108 in September 2008, and to send to the Legislature in its annual report any modifications that may be needed based on actual experience over the first nine months in operation under the new law.

The prohibition with respectto illegal sponsorship:

Mr. Benedetto says we have erred in our prohibition of illegal sponsorships. He wants the deterrent to illegal sponsorships removed from the statute. He is wrong. The provision of the new law is clear and will not be used against any foreign worker who has a real job. An illegal sponsorship is an arrangement under which the employee pays application fees (which are required by law to be paid by the employer) because the employer is not really an employer at all - the “employer” is just a front so the employee can stay in the Commonwealth. In these situations, there is no job for the employee. The “employer” files an application with the Labor Department but provides no job. The employee goes into the underground economy to support himself or herself and waits for better times when a job might become available. This practice is a real scourge in the Commonwealth, and we need to stop it.

Section 4964(d) of PL 15-108 provides:

“In order to prevent the solicitation of sponsorships under circumstances when a foreign national worker is present in the Commonwealth and seeking to stay, a foreign national worker who, while in the Commonwealth, pays for an application fee or a renewal fee shall be deportable under 3 CMC §4340(e).”

The proposed new regulations provide:

1. Solicitation of sponsorships. The purpose of Section 4963(k) and Section 4964(e) of PL 15-108 is to prevent illegal sponsorships in which the employer is offering no viable job but files an application in order to allow the foreign national worker to remain in the Commonwealth. These sections do not apply to employment arrangements in which the employer is offering a legitimate, viable, wage-paying job. The hearing officer shall apply these sections in this way.

(a)A foreign national worker who intentionally and knowingly violates Commonwealth law by paying an application fee or a renewal fee in the place of an employer solely in order to remain in the Commonwealth, under circumstances in which the employer provides no viable wage-paying job for the worker, may be deported if, under all the circumstances of the case, deportation is the appropriate remedy.

(b) A foreign national worker who pays an application or a renewal fee in connection with an existing, viable, wage-paying job may not be deported on account of the violation of these sections. If the employer provides a viable job for which the worker has been employed, they have not participated in an illegal sponsorship arrangement involving sham employment. Foreign national workers who pay an application fee or renewal fee under these circumstances have a claim against the employer whose responsibility it is to pay the fee and may be awarded damages if, under all of the circumstances of the case, damages are the appropriate remedy. Similarly, a foreign national worker who pays an application or a renewal fee without knowledge of or intent to participate in an illegal sponsorship arrangement may not be deported on account of the violation of these sections.
These provisions will help end illegal sponsorships and will not cause any harm to foreign workers who have legitimate jobs. No domestic helper who has a legitimate job and pays application fees is going to be deported. That is not going to happen. But unscrupulous foreign workers who would cheat under our system in order to stay in the Commonwealth may be deported if a hearing officer finds that is an appropriate remedy. No changes should be made in these provisions.

The requirement to bring actions promptly:

Mr. Benedetto says that the requirement in PL 15-108 to bring an action within six months “will completely eliminate the right of nonresident workers to seek compensation for their legitimate grievances.” He says that this six-month statute of limitations harms foreign workers because it will operate in conjunction with the requirement that foreign national worker depart the Commonwealth within 30 days of the expiration of their contract if it is not renewed or they have not been granted a transfer.

This is wrong on two grounds. First, a six month statute of limitations to complain about problems with a one-year contract is perfectly reasonable. The statute of limitations on election matters is 30 days; and the statute of limitations on probate matters is 60 days. Second, no legitimate worker is required to leave the Commonwealth and abandon a pending claim.

The proposed new regulations provide:

“Extension by order of a hearing officer. A foreign national worker who attends a mediation session after filing a complaint (see Part VI, Section 4(A)(16)) may request an extension of time for departure from the Commonwealth from the hearing officer. An extension of time will normally be granted by the hearing officer unless there is a finding by the hearing officer that the foreign national worker is likely not to appear at the hearing or a deportation order already has been entered or equivalent circumstances exist. A hearing officer's order granting an extension of time shall also set an initial hearing date in the matter. A denial of an extension of time may be appealed.”

There is no reason why a hearing officer should allow a person to remain in the Commonwealth if they are likely not to show up for a hearing. Similarly, if a person has already been ordered deported by a judge, that person has already had an opportunity to argue to a judge that they should be allowed to stay in the Commonwealth to pursue a claim. No changes should be made in these provisions.

The new prohibition on underaged workers:

Mr. Benedetto is concerned that underage bar girls might be deported because the new law requires all foreign workers to be 21 years old. He is wrong about this. The new law prohibits nightclubs from bringing underage “waitresses” into the Commonwealth. Mr. Benedetto should support this. But the new law will not harm underage workers currently in the Commonwealth - to the contrary, it will help them.

The proposed new regulations provide:

“An employment contract in effect on January 1, 2008, the effective date of PL 15-108, under which a foreign national worker of an age of less than 21 years is working may be performed in accordance with its terms after January 1, 2008, the effective date of PL 15-108. However, the employer of an underage worker must bring the worker to the Department by February 15, 2008 to meet with an investigator who will determine whether the employer and the nature of the employment are suitable for an underage person. The contract may be renewed, even if the foreign national worker is under the age of 21 at the time of renewal, provided that an investigator has determined in connection with the renewal application that the employer and the nature of the employment are suitable for an underage person. Underage persons who are in unsuitable employment may register with Employment Services to find suitable employment and may remain in the Commonwealth while suitable employment is found.”

We do not want underage women exploited in unsuitable jobs. The new law provides a sensible age requirement, and we should not change that.

* **

The new law gives the Department of Labor the tools with which to move decisively against the scams and illegal activities in which some foreign workers and employers have engaged. Rooting out these activities inevitably will affect a few of the people that the Ombudsman represents. However, we have good hearing officers at the Labor Department, and no one will be denied a fair chance to stay in the Commonwealth if they are not deliberately flouting our laws. If the hearing officers make a mistake, we have appeals so that others can consider the issues. The process is fair; the law is balanced and a great improvement over where we were; and the community will be involved in commenting on the regulations that will implement the new law. We need to set aside arguments about what conceivably under any stretch of the imagination “could” happen and focus on what actually does happen under the law. I am confident that the outcome will be excellent.

Rep. Jacinta M. Kaipat
Chair

OPEN LETTER TO MARK HANSON RE HB 15-38

2007-11-07T02:57:00.000+10:00

Wednesday November 7, 2007
Letters to the Editor
Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Open letter to Mark Hanson

The points that you made in the newspaper on Friday about H.B. 15-38, the new labor reform bill, seem to be quite different from the comments that you made when we were drafting the bill. Our Task Force asked you to comment on the bill as we know that you represent many foreign workers in your law practice, and your job is to allow them to stay in the Commonwealth for as long as they wish. I went back and looked at the document you submitted containing your comments. We accepted some 13 of your recommendations and we rejected 11 others. Here they are:

Changes you asked for that are included in the bill

- Definition of “employer”: You wanted a more stringent definition of “employer.” You made a suggestion to use the FSLA definition. We did that.

- Requirement of 50 percent local participation in certain job categories: You suggested that the requirement for a ratio of at least one-to-one (citizen to foreign worker) in certain job categories would be hard on some businesses. You suggested we delete this provision. We did that.

- Moratorium: You opposed the moratorium. The Senate amended the bill to phase out the moratorium.

- Bonding: You suggested improvements in the bonding provision. We adopted those.

- Grammar: You thought “may” was a better term than “shall” in one place. The bill adopts that change.

- Wage and working hours: You suggested that the provisions on wages and working hours be redrafted. We followed your suggestion and did that.

- Location of work site: You asked for more specificity with respect to the location of the work site for construction jobs, commercial cleaners, and similar employment. The Task Force decided that level of detail was better handled in regulations. But your suggestion was not rejected.

- Documentation of wages: You were concerned about a specific requirement with respect to documentation of wages. The bill had then and has now a specific requirement in that regard.

- Medical insurance: You raised several points with respect to the details of the medical insurance program. The Task Force agreed that the details of the medical insurance program should be left to regulations. The current provision that employers are responsible for the medical expenses of foreign workers stays in place until the new regulations on the medical insurance pool are agreed on.

- Termination: You asked for a clarification of termination. We did that.

- Orientation: You objected to the orientation session covering the subject of frivolous complaints. We took that out.

- Closed hearings: You objected to allowing a hearing officer to close hearings when the details of testimony might be embarrassing to a woman or traumatizing to a child. The provision allowing closed hearings was taken out of the bill by the Senate.

- Exemptions: You pointed out that certain exemptions had been overlooked. The Labor Department made the same point. The exemptions were put back into the bill.

Changes you asked for that were rejected

- Name: One of your principal comment was that the bill uses the term “foreign national worker” and you wanted to keep the term “nonresident worker.” We pointed out to you that Judge Munson has several times commented that alien workers are, in his view, “resident” in the CNMI because this is the place where they make their homes. So calling them “nonresidents” doesn't help. That is one of the reasons we substituted “foreign national worker.”

- Consistency with the immigration law: You suggested that there were certain points in H.B. 15-38 that might need to be changed to be consistent with the Entry and Deportation Act. I asked Ian Catlett, who has significant experience litigating immigration cases, to consider your comments. He was of the opinion that no changes to H.B. 15-38 were needed in this regard.

- Requirements of the MOU with the Philippines: You opposed the provision of the bill that requires employers to comply with the requirements of the MOU between the Commonwealth and the Philippines. You thought the CNMI should not “cede authority to foreign regulators.” However, the Task Force found that the provisions of the MOU protect workers in the way that the Philippines Government finds acceptable and should be respected.

- Currency for payment of wages: You asked that the law specify in what currency wages should be paid. The Task Force decided that was not necessary.

- Transfers: You opposed the limitations on transfers. The Task Force found that the current system of transfers cause serious law enforcement problems and opted for a more limited system of transfers when approved by a hearing officer.

- Stays of proceedings: You opposed the provision allowing the Commonwealth's hearing officers to go ahead with hearings on transfers when there are complaints pending elsewhere. The Task Force included this provision to allow the hearing officers to make decisions on transfers (which only Commonwealth hearing officers can make) without waiting years for the outcome of some other proceeding.

- Awards of attorneys fees: You wanted attorneys fees made mandatory when a foreign worker prevails in any way on a claim. The Task Force elected to keep the language which allows the hearing officer to award attorneys fees when appropriate.

- Frivolous complaints: You opposed the language on frivolous complaints. The Task Force decided that frivolous complaints have been a problem in the past and that the language allowing hearing officers to dismiss them and bar the workers who file them is appropriate.

- Periodic exit: You opposed the periodic ext requirement. You said: “I would be more worried about the Korean tourist baby factory called CHC. They WILL come back.” The Task Force decided that the periodic exit requirement was necessary to expand the job opportunities for citizens and permanent residents.

- Statute of limitations: You opposed the six month statute of limitations. The Task Force decided that a flexible six month provision was fair to the worker. There are a number of statutes of limitations in the Commonwealth that are shorter than six months and that govern important rights of citizens and others. Workers are in the Commonwealth under a one-year contract. There is nothing unreasonable in asking them to file complaints within six months of discovering that some wrong has been done.

- Solicitation of sponsorships: You opposed the provision that prohibits workers from soliciting illegal sponsorships and paying the fees imposed on an employer in order to stay in the Commonwealth illegally. The Task Force rejected your reasoning that unsuspecting workers could be caught in this provision. A hearing examiner will examine every case of this kind, and no unsuspecting workers will be punished-only those who know they are violating Commonwealth law and intend to do so in order to stay in the Commonwealth.

* * *

Slavery is a terrible human condition wherever it exists. The Commonwealth does not tolerate such conditions. For you to take the low road and drape that ugly epithet over H.B. 15-38, which is an important effort by many people to update a law that has been on the books since 1983, is irresponsible and dishonest. None of the changes you asked for-that were rejected by the task force-call for that kind of demagogic rhetoric. It reminds me of a story about you that is often told at the Labor Department. You were representing a client in a hearing when you became increasingly loud, rude, and hostile in trying to block your opponent from making fair points. The hearing officer finally told you to take a “time out” and step out into the hall for five minutes to gather yourself and get back into a more productive frame of mind-just like we do to our little kids when they misbehave. You should take a time out, Mr. Hanson, gather yourself, and come back to the debate about the labor bill in a frame of mind in which you can be more productive. It is true that some of the provisions of H.B. 15-38 make it more difficult for you to keep your clients in the Commonwealth than has been the case under the current law. But that does not justify slurs on the motives of legislators in enacting the bill.

Rep. Jacinta M. Kaipat
Chair Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee
CNMI House of Representatives

Molly Kramis Celebrates CNMI Arbor Day On October 27 and Spreads Beautify CNMI Beautify Virus in Montana

2007-11-02T03:01:00.000+10:00

Molly Kramis of Bellingham, Washington, continues to spread beautifycnmi's beauty virus! Here she is shown with the Ponderosa Pine she recently planted in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana. Molly picked the Ponderosa because of its beauty and----it is the Montana State tree. This particular tree is special because it was given to Molly by Anna, a wonderful 20 month old here who is deaf. With this tree, Molly honors Anna and all the deaf and hard of hearing children in the CNMI.

Note: Molly also lives with Masters Ron and Nancy Kramis. We thank Molly, Ron, Nancy & Anna for spreading the Beautify CNMI beauty virus and for honoring the deaf children of the CNMI.

Open letter to the federal ombudsman

2007-11-01T19:31:00.000+10:00

Vol. 35 No.165
©2006 Marianas Variety Thursday, November 1, 2007 www.mvariety.com
Serving the CNMI for 35 years

© 2006 Marianas Variety
Published by Younis Art Studio Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Email : mvariety@vzpacifica.net Open letter to the federal ombudsman

I AM writing to express my dismay that Jim Benedetto, after having participated in many deliberative sessions of our task force, after petitioning the House, and after petitioning the Senate, is now still campaigning against H.B. 15-38, the labor reform bill that passed the House with a vote of 15-0 and that passed the Senate with a vote of 9-0.

Mr. Benedetto’s points in his renewed petition are wrong. They were wrong when they were first made, they were wrong when they were repeated many times during the legislative process, and they are wrong today.

H.B. 15-38 may be the most legally scrutinized bill in recent years. It was reviewed by Ian Catlett, House counsel; Michael Ernest, Senate counsel; Howard Willens, special counsel to the governor; Dede Hill and Eleanor Nisperos, counsel to the Labor Department; Barry Hirshbein, head of the Administrative Hearing Office; Deanne Siemer, a former general counsel of the U.S. Department of Defense and trial lawyer; counsel for the chamber of commerce; counsel for other business entities; and other lawyers who took the time to participate in our public process. And I am a lawyer by training and have reviewed every word of the bill myself many times. This bill has passed muster in every legal respect in this very intensive review process.

In response to Mr. Benedetto, let me be clear about the general allegations:
(1) This bill does not narrow a worker’s right to file a complaint.
(2) This bill does not make it impossible “for many to obtain any relief whatsoever under the Act” and does not restrict anyone’s ability to make a legitimate claim.
What Mr. Benedetto says in criticism of H.B. 15-38 is wrong. Let me answer Mr. Benedetto’s renewed and oft-repeated charges, one by one.

Restrictions on who can file labor complaints.

Mr. Benedetto cites Section 4941 of the bill. This says: “Any foreign national worker who is aggrieved by the failure or refusal of his or her employer to comply with an approved employment contract may make a complaint to the department.” This provision of the new bill is an improvement over the existing law which says, in Section 4434(f), “No civil action may be brought by a nonresident worker against an employer for violation of the Minimum Wage and Hour Act or the Nonresident Workers Act unless the nonresident worker has first filed a written complaint concerning those violations with the chief of Labor no later than 30 days after the violation is alleged to have occurred.” Mr. Benedetto is wrong when he says the new bill is worse than the old law in this respect. Just the opposite is true.

Mr. Benedetto says that anyone who does not have a contract or whose contract has not been approved yet or has an expired contract is not covered by the Act. That is wrong. Every worker who comes to the commonwealth must enter the commonwealth with a contract in place. That contract gives the worker the right of access to the Labor Department’s Hearing Office. Anything that happens to that contract — it lacks approval, hasn’t been renewed, is expired — can be adjudicated by the Hearing Office. No one has been turned away on those grounds under the existing law, and no one will be turned away on those grounds under the new law.

Mr. Benedetto cites a provision of the Findings, Section 2, which provides that: “It is the intent of the Legislature that this Act shall not apply to persons admitted to the commonwealth as tourists, or to persons employed illegally, i.e. without the approval of the Department of Labor.” Mr. Benedetto is wrong when he says this deprives persons of rights. What it means is that these people — who come into the commonwealth as tourists and work illegally, must go to the courts, like anyone else with a complaint who has been cheated or treated badly. And the courts will determine those complaints. All it means is that the Labor Department’s hearing office is reserved for people who came here on work permits. The hearing office process is expensive for the commonwealth to maintain. There is no legal problem whatsoever in requiring people who came here as tourists to go to the courts instead of the hearing office.

Mr. Benedetto says that “although some workers may file complaints just to stay in the CNMI, the vast majority file because they have not been paid.” That is wrong. It is just the other way around. The vast majority file just to stay in the commonwealth, although some workers may file complaints because they have not been paid. Mr. Benedetto cites no statistics, because he has none. The Labor Department’s statistics show that most complainants just want a transfer, and the delay that in previous years has allowed them to remain in the commonwealth waiting for a decision.

The statute of limitations

Mr. Benedetto complains about the six month statute of limitations in Section 4962(b) but what he tells you about that provision is wrong. Here’s what the provision actually says: “No labor complaint may be filed more than six months after the date of the last-occurring event that is the subject of the complaint, except in cases where the actionable conduct was not discoverable upon the last-occurring event. In such instance no labor complaint may be filed more than six months after the date on which a complainant of reasonable diligence could have discovered the actionable conduct.” In other words, this provision is very fair. If a worker couldn’t find out about something that could be the basis for a complaint, they have six months after they did find out or after a reasonable person would have found out. As I have pointed out above, the current law is more restrictive. So the new law is better for foreign workers.

As to whether six months is a reasonable amount of time, one should think about it this way: if you haven’t been paid, or you haven’t been provided with promised benefits, or indeed if there is no job at all, how long does it take to figure that out? A statute of limitations is not measured against any other law. It is measured against the situation at hand. The Legislature decided that six months is reasonable. That means these complaints will not be brought years later when the employer may have lost the records or testimony necessary to defend against these claims. As for no other statute of limitations being this short, Mr. Benedetto is wrong. For example, the Probate Code has a statute of limitations of 60 days.

The departure and return provision

Mr. Benedetto complains that a worker who files a complaint must leave the commonwealth within 30 days and can come back five days before the hearing. He is wrong about this. Section 4956 of the new bill provides this: “A foreign national worker who is required to exit the commonwealth shall be permitted to remain in the commonwealth for a period not to exceed thirty days in order to pursue a civil or criminal claim, or to pursue violations of any commonwealth labor law. After the filing of an action, this period may be extended and departure stayed by a hearing officer or court of competent jurisdiction as necessary to ensure due process rights are protected.”

The Legislature found that some workers manipulate our system just to stay in the commonwealth. This provision allows the hearing officer to permit anyone with a legitimate claim to stay in the commonwealth for as long as it takes to pursue that claim. But it also allows for exit if the person making the claim is “gaming” the system. The hearing officers are fair. Their procedures will contain a presumption that workers may stay to pursue their claims. The Labor Department is disposing of claims in a much more expeditious manner right now. But should they find that guest workers are taking advantage of the system, H.B. 15-38 simply gives the hearing officers the option of having these people go home and await the date for their hearing.

We have taken into consideration the court cases that Mr. Benedetto cites. He knows this because he was a part of these discussions. The lawyers who have reviewed the bill believe that this provision is consistent with these court decisions. I agree.

Restrictions on transfers

Mr. Benedetto complains about the new provisions with respect to transfers. He is wrong about his conclusions as to how the new system will operate.
First, I need to explain that unrestricted transfers lead to the worst enforcement problems that the Department of Labor has. These transfers lead to abuses of the system, illegal employment, payment by workers for illegal jobs just to stay in the commonwealth, and “underground” employment. The Legislature curbed the unrestricted right to transfer for good reasons. We need to end these abuses.

If a worker has a legitimate reason to transfer, all they have to do is appear before a hearing officer and state those reasons. With the new operations by Internet communications that the bill supports, workers with legitimate reasons to transfer may even be able to submit their applications by e-mail and have them approved by return e-mail. The bill does a lot to improve the processes of the Labor Department and foreign workers will benefit by this as will everyone else.
It is true that transfers must be accompanied by a reason. Those reasons include unlawful termination by an employer, reduction in force, and abandonment of the worker. Those reasons include failure to pay wages, exit from the commonwealth by the employer evidencing an intent not to return, bankruptcy, and closure of the business.

In addition, if the hearing officer finds some equivalent theory of law or some equivalent theory of equity, the hearing officer can find that transfer relief is appropriate. That is a safety valve for the future. We know what conditions are now, and we have provided for those. Maybe there will be different abuses in the future, and we have allowed the hearing officers to provide for those. This is a fair system.

Violations by workers

Mr. Benedetto complains that there are “traps” for workers who violate the law. He is wrong. There are no traps. Anyone who has allegedly violated the law will be brought before a hearing officer who will decide the case. Our hearing officers decide cases fairly. They don’t implement “traps.” To say that this is how the system works is an insult to our hard-working hearing officers.

Judicial review

Finally, Mr. Benedetto complaints about judicial review. The judicial review under H.B. 15-38 is basically the same as the judicial review under existing law. The “record” is the documents and evidence that support the claim. This provision with respect to the “record” prevents employers from surprising workers with “new” records on appeal. This provision protects workers; it does not disadvantage them.
In conclusion, this has been a long debate. The House committee, the House, the Senate committee, and the Senate took more than 18 months to consider this bill. We had public hearings, we had many meetings, we were approached by Mr. Benedetto, the business community, local community groups, and concerned persons with all kinds of viewpoints. We balanced all these interests and came up with a good bill. To suggest otherwise is just not fair.

REP. CINTA M. KAIPAT
15th CNMI Legislature

Open letter to the 15th Legislature and people of the CNMI

2007-11-01T19:23:00.000+10:00

(This letter appeared in the October 31, 2007, edition of the Saipan Tribune.)

By Jim Benedetto
Special to the Saipan Tribune

I am writing to give my perspective on HB 15-38, the Alien Workers Act. I have worked with members of the JGO Committee in the House for many months to provide insight on how the legislation will affect the Commonwealth's guest workers. Chairwoman Cinta Kaipat has been most gracious in allowing me to offer my thoughts and suggestions, and I want to publicly thank her for all of her hard work and patience.

The version of the bill that has now passed both houses of the Commonwealth Legislature bears little resemblance to the one that was introduced almost two years ago. There were many problems with the original bill, and to her credit, Chairwoman Kaipat took the time to receive comments and suggestions from various people in and out of government in crafting this version. As a result of her considerable effort, there are many provisions in the Act that would be major improvements over the current law.

For example:

- Section 4802 would require that documents coming from overseas, such as health and police clearances, will only be accepted if they come from agencies on a list approved by the Department of Labor, in order to cut down on the many fraudulent documents submitted in support of alien worker contracts.

- Section 4924 would replace the current labor bonds with “approved security contracts” that would be easier to tap in the event the employer is unable to pay for a worker's wages, medical bills or repatriation ticket.

- Section 4932 would allow employers to participate in “pool insurance” with CHC to cover their guest workers' health care needs at an affordable cost.

- Section 4934 would require all workers entering the Commonwealth and their employers to attend a mandatory orientation session at the Department of Labor, so that workers can learn about their rights under the law and where to go for assistance if they have a problem.

- Section 4939 would establish a comprehensive and practical system for worksite inspections by the Department of Labor, to ensure that worksites and safe and legal.

Unfortunately, the bill is marred by provisions that will narrow a worker's right to file a complaint, and make it impossible for many to obtain any relief whatsoever under the Act. Fortunately, all of these provisions can be amended or removed from the bill, which will result in stronger, more effective legislation. The sections of the bill that concern me greatly are listed below, along with an explanation of why they will prove to be troublesome.

Restrictions on who can file labor complaints

Section 4941 of the bill only allows “foreign national workers” to file labor complaints, and then only to enforce “approved employment contracts.” Section 2 of the bill states, “It is the intent of the Legislature that this Act shall not apply to persons admitted to the Commonwealth as tourists, or to persons employed illegally, i.e. without the approval of the Department of Labor. .It is the intent of the Legislature that persons.illegally employed be prohibited from using the terms of this Act to receive or avail themselves of a legal right or benefit.” This means anyone who either doesn't have a contract, or whose contract hasn't been approved yet, or has expired and awaiting renewal, is not covered by the Act.

This creates an injustice because many workers are technically out-of-status when they file their complaints, through no fault of their own. For example, an employer will tell a worker that his renewal papers have been submitted, when the employer has not done so. By the time the worker checks at Labor or comes to the Ombudsman's Office for help, he may have been working illegally for months. Other employers file the worker's application, but purposely leave out some required paperwork, such as the health clearance, knowing that Labor will reject the contract because of a “deficiency,” and issue a denial. Since most workers don't have post office boxes, Labor sends the denial to the employer, who may never tell the worker. Once the worker learns he's been tricked, it is too late; he has already been working illegally. I think the workers in these two examples should be allowed to file a complaint to collect their wages. If this provision becomes law, workers in these situations will, through no fault of their own, be without any recourse to justice.

Prior to 2004, the Department of Labor used to refuse to accept complaints from workers if they were out of status, or if their complaint was not in the proper form. This resulted in many people being turned away from Labor, and abusive employers were neither reported nor sanctioned for their violations. This was remedied in 2004, through revised Alien Labor Rules & Regulations (“ALR&R”). The revised Rules made sure that no one got turned away from actually filing the complaint, no matter what their legal status or the form of their complaint. The Department reasoned that it would be better for the Hearing Office to screen out invalid complaints, after getting all of the facts, rather than refuse the complaint automatically. This is still good policy today, and should be retained.

Workers who file legitimate complaints actually assist the Department by reporting illegal activity by employers. If the Act excludes whole classes of workers from filing complaints, abusive employers will be able to evade the law, because Labor will never find out what they are doing. Letting crooked businesses get away with breaking the law hurts legitimate businesses; it costs money to comply with the law, money that dishonest employers don't pay. Employers who follow the labor laws are thus put at a competitive disadvantage. This is an unintended result that the Legislature should not endorse.

Although some workers may file complaints just to stay in the CNMI, the vast majority file because they haven't been paid, or because their employer treats them badly. We ought to encourage them to come forward when they think they are being cheated, so that Labor can make a determination whether their claims are legitimate and weed out bad employers for the benefit of all employers and employees in the Commonwealth.

An unnecessarily brief statute of limitations

Section 4962 sets a six-month statute of limitations for filing a labor complaint, in most cases. That means that a worker would not be able to complain about anything that happened more than six months ago. This is a problem because many employers repeatedly promise to pay the worker “next week,” and the worker is afraid if she complains, she will lose her job. So, if an employer strings a worker along for more than six months after the bill becomes law, the worker is just out of luck, and cannot file a complaint. Section 4962 has another little surprise: it would not allow any worker to file a labor complaint more than 30 days after the end of the worker's contract. So, if the employer doesn't pay the worker his last two weeks' wages, the worker would only have 30 days, not six months, to complain.

No other statute of limitations under Commonwealth law is limited to such a short period of time. For example, Commonwealth citizens have six years-not six months-to file actions to enforce a contract (7 CMC §2505). If resident workers can wait six years before losing their right to complain about a breach of contract, why should alien workers only get 180-or 30-days? There is no legitimate justification for such disparate treatment.

The departure and return provision

Section 4956 provides that a worker who has filed a labor complaint must leave within 30 days, and can come back five days before the hearing (at his own expense, of course). Make no mistake; few, if any, nonresident workers will be able to afford to return to the Commonwealth for their hearing, especially if their complaint is for lost wages. Requiring the worker to depart will ultimately mean no recovery for nonresident workers who are cheated by their employers. Can it really be the intent of the bill to make it easier for employers to cheat foreign workers?

The section also says that a hearing officer “may” allow the worker to stay beyond the 30 days, but using “may” instead of “shall” means it will be up to the discretion of a hearing officer whether the worker can stay or not. However, the CNMI Supreme Court has already struck down a similar section in two well-reasoned decisions. In Commonwealth v. Deala, 3 N.M.I. 110 (1992), the Supreme Court said that “[i]n an administrative proceeding where a person's life, liberty, or property is at stake, Article I, § 5 of the Commonwealth Constitution requires, at a minimum, that the person be accorded a meaningful notice and a meaningful opportunity to a hearing, appropriate to the nature of the case.”

In Commonwealth v. Rivera, 3 N.M.I. 436 (1993), the Supreme Court held that “an order of deportation, while a valid wage claim is pending, must be stayed until, at the very least, the worker is provided a meaningful opportunity to a hearing. To do otherwise would violate the due process provision of our Constitution.” In elaborating on what a “meaningful opportunity to a hearing” is, the Court said:

The property at stake for the workers in this case is each of their claims for unpaid wages. They must be allowed to have their wage claim heard. The opportunity to have their wage claim heard must be meaningful. In this particular case, it is not a meaningful opportunity to have a wage claim heard if it only means that a worker has to leave the island immediately and then return for brief visits, not to exceed a total of 90 days to pursue his or her claim. Due process cannot be satisfied in this case by placing a specified time limit on the opportunity for a hearing.

Section 4956 will not pass the Deala and Rivera test because it sets a time limit on a worker's stay to pursue his claims, and it leaves extensions up to the discretion of the hearing officer, both things the CNMI Supreme Court has said violate the Constitution.

Restrictions on the type of violations that would justify transfer relief

Section 4947 of the bill would only allow the Hearing Officer to give a transfer to a worker “if other remedies are insufficient” to give the worker the benefit of the bargain he made with his contract. Even if other remedies are insufficient, a transfer can only be granted if the worker has been unlawfully terminated; if the Department voids the worker's contract with the employer; if the worker was laid off because of a reduction in force; or if the employer abandons the worker, but not if he abandons him during the last three months of the contract. The Hearing Officer can also give the worker a transfer if the employer doesn't pay him, but only if the employer has violated the statute and the contract twice, or if the Hearing Officer finds that the worker has proved a violation “under an alternate theory of law and that transfer relief is appropriate.”

But wait; section 4947 goes on to say, “A transfer may be granted only to a foreign national worker who has complied with the provisions of the approved employment contract to the extent practicable under the circumstances, and for whom transfer relief is required in order to assure receipt of the benefit of the bargain under the contract.” This means that even if a worker proves his employer abandoned him or fired him illegally, or didn't pay him twice, he will be denied a transfer if he didn't follow every part of the contract, even if his employer didn't complain about it, and even if it didn't have anything to do with the employer's violation. It also means that a worker will be denied a transfer if he can get the benefit of his contract without a transfer; in other words, we will be telling the worker, “here are your back wages, now you must leave.” As a result, workers will be less likely to come forward to complain about violations. So this will reduce the number of complaints that workers file, not because there are fewer violations, but because the law gives him a choice: stay with your abusive employer, or go back where you came from.

Traps for workers who complain

Section 4964 states that if a worker violates “any subsection of section 4963,” he can be deported and all his claims for money damages and other relief are forfeited. Section 4963 has a long list of violations, including some very common ones, any one of which could subject the worker to deportation and loss of all his claims, such as:

- working before the contract has been approved, or after it has expired, even if under renewal;

- working for a secondary employer, even incidentally;

- engaging in any business activity other than for one's employer;

- giving any “misleading” information to any Department of Labor or Executive Branch personnel, orally or in writing, at any time;

- and being a minor.

Now, I do not condone anyone breaking the law, but those who do so must have a punishment that fits their crime. It is grossly unfair to tell a worker who has worked past his contract because his employer told him it was okay, “sorry, you are deported and cannot collect any back wages.” And the most common violation by workers-payment of their own application or renewal fees-subjects them to deportation under section 4964(d). It is common knowledge that many, many workers, especially housekeepers, pay those fees because the employer requires it of them. The Act would whipsaw these workers; first, their employer illegally makes them pay their application fees, then the Department deports them for doing so.

Restricted judicial review

One more brief point: Section 4949 of the bill would restrict judicial review to the record below. In other words, uneducated foreign workers, most without lawyers, will have to think of every possible legal argument and bring every piece of evidence when they have their hearing at Labor, because the bill will not allow the Superior Court to consider any evidence the worker did not know to raise in the Administrative Hearing. So much for alien workers getting a fair shake in the courts!

* * *

Any one of the above provisions, taken individually, raises legal and moral questions we should try to answer before this Act is signed into law: What would this provision actually accomplish? Is it constitutional? Will it cost the Commonwealth a lot of money and wasted time because of lawsuits? Is it a step forward in protecting workers, or a way of reducing complaints by punishing those who dare to complain? How will others-in the news media, and in Washington, D.C.-perceive and react to this provision?

Taken collectively, the provisions described above will have a tremendous “chilling effect” on a worker's right to complain. They will make the filing of a complaint not only an exercise in futility, but also a minefield where any past misstep will result in total denial of wage claims and speedy deportation. Taken together, these provisions will be perceived as mean-spirited and punitive, and will only reinforce the reputation of the CNMI as a place where workers are subject to rampant abuse.

I do not believe the member of the 15th Commonwealth Legislature want that to be their legacy in passing the Alien Workers Act. I do not believe it is their intent to punish workers for complaining, or to make it more difficult for them to get a fair shake from employers, or from the Department of Labor. Amendment of these provisions will take nothing away from this legislation; let's take the time to ensure the Alien Workers Act is fair and workable. I would be glad to assist the Commonwealth Legislature in this process in any way the members think may be helpful.

(Jim Benedetto is the Federal Ombudsman.)

Tina Sablan on Pagan Pozzolan

2007-10-31T03:53:00.000+10:00

Here's a letter to the editor that Tina Sablan wrote in 2004 regarding the pozzolan negotiations.

This is what Thomas Arkle wrote in response to Tina's letter.

This is what I (Cinta Kaipat) wrote in response to Arkle.

Exposing hypocrisies and conflicts of interest

2007-10-31T03:36:00.000+10:00

Click here for my letter to the editor which was published in the Variety in 2005.

I wrote the letter in response to this letter to the editor.

People of the NMI deserve the best

2007-10-30T12:00:00.000+10:00

Click here for the letter to the Editor from Cinta Kaipat & Pete Perez of PaganWatch on JG Sablan which was published in 2006.

See www.chamorro.com/paganwatch for more letters and more comprehensive information on this issue.

Excerpt of Congresswoman Kaipat's Privilege Speech In Opposition to Veto Override To Re-instate JG Sablan's Mining Permit

2007-10-30T11:35:00.000+10:00

Speaker Babauta: I now recognize the Floor Leader.

Floor Leader Florencio Deleon Guerrero: Mr. Speaker, with respect to the visitors that we have here. I would ask that we make a Committee as a Whole so that we can visit back the GOV. COMM. NO. 15-137.

There was no objection.

Speaker Babauta: You are requesting to go back to the Communication?

Floor Leader Florencio Deleon Guerrero: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Babauta: You want to get one more bill before we do that?

Floor Leader Florencio Deleon Guerrero: It makes no different anymore, Mr. Speaker. We are late and minus well get into one and get it going.

Speaker Babauta: Which is which? You want to pass one more bill or what?

Floor Leader Florencio Deleon Guerrero: As I mentioned, Mr. Speaker, if we can entertain GOV. COMM. NO. 15-137.

The motion was seconded.

Speaker Babauta: You are requesting to go back to item number 5?

Floor Leader Florencio Deleon Guerrero: Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Babauta: The Floor Leader has requested that we go back to item 5, Messages from the Governor.

The motion was objected by Representative Kaipat.

Speaker Babauta: State your objection.

Rep. Kaipat: Mr. Speaker, I believe that we are here long enough and we had already agreed that we would work on the budget and continue everything else next week.

Speaker Babauta: That is the very purpose that I ask earlier because I know that the budget is going to take us quite some time and I specifically ask for all your humble indulgence to go back directly to the Resolution and Bill Calendar. We will come back Tuesday where we will start our Regular Session and to use this forum, I would like to request that we come back Tuesday and start our Regular Session at 10:00 a.m. The Memo will be issued out on Monday morning. I appreciate your cooperation. The Calendar will remain the same as it is. It is just that we need to move on. I ask your indulgence that all the Communications will remain on the Calendar for action on Tuesday morning. The Clerk has taken a note on that.

Rep. Torres: Mr. Speaker, I think we can still do one more.

Speaker Babauta: Okay. I recognize the Floor Leader to go back to Bill Calendar.

The motion to go back to the Calendar was objected by Representatives Kaipat and Waki.

Floor Leader Florencio Deleon Guerrero: Mr. Speaker, if I may? How many objection does it have to be to go into a vote to consider an objection?

Speaker Babauta: Let us handle this diplomatically. The Floor Leader requested that we go back to the Messages of the Governor and I explained that reason of the call today and I ask your indulgence so that we may dispose of all the items on the Calendar Tuesday morning. No one seems to bulge and therefore, the request was made to go back again so that we may dispose of one bill on the Calendar. So with your indulgence, we will go back to the Bill Calendar and pass one more bill before we leave. Please take an official notice that the First Day, Second Regular Session will commence on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. I recognize the Minority Leader.

Rep. Palacios: I would like to ask or even make a motion that instead of going to Bill Calendar that we go to the Governor's Communication. I think we can handle one more.

Speaker Babauta: Okay.

The motion to go back to item number 5 under Governor's Communication was seconded but there was a Division on the floor.

Speaker Babauta: Division on the floor. Clerk, call the roll.

The Clerk called the roll on the motion to go back to the Governor's Communications:

Rep. Martin B. Ada yes
Rep. Edwin P. Aldan yes
Rep. Francisco S. Dela Cruz yes
Rep. Florencio T. Deleon Guerrero yes
Rep. Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero yes
Rep. Jacinta M. Kaipat no
Rep. Jesus SN. Lizama yes
Rep. Crispin M. Ogo yes
Rep. Arnold I. Palacios yes
Rep. Justo S. Quitugua excused
Rep. Benjamin B. Seman yes
Rep. Candido B. Taman yes
Rep. Ramon A. Tebuteb yes
Rep. Manuel A. Tenorio yes
Rep. Stanley T. Torres yes
Rep. Absalon V. Waki, Jr. no
Rep. Ray N. Yumul yes
Rep. Oscar M. Babauta yes

Speaker Babauta: By a vote of 15 "yes" we are back to item number 5 under Governor's Communication and I wish to recognize any members wishing to comment on any of the Governor's Communication as presented to us today. I recognize the Minority Leader.

Rep. Palacios: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move to override the Governor's veto relative to GOV. COMM. NO. 15-137 on S. B. NO. 15-45, SD1, HD2.

The motion was seconded.

Speaker Babauta: Discussion on the motion.

Rep. Kaipat: Privilege, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker Babauta: I recognize Chairwoman Kaipat.

Rep. Kaipat: Before we vote on this motion, I want to state for the record that I have no personal animosity towards John or Gloria Sablan despite what people may think. I look at this from the perspective of what it means for us to pass laws. What does it mean when we do not even enforce our laws? It means we do not respect our laws. Now I look at this from the perspective of the whole Commonwealth and what it stands to lose when the Legislature jumps in to rescue one company at the expense of the entire Commonwealth. It seems odd that, here I am from the Northern Islands, and I should be jumping for joy in supporting this. But, I cannot, in good conscience, support this when I know it comes at the expense of the entire Commonwealth. This is not a good deal.

Now, I am looking at this from a business stand point. If you look at the joint venture agreement that this company entered into with another company that has not been recognized or formally accepted by the Commonwealth government, you will see who really comes out at the short end of the stick. I want John and Gloria to succeed. I want all of us to succeed, but let us stop this practice of only the privileged few getting the prize at the expense of everyone. I had hoped that my colleagues would at least give the task force a chance to do its work. There is nothing wrong with the task force wanting to bid this out to ensure that the Commonwealth has the opportunity to pick the best deal out there, including John Sablan's. We are not saying that this company cannot bid. As a matter of fact, I even invited Bridgecreek to bid. They did not want to because they wanted a shortcut. But at whose expense? When we voted, when my colleagues here voted on this bill, they were dazzled that $50,000 a month would be given to PSS. We are so proud that we held on to one golden egg and, meanwhile, we're giving away the golden goose! Have you all done your homework? I have.

I have spent years on this trying to save this resource for the Commonwealth. I have been talking to different people who have connections to Native American Tribes. It is my dream that we all join and work together. Why can't we have an indigenous company for the entire Commonwealth where we can explore this and make sure that if there is money to be made from this, that no one is left behind and that all of us get to benefit? But if you look at the deal as it is right now, I can tell you, my brothers and sisters, we are coming out at the short end of the stick. I do not know if you are all comfortable with that, but I certainly am not. I am not saying that JG Sablan ought to be excluded.

Why do we need the Legislature to violate the Constitution and intrude into the Executive Branch's jurisdiction to resuscitate a permit? We have no business doing this! And what does that say? If we are so concerned about investors, what do you think we look like to them? We enter into a contract and if they do not perform under it, no problem. The Legislature can always come in and rescue it. That is the message that you are all giving out. That is the message.

I have seen a lot of our people dying. I have seen a lot of our people suffering. There is no adequate medical referral program. If you allow most of this money to leave the Commonwealth--and this is the way that this deal is structured right now--where would you get the money to give PSS? Where is that money that you are going to give DPS? Where is the money that I had hoped that we could use to build our own state-of-the-art hospital so we can deal with this medical referral program that is inadequate? Our people are dying! Our people are dying. I'm not after this for any self interest. I am doing this because our people are dying and they need it.

I've got an education. I don't have to stay here. I can go off and get a job somewhere and be satisfied, but I came home after I received my education so I can help our people. It saddens me to see this happen. Total disregard of what the implications are. I ask you to please not override this veto. I ask you to let the process work. Let us bid this out the way we had intended it and may the best company be chosen by the Commonwealth. Heck, if you don't want me to be on that committee to have a hand in choosing the company, I don't have to be a part of that committee. But give the Commonwealth a chance. Give us a chance. Give our children a chance. Give our dying people a chance. Thank you.

Speaker Babauta: Any other member wishing to comment? I would like to remind the members that there is lengthy transmittal by the Governor and so that you also know, I believe there is present legal battle with the agency. I believe that the hearing had taken place already so whatever your outcome of the vote is, just take that into consideration that there is things going on between the JG Sablan and the Department of Public Land. I would like reiterate the issue at hand as to when we passed the Senate Bill and amended it in the House, that to certain extent the Chair would continue to refrain from voting on this issue because of obvious personal reasons. Any more comment? I recognize Representative Waki.

Rep. Waki: I would like to pretty much concur with Chairwoman Kaipat. I have nothing against John or Gloria. I have nothing against John doing a business in mining. I am sorry it did not work out for the last so many years. Things happen. He invested money and every company that you would invest sometime that investment does not turn to make a profit. That is just business. Now, besides the legal problem that is going on between DPL and JG Sablan, there is also concern about the independent audit that is been done for MPLA. From what we hear, it does not look very good. It is not in my good conscience to try to pass something that may have some very legal implications.

We as a Legislature are policy makers. When do we do what we are supposed to do and they do what they are supposed to do? If we pass this, like we say, if there is a decision that maybe against JG Sablan, where does our law or where does our bill come in? It would have been null and void because the Judiciary would have to decide. That is the separation of powers. We cannot always say that it is everybody's business and if we are going to do it for JG, why do we not also do it for the garment factory? Why do we not do it for all the other companies that have closed down and left because they could not make it? Is that what we are here to do? Are we in the business to save businesses?

I am sorry but I thought we were the government in trying to make laws, enforce laws and try to make sure that somebody does their job. And if they do not do their job, or they do their job right, we say, we are going to override their decision because that is our job. I am not sure if that is our job. I think we need to go back to our Constitution and find out what is our job. I am sorry, I am still trying to learn what is our job, because everyday I am trying to find out just which direction am I supposed to be doing. One day somebody says, you can do this, another day, somebody says, you can do that. What is in the Constitution? What is Law? Are we all lawyers? Sometimes the legal counsels tell us, no this cannot be done, and everybody says, no it can be done. Hello. Where does our separate of powers end? Or does it just continually override in everything else. Shall we do it to the Judiciary? When they make a decision and say guilty, we say no they are not guilty. Is that how far we are going to go? I do not think that is our responsibility. That is all I am trying to get across here.

We want to save the company from losing a permit. Who is to say that they cannot apply for another permit based on after the fact, because nobody is going to get a permit yet. We are still trying to figure out just what we have up there. That is why a task force is put together. It is unfortunate that we did not find out what was up there for the past fifteen years. Maybe we dropped the ball. Maybe John knew what was up there. Maybe he knows it is worth something and unfortunate things happen over the period of years, and it did not turn out to be what he expected. Now, with a new investor, it is going to be better. Well, now that we know that we have a resource that they looked into and that they did not profit from, we need to look at and see what the profit could be for the entire CNMI because a certain dollar for metric ton may not be a fair deal anymore. That was what, twelve fourteen years ago.

I am not saying that the product is worth anymore right now, but we have not done our diligence to at least tell the people that this is what its worth and this deal, this permit, this amount of money that we are going to be getting for pozzolan is a fair deal. That is not too much to ask for. It is just to slow the process down. Things are trying to be rushed again. I guess that is what we are all supposed to be doing, just rush everything in. I am sorry. I guess it does not matter which side we are on, sometimes we just want to rush things. But do we look in our conscience, what is in the best interest? That would be the only reason why I would say no because not everything is actually on table for all of us to see. Maybe MPLA did not do their job and DPL is now trying to do their job. I am not going to tell them what to do because that is a separation no power and here we are telling them what they can and cannot do. I do not understand and because I do not understand it, I can in good conscience vote for it. So that is where I stand. Thank you.

The Chair recognized Representative Taman.

Rep. Taman: Mr. Speaker, I move to end debate.

The motion to end debate was seconded.

Speaker Babauta: Motion to end debate is undebatable. We would now go right into the question of voting to override the Governor's veto on SEN. COMM. NO. 15-137 under S. B. NO. 15-45, SD1, HD2. Short recess.

The House recessed at 7:02 p.m.

RECESS

The House reconvened at 7:02 p.m.

Speaker Babauta: We are back into session. Now, I recognize the Clerk to call the roll.

The Clerk called the roll on the motion to override the Governor's veto on S. B. NO. 15-45, SD1, HD2 on First and Final Reading:

Rep. Martin B. Ada yes
Rep. Edwin P. Aldan yes
Rep. Francisco S. Dela Cruz yes
Rep. Florencio T. Deleon Guerrero yes
Rep. Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero yes
Rep. Jacinta M. Kaipat no
Rep. Jesus SN. Lizama yes
Rep. Crispin M. Ogo yes
Rep. Arnold I. Palacios yes
Rep. Justo S. Quitugua yes
Rep. Benjamin B. Seman yes
Rep. Candido B. Taman yes
Rep. Ramon A. Tebuteb yes
Rep. Manuel A. Tenorio yes
Rep. Stanley T. Torres yes
Rep. Absalon V. Waki, Jr. no
Rep. Ray N. Yumul yes
Rep. Oscar M. Babauta abstained

Speaker Babauta: By a vote of 14 "yes", the House hereby overrides the Governor's veto under SEN. COMM. NO. 15-137. I recognize Representative Joseph Deleon Guerrero.

Seized artifacts prompt lawmaker to dig up bill ‘stuck’ in Senate

2007-10-30T00:22:00.000+10:00

Vol. 35 No.163
©2007 Marianas Variety Tuesday, October 30, 2007 www.mvariety.com
Serving the CNMI for 35 years

© 2007 Marianas Variety
Published by Younis Art Studio Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Email : mvariety@vzpacifica.net Seized artifacts prompt lawmaker to dig up bill ‘stuck’ in Senate
By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

THE recovery of historical artifacts from the container van that was retrieved from Hong Kong has prompted a lawmaker to revisit a bill that was supposed to “add teeth” to the Historical Preservation Act which has been around for many years but has never been fully enforced.

The attempt to ship a World War II fighter plane engine and propeller and other items with historical value to the CNMI, according to Rep. Cinta Kaipat, Covenant-Saipan, should highlight the need to pass House Bill 15-151, which has been in the Senate for almost a year now.

The House passed it in Dec. 2006.

The bill aims to prevent the removal of artifacts and items of historic significance from the commonwealth by strengthening the enforcement ability of the Historical Preservation Office.

It gives HPO employees “greater investigatory and search powers to detect objects of historical and cultural value and prevent their removal from the CNMI,”
Kaipat, in an interview yesterday, said HPO has no enforcement body to take actions against those digging up historical artifacts on the islands.

The bill, she said, seeks to prohibit “any person, partnership, business, corporation or other entity from willfully removing any artifact of historic significance to the people of the commonwealth.”

It also recommends that the fine for violating the Historical Preservation Act of 1982 should be $10,000 per violation.

It designates HPO employees as enforcement personnel upon completing an appropriate law-enforcement training program.

Kaipat said while her bill has remained pending in the Senate, there have probably been a lot of artifacts shipped off the islands.

She expressed dismay at the Senate’s refusal to pass most of the bills she introduced.

“I wonder why they [did] that. Now I guess I know,” she said, but she declined to elaborate.

Thank You CNMI & Guam for a Super Successful 2007 CNMI Arbor Day Celebration!

2007-10-28T02:58:00.000+10:00

Vincent Fajardo, 6, plants a coconut tree with [his] sister Brianna, 10, on the side of the road near the entrance to the CNMI Veterans Cemetery in Marpi during the celebration of CNMI Arbor Day Saturday morning. The event is spearheaded by Beautify CNMI!'s Arbor Day Committee. (Jacqueline Hernandez). We made front page of the Tribune. Click here. Click on the photos below to enlarge them.
The group was too large for our photog, so a second picture was necessary to capture us all.
Even so, these are most of us but NOT all of us who were there. There were a bunch more of us who arrived about an hour later, so they missed the group picture..One of two flame trees that the family of the late Jesse Castro planted. His mother, Doreen DeJesus, and sister Lisa Castro-Pocaigue, flew up from Guam to join family in Saipan for the planting.

Here's the story that appeared in the Tribune.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

NMI honors fallen heroes with Marpi tree planting

By Marconi Calindas
Reporter

Families of the CNMI's fallen heroes came together yesterday morning and remembered their departed loved ones with the planting of hundreds of trees at the CNMI Veterans Cemetery in Marpi as part of celebrations for CNMI's Arbor Day.

The families of the late SSgt. Wilgene Lieto, Cpl. Derence Jack, Lance Cpl. Adam Quitugua Emul, and Cpl. Joe Junior Gogue Charfauros joined at least a hundred community members for the tree planting ceremony.

Military Veterans Affairs Office executive director Ruth Coleman said the Charfauros family in Rota even flew in for the event. Families of the late Jesse Castro also flew in from Guam, while the family of the late war veteran Gregorio Cabrera were also present.

Coleman said many CNMI soldiers on active duty also planted some trees. The family of the late Sgt. Yihjyh “Eddie” Chen called Coleman from Guam to acknowledge the event.

Beautify CNMI founder and Arbor Day Committee officer Rep. Cinta Kaipat expressed her gratitude to the participants, saying it was another successful tree planting event. “I am delighted and grateful for the response from the community once again. I am touched and honored to have all the three islands participating in the event,” she said.

CNMI forester and Arbor Day Committee officer Vic Guerrero said Arbor Day has been an annual tradition in the CNMI. Arbor Day is also being observed across the US.

“The increased observance and emphasis given by the CNMI demonstrates our deep appreciation for the beauty of trees and their many benefits,” reads part of the proclamation letter declaring Arbor Day.

Guerrero said at least 45 flame tree seedlings were planted yesterday. The flame tree is the state tree of the CNMI.

Two Golden Showers trees were also planted at the entrance to the veterans memorial park. Guerrero said these two trees would later produce chandelier-like yellow flowers that are appropriate to honor the CNMI war heroes.

Participants

Public School System's Troops-to-Teachers participants led by coordinator Geri Willis also participated. Thirty former servicemen and women-turned-teacher aides said the event is very significant for them. Troops-to-Teachers pioneer member Winfred Camacho said they participated to honor the CNMI's fallen heroes.

Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3457 led by Commander Mariano Fajardo, the U.S. Coast Guard, Division of Agriculture, ISA CNMI, Friends of the Mariana Islands, Youth Center of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, CNMI Boy Scouts, Team Chura Talo, RC & D, Northern Marianas College, Office of the Governor, among many others, were also present.

Families and community members who also shared their time yesterday were Dr. James Hofschneider and family, Mike and Juanita Sablan family, Ed and Lupe Flores family, Jerry Facey, Rep. Cinta Kaipat's Office and family, Tom Gibson, Ray Mafnas and many more.

*********************
I will post more 2007 CNMI Arbor Day Celebration pictures later.

CNMI Arbor Day, MINA's Moonlight Cruise & Misc Events

2007-10-25T00:52:00.000+10:00

Hafa Adai CNMI Beautifyers!

Here are several activities for this weekend to choose from.

INVITATION TO JOIN CNMI ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27

Beautify CNMI!'s Arbor Day Committee invites the public to join in the fun by helping plant some coconut trees and flame trees in celebration of CNMI Arbor Day! The Committee is also happy to announce that Beautify CNMI!'s wildly successful Adopt-A-Flame Tree for $20 Program will also be offered. You may plant a flame tree, but why not add that personal touch by adopting a flame tree in honor of your loved one, school, organization, or for yourself? You're worth it!

Rain or shine, meet us at the entrance to the CNMI Veterans Cemetary at 8 a.m. this Saturday, October 27. (Take the road to Banzai Cliff; the Cemetary should be on your right.) We will have a brief ceremony before the planting.

The planting will be led by DLNR-Forestry's Vic Guerrero and staff; Brad Doerr of MINA; and Ken Kramer of RC&D.

Joining this planting effort will be:

Rep. Cinta Kaipat's Office
Veterans Affairs Office
Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI)
VFW
Troops-To-Teachers
Youth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Families of our Fallen Heroes from the CNMI & Guam
Kaipat Family
Team Chura Talo
Coach Donny Fejeran and Team Zalaka and Family

For those who can't make it out to Marpi for the planting, but who would like to plant somewhere, either at your house or at school, you may pick up a plant or two (limit two plants per household) from DLNR-Forestry in Kagman. Plants are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

So, don't miss out on the fun. See you all at 8 a.m. this Saturday! For more information, call 664-8974 or 898-4490.

# # #

MINA TO HOST 'MOONLIGHT CRUISE" ON OCTOBER 27
MINA will be hosting a "Moonlight Cruise" on the Jade Lady III, October 27, 7:30-9:30 pm.

This includes appetizers, soft drinks, beer and wine for the low-cost of $20 per person. All proceeds will benefit MINA's Environmental Education Camp for teachers.

What a great way to kick off your Halloween.

Tickets are available from board members or meet us at the Outer Cove Marina at 7:00 pm to purchase yours.

Cheers

Visit us on the web at http://www.minapacific.org

***** You have received this message because you are subscribed to the MINA member's mailing list. To unsubscribe, reply to this message with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line *****

# # #

SAVE THESE DATES --

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Come join members of Marianas Dive as we descend upon the sandy shores of Obyan beach in an effort to keep one of our most beautiful dive spots pristine! We'll begin by working up a slight sweat tackling the topside litterbugs then, with a refreshing plunge, we'll rid the waters of all! unwanted debris. Everyone is welcome to pitch in on the surface but underwater the effort is reserved for certified scuba divers only! Come on out and enjoy the sun, sand and morning surf with a bunch of divers!

First annual Marianas Underwater Pumpkin Carving Contest

When: Sunday October 28th 2007
Where: Obyan Beach
Time: 10:00 AM Check in.
Time: 11:00 AM Underwater Carving
Time: 12:30 PM Judging & Prizes
Who is this for: Anyone interested in taking this time-honored tradition to a new level.

A what? That's right bring your pumpkin and carving utensil and prepare to get wet as we kick off the Halloween season like never before! Meet at the beach for a day of fun and laughs and of course some diving too! Is carving a pumpkin underwater really any different than on land? Come on down and find out for yourself!

Marianas Dive is a growing group of individuals with a passion for everything underwater and speci! fically what the Marianas (Saipan Tinian & Rota) have to offer as a dive destination. We encourage all members of the community to join and help us reach our goal to build a truly world class dive destination while promoting what we have, locally and on a global level.

Marianas Dive members meet twice a month on the first and third Wednesday at 6:30 PM. Locations TBA. For more information visit our web site and forum at www.marianasdive.com

For More information please contact

Mike Tripp, President
Marianas DIVE

670-288-DIVE (3483)
scubatrip@mac.com

# # #

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31st -- HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

You'll have several trick-or-treat venues to choose from:

1) American Memorial Park presents "Trunk or Treat." Bring your kids to the AMP parking lot and have them trick or treat by going from car trunk to car trunk. For more info, contact Ranger Nancy at nancy_kelchner@nps.gov

2) First Lady's Vision Foundation and Power 99 at the Chamolinian Village -- Bring your kids to Chamolinian Village in Garapan where the First Lady and Power 99 will be passing out candies! For more info, contact Remy Buniag at the Governor's Office.

3) Trick-or-Treating at Tottotville -- It's a popular tradition. For those living closer to the southern part of our island of Saipan, our generous home owners in Tottotville will, once again, open their generous hearts to the gouls and goblins that grace their doorsteps.

4) From Tottotville, just come on over to the SAVE Club Environmental Haunted House and Recycled Costume Contest at the Koblerville Youth Center. Super Science teacher Bree Reynolds leads her young environmental warriors and warriorettes in frightening and delighting visitors to the Koblerville Youth Center with their combination Haunted House and Recycled Costume Contest. Hopwood's SAVE is a youth environmental club (chapter of Beautify CNMI!). For more info, contact " BREE REYNOLDS" or "Ken Concepcion" < lancheru@hotmail.com>

PaganWatch Answers Arkle & Farrell

2007-10-24T00:35:00.000+10:00

Letters to the Editor

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

'Got ground-penetrating radar?'

The recent pre-election letters to the editor by Mr. Thomas Arkle and his friend Don Farrell needs a response for the sake of those who don’t already know the history of these two Azmar employees.

In 2003 and 2004 Azmar tried every dirty trick in the book, from secret meetings with politicians to attempted character assassination of anyone who opposed them, in order to gain exclusive mining rights to large areas of Pagan. Unfortunately for them, J.G. Sablan Rock Quarry Inc. already had a permit and friends inside the Marianas Public Lands Authority who were determined to help them keep it.

While it might be hard to prove, many people close to the issue believe that MPLA never seriously considered the Azmar application. At the time, Cinta Kaipat and PaganWatch fought hard to get MPLA do its due diligence and both evaluate the mining opportunity and give all interested parties a fair chance to bid in an open and above board manner. Ultimately, we prevailed and Governor Fitial created the Pagan Mining Task Force to support the new Department of Public Lands in evaluating the mining opportunity and determining the terms under which legitimate mining companies can bid for a mining permit. These terms include following the law in regards to protections for the environment, and following a clearly defined bidding process to ensure that all bids are evaluated fairly.

Arkle and Farrell’s group is welcome and encouraged to bid. However, the terms of their original mining proposition to MPLA was certainly not in the best interests of the CNMI and is not likely to be successful. That proposal could only be characterized as grossly exploitive. There was lots of risk but very little financial benefit to the community, while the principals of Azmar, which included Arkle and Farrell, would have enjoyed windfall profits. There were no environmental safeguards planned, no verifiable financing, and no mining operation plan. Over the years, Azmar has behaved more like a retired military men’s club than a serious business. There are also grave concerns about Azmar’s disregard of the Historic Preservation Office’s instructions that cultural and historic artifacts in the Marianas were not to be touched or removed from the islands.

J.G. Sablan and its would-be partner, real estate company Bridgecreek Development, are also invited to respond to an RFP and bid on the mining opportunity in an open and fair manner. However, like Azmar, J.G. Sablan does not welcome a competitive bid process. Instead, J.G. Sablan wants the original terms of the decade-old permit restored and has been pursuing that goal in court. This has had the effect of killing any interest by legitimate mining companies since a court decision in favor of J.G. Sablan would undermine their own mining investment. In this way, J.G. Sablan, the company that squandered the mining opportunity for a decade while nature literally washed and blew most of the pozzolan into the sea, continues to block any progress on mining what pozzolan is left on Pagan. Nothing can be expected to change until the court actions are finally ended.

Meanwhile, Arkle and Farrell might consider using this time to prepare a legitimate bid. But if they are at all serious, they would do well to disassociate themselves from the Azmar group and find some legitimate and capable business partners. Azmar seems to be less interested in mining than in collecting World War II artifacts and finding that elusive WWII underground Japanese aircraft hangar that is rumored to be somewhere on Pagan. Or perhaps Arkle and Farrell should concentrate on that instead. Maybe if they try the ground-penetrating radar again, but over a wider area this time, they’ll be successful. It would be a very interesting find, and I, for one, am pretty sure there is no danger of anyone trying to smuggle that out of the Marianas.

Peter J. Perez
PaganWatch

Bitter Azmar Officials Talking Out of 2 Sides Of Their Mouths As Usual

2007-10-22T14:45:00.000+10:00

***There continues to be efforts by bitter old men intent on exacting revenge, and even going so far as to mislead the public, if they thought this would accomplish their goal. They must think the public has a short memory or that the people are dumb and stupid.

Let me show you their hypocrisy, using their own words:
****************

Letters to the Editor
Friday, October 19, 2007

Mr. Demapan's pozzolan

Sir, I am happy that you brought this issue up. As you, and many others may remember, I wrote many letters during 2004 and 2005 on the pozzolan issue-favoring its removal and sale by an investment company specifically formed, capitalized and ready to move with the best experts in the world. All of that was for naught as it was fought vigorously by those who felt, as you stated, that "billions" would fall into the coffers of the CNMI if only the "right" company would just beg the CNMI to let them do it. You simply cannot fight emotionalism with science.

Well, at least five "right" companies have tried and all were unceremoniously discredited and practically run out of town on a rail-all because a few self-righteous individuals got greedy in the name of "protection" and "preservation". Through the last few years there have been many such attempts at various projects besides pozzolan; all have failed to materialize. You know why.

Well, pozzolan is no different and I can now predict with a high degree of assuredness that there will never be a single shovel of pozzolan sold from the CNMI. The "expert" hired published his findings a few months ago and they were quite sufficient to dash the aspirations of any reliable company and he must surely be enjoying the only money that will ever come from pozzolan. Not that such was not already the case because just about every cement manufacturer in the world heard about it. Because of my involvement, not only with Azmar, but later correspondence with others as well, I have personally seen some of the correspondence from these potential buyers.

The CNMI has been discredited throughout the industry and much of the correspondence has served to vilify the CNMI to such an extent that it would be almost impossible to persuade anyone to attempt such a venture again. Additionally, the quantity and quality of pozzolan is now so poor as to make any such venture a sure-fire lose-lose situation. "A bird in the hand."

Dr. Thomas D. Arkle Jr.
San Jose, Tinian

Click here for the Tribune article.

****************

***This is what Arkle had to say about one of those five companies, JG Sablan:

Letters to the Editor
Friday, February 18, 2005

Pagan? The REAL Environmental Story

As Azmar’s reclamation biologist, it is good to see that Sen. Joaquin G. Adriano and the members of the Senate are still supporting our application to extract pozzolan from Pagan.

It is unfortunate, however, that a reporter found it necessary to repeat old news that was manufactured for public sensationalism by PaganWatch. If Cinta Kaipat and PaganWatch are so truly concerned about Pagan’s environment, why aren’t they hounding DEQ to look into the 30 or so rusty, leaking barrels of oil at J. G. Sablan’s work site on Pagan? Why aren't they screaming over the several discarded equipment batteries leaking sulfuric acid into the ground? Why aren't they hollering about the derelict hulks of machinery wasting away as eyesores upon the landscape? This sight was aired for everyone to see on KMCV when the governor visited there during the typhoon relief presentation he made last year. Apparently, not one of the "PaganWatch" followers had the courage to call DEQ or do anything at all. Does that demonstrate a commitment to environmental protection?

...

Note: The rest of this article can be retrieved from www.chamorro.com/paganwatch. As to Arkle's question as to why I didn't oppose JG Sablan in light of all the environmental damages caused on Pagan, at the time PaganWatch and I were exposing Azmar's attempts to rob the people of the CNMI blind, JG Sablan's mining efforts were in limbo. Despite being given the permit, JG Sablan had nothing to show for it for 11 years except the environmental damage reported by Arkle and others.

Another reason I couldn't do anything about JG Sablan earlier was because I lived abroad for years working and putting myself through school. The decision to give JG Sablan the mining permit came about while I was absent.

And another thing, I did bring up the environmental damage on Pagan with DEQ & CRM but, short of personally enforcing the laws myself, what else am I to do?

****************

**This is what Arkle's pal and selective memory "historian" has to say about Arkle's latest letter to the editor. People who know what I campaigned on two years ago know that his allegations are false and make him just plain silly. He needs to distinguish truth from fiction. And regardless of the fact that he is married to a close relative of mine (Carmen Dela Cruz), I will NEVER allow him or his friends to rob the people of the CNMI blind and steal military artifacts from Pagan as is their secret mission:

Vol. 35 No.156
©2006 Marianas Variety Friday, October 19, 2007 www.mvariety.com
Serving the CNMI for 35 years

© 2006 Marianas Variety
Published by Younis Art Studio Inc.
All Rights Reserved

Email : mvariety@vzpacifica.net Too kind

TOM Arkle was too kind in his manner of reminding former Senator Demapan why the Pagan pozzolan deposit was wasted. Mr. Demapan, of all people, should remember how Anna Demapan Castro hid vital documents from the rest of her MPLA board members, causing them to cast a negative vote for Azmar’s permit application. She was too busy traveling and trying to take control of indigenous rights to pay attention to economic development issues.

But the person most responsible for killing the CNMI’s opportunity to harvest the pozzolan deposit on Pagan was Cinta Kaipat. She made killing any effort to market the pozzolan on Pagan her campaign issue in the last election. In order to maintain front page stories for herself, she claimed more studies and an RFP were needed before issuing a permit, so. The study took a year and half, and told us that as Tom said, there ain’t enough high quality pozzolan left to make the effort worthwhile. The RFP, of course, has never been issued. Pagan Watch went back to San Francisco. Worst of all, the people of Pagan she claimed to support were, and are, left nothing.

The only person who gained anything out of Pagan pozzolan was Cinta Kaipat, Covenant, Precinct 1, who won her coveted seat in the House of Representatives. The rest of the people of CNMI lost. The voters in Precinct 1 might keep that in mind when they go to the polls this year.

DON A. FARRELL
Marpo Heights, Tinian

Click here for the Variety article.
**********************

****Here's an e-mail I received from the same Thomas Arkle in June 2006. I tried to reason with my colleagues in the House and Senate not to pass a bill reinstating JG Sablan's permit after the DPL finally took corrective action to terminate the permit, but EVERYONE voted for the bill, except for Rep. Waki and me:

from Thomas Arkle hide details 6/1/06
to cnmiservant@cintakaipat.com
cc daisiec.repkaipat@gmail.com
date Jun 1, 2006 8:39 AM

subject Pagan mining bill/Sablan-Bridgecreek

Dear Rep. Kaipat,

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere regret regarding the apparent passage of a Senate Bill authorizing the return of a mining permit to J.G. Sablan and Bridgecreek.

I am sure that everyone is now well aware of the absolute rape of the CNMI that was attempted by that venture before it was stopped by Mr. Willens and company. I simply do not understand the mind set of a Senate Chamber that would even consider supporting such a disastrous path for the CNMI and attempting to circumvent the more business-like approach of controlled competitive bidding. This is simply beyond all reasoning - but, more importantly, it sends the wrong message out into the world of investment and capital venture.

I have personally had messages from TWO highly placed investors that if the message of the Senate is to be confirmed and made law, the CNMI would most certainly resume its slippery slide down the slope of self-destruction through political whimsy. It was hoped that with the "new" administration, doing business with this government would become more amenable to honest and ethical processes that would benefit everyone involved.

The Senate has, regretably, resumed the path of "politics as usual". The investment and business world really IS watching.

I know that you are a fair minded person with admirable goals for the people of the CNMI. Please try your best to keep the CNMI on the road to a healthy business relationship with the rest of the world. I urge the entire House to kill this self-interest bill that would allow the rape of the CNMI to continue.

Please feel free to share this email with all your colleagues and rally their support. I really don't want to be the receiver of any more comments from the outside world like: "What in the world are you people doing out there?"

One other item of note before I close; please take a close look at Senate Bill # 15-47, recently passed by that body. I am writing a series of letters to the editor commenting on many of the conditions of that bill. While the overall premise has merit, the bill, as passed, will result in a new generation of elderly people with NO income whatsoever. Please read the bill carefully and do some research on its long term consequences I hope that my letters will assist in this endeavor.

Sincerely,

Dr. Thomas D. Arkle, Jr.
*****************

***In case you missed the paragraph above, here it is again:

I know that you are a fair minded person with admirable goals for the people of the CNMI. Please try your best to keep the CNMI on the road to a healthy business relationship with the rest of the world. I urge the entire House to kill this self-interest bill that would allow the rape of the CNMI to continue.

SO, who's telling the truth here? Who's doing what to protect the people from these acts of exploitation?

Sunset at Saipan's Kilili Beach

2007-10-20T14:01:00.001+10:00

Message From The Blog Action Day Team

2007-10-17T23:21:00.000+10:00

The Wrap Up

The very first Blog Action Day was an unprecedented success and we've got the final wrap up where the site used to be at http://blogactionday.org/ complete with statistics, sample posts, details of the huge amount of press coverage we had all overthe world, quotes and more.

It's a must see. Please feel free to spread the word around as it's great for people to really see what we achieved together.

******
Thanks

And if I could just say a huge thank you to every single one of you, all 20,603 registered bloggers who took the plunge even ifit meant going off their regularly scheduled programming and stood up to be counted.

Also thank you to everyone who helped out with the effort, in particular Leo Babauta whose contacts, writing and enthusiasm pushed the enterprise forward, my wife - Cyan Ta'eed who braved the media and fronted up to interviews around the globe, John Brougher who put together the superb video, Ryan Allen who performed the elite coding to keep the site up despite barrages of traffic and most importantly my Dad - Fuad Ta'eed who valiantly looked through thousands of blogs to give the tick of approval, every single day for two months.

So until next year when we get back together for Blog Action Day 2008,

This is Collis signing off, on behalf of the Blog Action Day team

http://blogactionday.org/ http://blogactionday.cmail5.com/u/265888/xtd4yitj/

Update On Spotted Eagle Ray Legislation

2007-10-17T12:33:00.000+10:00

HOUSE IN SESSION: Members of the House of Representatives review some documents during Tuesday's session at the House chamber on Capital Hill. (Jacqueline Hernandez, Saipan Tribune)

The House passed Senate Bill 100, HS1, which prohibits the taking (dead or alive) of Spotted Eagle Rays in the CNMI. The second half of this bill also prohibits shark feeding unless and until the Division of Fish & Wild Life conducts a study and determines that this activity can be done in a special designated area or areas. See earlier post on this subject below.

This bill will now head back to the Senate and if they accept the amendments we made, then the bill will head to the Governor's desk.

Boy Scouts Troop 910 from Tanapag Beautify Banaderu Trail

2007-10-16T20:02:00.000+10:00

Below is a slide show and a personal narrative from Ken Kramer (RC&D), Chair of Beautify CNMI's Parks & Trails Committee--with additional contribution from Tom Gipson (Safety 1st)-- regarding the awesome job the Boy Scouts Troop 910 from Tanapag did to clear the Banaderu Trail. Tom, Ken and Oscar Camacho led the Scouts.

Hi Cinta,

I met up with the Boy Scouts, led by Tom Gipson and Oscar Camacho on Friday night. I brought my two dogs: Playdough (known as Sunshine by Oscar) and Lucky (the black dog). We watched the stars and then went to sleep at around 9 PM in anticipation of a hard day of work the next day. Other than the stick poking me through the bottom of the tent, I slept fairly well.

The next day, we set out to work on the trail after a breakfast of cereal and milk. Tom rallied the boys, gave them a safety talk, and we made plans for the day. Around 7:45 AM, we headed towards the trail, loaded with picks, machetes (carried by the adults), shovels, a saw, and the two dogs.

After an hour or so, just as we were getting warmed up, clearing brush alongside the trail, moving dead logs out of the way, it started pouring buckets of rain onto us. It was a bit unsettling. We were a bit discouraged and several of us had thoughts of taking a break and going back to dryness at the camp. Lucky was so miserable from the rain that she drew everyone’s attention by moaning, belly up, in a forlorn look that we all felt, but did not express. After Tom said: “We are going to stick it out and slog through this rain,” we renewed our efforts, working to stay warm. Eventually, the sun came out and it was a beautiful day, again.

We all broke for lunch and had a good rest. Tom thought we had made better progress than he thought we were going to do. I was happy to have dry socks and a dry shirt to change into. Oscar Camacho joined us on Saturday afternoon

This was not easy and was often dangerous work. Tom, our fearless leader, seemed to get most of the injuries. First, he got a splinter from one of the iron rebars holding the concrete slab steps. Then, he tried to catch a rock rolling down the hill and received a souvenir scratch on his shins where it hit him. I narrowly escaped falling by doing a back flip down the steepest part of the trail, when the log I was pulling gave way. Instead, I threw the log as hard as I could down the hill, which kept me from falling. It pays to study physics. Boonie bees also attacked some of us: I got stung twice.

On the return to camp, I was so physically exhausted I could barely put one foot in front of the other. We were all exhausted. According to Tom, Oscar went to sleep around 6 PM. I went on a critical supplies run and returned with water, ice cream, and chocolates.

Tom and the Boy Scouts, who were working on their *BSA Historic Trails Award, stayed another night and were scheduled to continue working on Sunday morning to finish the trail. (The BSA Historic Trails Award is given to scouts who camp two nights on a BSA recognized trail of historical significance, perform community service work on the trail, and learn about it's role in history.) I had other commitments on Sunday.

The Banaderu Trail is now far superior to what it was before. It is a fabulous trail with great scenery along the way. Thanks to the Boy Scouts, it is now ready for travel.

The members of the Boy Scouts Troop 910 were: Sam Park, Jay Britt, Jotham & Joshua Camacho, and Garrett Gipson. Well done, Boys! Thank you!

***************

YIKES! Looks like Ken and the Boy Scouts had quite an adventure! Happy there were no serious injuries. THANKS, fellas! We're all mighty proud of the excellent exhaustive work you've done. Reminds me of the Lau Lau Revegitation Project. FUN! :)

Rep. Cinta Kaipat
http://www.cnmiblog.com/

Letter from former Vice President Al Gore

2007-10-15T19:53:00.000+10:00

Click on letter to enlarge it.