Marianas Variety by Alexie Zotomayor

Monday • August 27, 2012

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63% of CW petitions still pending By Alexie Villegas Zotomayor avz@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

SNAPSHOT. A photographer takes advantage of the low tide in Lower Base to take photos of the Outer Cove Marina.

Tinian Dynasty sold By Alexie Villegas Zotomayor avz@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

TAIWANESE investors have acquired the Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino, Variety learned. The Taiwan newspaper, China Post, reported Howarm Construction Co. Ltd.’s announcement that “it has won” Tinian Dynasty’s license.

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More revealing was the report by Martin John Williams titled, “A Taiwanese company has taken over the Tinian Casino in the Northern Mariana Islands” posted in www.macaubusiness.com. Williams reported that Howarm secured a $46.5 million deal for the $150 million hotel-casino that opened Continued on page 2

Photo by Raquel C. Bagnol

MOST of the I-129CW petitions remain pending as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services awaits responses to its requests to petitioners for further evidence. According to USCIS regional media manager Marie Therese Sebrechts, “The majority of the petitions that are pending Marie Therese Sebrechts decisions have outstanding requests for further evidence from the petitioner.” Sebrechts said it is not possible for USCIS to make a final decision on these petitions until the employer provides further Continued on page 2

Power deal partner breaks silence

David J. Mahmood, founder of Allegiance Capital Corp., said his company and Keystone Shipping ONE of those involved in formed Saipan Developthe $190 million power ment LLC “to operate as purchase contract has the overall developer of shed light on the conthe project.” troversy, saying they He said Keystone just want to help Gov. Shipping owner Don Benigno R. Fitial build Kurz “negotiated such an a new industry in the David Mahmood agreement” with Fitial. CNMI. “For Saipan DevelopIn an email to Variety last week, ment Corp. to raise the capital for By Emmanuel T. Erediano emmanuel.erediano@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

this project it needs a contractual relationship that allows us to move forward and find partners that will build and operate the facility,” Mahmood said. Based in Dallas, Texas, Allegiance Capital Corp. is an investment bank specializing in financing and selling businesses in the lower middle markets, Mahmood said. It has offices in New York, ChiContinued on page 2

8/26/12 10:05:29 PM

Local

MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS

US court allows pretrial release of 4 in ‘ice’ cases

By Andrew O. De Guzman andrew.deguzman@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

The U.S. District Court for the NMI has allowed the pretrial release of four of the nine individuals indicted by a grand jury on separate charges of “ice” distribution and gunrunning. Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona separately presided over detention hearings for the defendants until 6 p.m., Friday. Those release pending trial and placed under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office were CNMI Division of Customs Officer K9 handler Perry Magofna Iguel; CNMI Division of Youth Services Juvenile Probation Officer Leonard Urumelog Ordonez; former Police Capt. Delbert Reyes Sablan; and Ofelia Pua Sablan. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clyde Lemons Jr., and Ross Naughton represented the federal government while the federal court has appointed attorneys Steven Pixley, Loren Sutton, David Banes, F. Matthew Smith, Ramon Quichocho, Michael Dotts, Bruce Berline, Michael Evangelista and Robert Torres as counsels for the defendants. The federal court will continue the detention hearing for Xiang

63%... Continued from page 1 evidence. “The remaining petitions await biometrics or final review,” she added. Sebrechts said as of Aug. 21, 2012, the California Service Center had

Tinian... Continued from page 1 in April 1998 but has failed to earn a profit. Williams’ report stated that the Taiwanese investor also secured the exclusive right to develop around 3,300 hectares of land on Tinian. The project involves develop-

Power... Continued from page 1 cago, St. Paul and Minneapolis, he added. He said Saipan Development LLC is a joint venture formed by Allegiance Capital Corp. and Keystone Shipping’s Don Kurz “to evaluate development opportunities in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.” Inaccurate and inappropriate Mahmood said claims that there was corruption in the process of negotiating the agreement “are entirely inaccurate and inappropriate.” He added that “a great deal of misinformation has been tossed about” without checking facts. “No one at this juncture has contacted either me or Mr. Kurz relative to the facts. Mr. Kurz spent considerable

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Rong Li. Rong Li was indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute five or more grams of methamphetamine, and four counts of distribution of methamphetamine on May 19, 2011, June 14, 2001, July 19, 2011, and Aug. 4., 2011. Iguel was required to issue a $50,000 secured bond through a 1,288 square-meter property. He was indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine on Dec. 13, 2011, and Jan. 10, 2012. Ordonez and Ofelia Sablan were required to each issue $5,000 unsecured bond, and to follow the court-ordered pretrial release conditions that included wearing of ankle bracelet. Ordonez and Ofelia Sablan, along with co-defendant former CNMIAdult Probation Officer Robin NoritaSablan, were indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine on March 24, 2011. Former Police Capt. Delbert Reyes Sablan was released to former CNMI police chief Manuel Sablan, the defendant’s father, as third party

custodian, and was required to issue $50,000 unsecured bond, and to wear ankle bracelet. Judge Manglona said additional conditions were imposed on Delbert Sablan’s pretrial release to ensure defendant’s compliance to the court order. The federal government called a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agent and testified as government witness during Delbert’s detention hearing. He said during service of search warrant at Delbert’s house on Aug.

22, federal agents found a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun with 12 rounds. TheATF special agent also testified that Delbert Sablan admitted smoking “ice” two weeks ago. The grand jury indicted Delbert Sablan and his cousin, former CNMI Department of Corrections officer Jesse Reyes Babauta. Babauta was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; four counts distribution of methamphetamine on Oct. 19, 2010; Feb. 17, 2011; March 1, 2011; and March 22,

2011; one count of distribution of methamphetamine on March 1, 2011 in or near school grounds of Mount Carmel School; using, carrying, or possessing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime on March 22, 2011; and possession of a Colt .38 revolver with an obliterated serial number on March 22, 2011. Delbert Sablan was indicted on two counts of felon in possession of a Winchester .30 caliber rifle on March 2, 2011, and on Aug. 22, 2012, with a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun; and felon in possession of ammunition on Aug. 22. The grand jury also indicted CNMI Department of Corrections Officer Mariano Quitugua Falig Jr. and Vicente Aldan Sablan, also known as Ben Seven, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; and one count of distribution of methamphetamine on March 22, 2011. Falig was also charged with using, carrying, or possession of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence or drug trafficking — Falig’s government-issued Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol that he, defendant, used as a collateral during the drug deal with a cooperating source.

data entered 5,960 I-129CW petitions that are now being processed. She said these petitions were filed by approximately 1,837 different employers. “A total of 12,218 CW1 workers are sponsored on these petitions,” she said. 3,839 petitions have been ap-

proved for 6,445 workers while 194 petitions representing 251 workers have been denied. Sebrechts said they were denied due to withdrawal of petitions; absence of evidence that the petitioner, or employer, meets eligibility requirements; absence of evidence that the nonresident worker was lawfully

present in the CNMI at the time of filing; and abandonments —the petitioner/employer did not respond to a USCIS request for evidence in the allotted timeframe of 12 weeks. USCIS issues requests for further evidence to petitioners who did not include documentation showing that they are currently doing busi-

ness; that they have considered all available U.S. workers for the job position; and/or that they are offering employment that is consistent with the nature of their business. But Sebrechts said the processing is moving along smoothly even as USCIS continues to receive new applications.

ments in real estate, a golf course and extra hotel capacity, including an extension of the existing hotel, the report stated. The new owners will take over by the third quarter of the year with payments expected to be completed by September. The new owners will be facing

new challenges in taking over the operations of the only operating casino in the Northern Marianas. Last month, the hotel, which was built by investors from Hong Kong, and the CNMI government agreed to a settlement of the $30 million in taxes owed by Dynasty. The government allowed the hotel

owners to pay $6.1 million or 20 percent of their tax obligations. The U.S. Department of Labor, for its part, ordered Tinian Dynasty to pay $191,000 in penalties for withholding overtime earnings from 348 employees over four bi-weekly pay periods. These penalties will take effect

pending DOL’s decision on whether Raymond Chan, the comptroller, should also be liable. A hearing was scheduled next month to determine whether Chan is an employer under the Fair Labor Standards Act which will make him liable for civil money penalties.

time on the island and several hundred thousand dollars of his own money bringing the power plant project to fruition,” Mahmood said. He said neither Allegiance Capital Corp. nor Kurz was familiar with the political climate in the CNMI or the workings of its Legislature. “We openly shared the information we developed and made a proposal which we deemed fair and equitable and in the best interest of the island of Saipan,” he said. “Quite frankly, we are surprised at all the controversy this had generated. While an agreement was signed by Governor Fitial…Mr. Kurz has not signed the agreement and hence there is no agreement in place,” he added. Mahmood admitted that the disclosure of the agreement was “premature and apparently intended to embarrass the governor.” But he said none of their efforts have been conducted in secret, “nor has there been any intent to do so.” How it began Mahmood said in 2009,Allegiance

Capital became aware of the significant military buildup on Guam. He said they “quickly recognized” that with the huge investment being made by the U.S. military on Guam, there may be opportunities on the neighboring island of Saipan to build industrial facilities that could support the maintenance and repair of U.S. assets moving to the region as a result of the military buildup. Mahmood said he corresponded with Fitial and informed the governor of their interest in exploring the development of ship maintenance and repair facilities “as well as other opportunities on Saipan.” Mahmood said Allegiance hosted visits to Saipan by major international industrial companies. The most recent visit was in Oct. 2011, he added. During these visits, Allegiance, its consultants and a major international ship building company met with officials of the Fitial administration and the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. He said they were also “graciously” received by CNMI lawmakers during these visits.

Mahmood said they consider Saipan’s problem with power generation due to is power plant’s condition as a “major roadblock” “Governor Fitial made it clear to Allegiance Capital that the development of an infrastructure project would require a new power plant. Governor Fitial recognized that if the island wished to truly develop and create lasting jobs for its citizens it had to have in place a strong basic infrastructure with electrical generation being a key component,” Mahmood said. It was at this stage, he added, that they were introduced to Keystone Shipping’s Don Kurz. As a result of discussions, Mahmood said Allegiance Capital and Keystone Shipping “formed a partnership whereby projects would be jointly developed. Thereafter, he said, “Mr. Kurz made several trips to Saipan to speak with Governor Fitial and others concerning the development of various projects on Saipan including a new power plant.” Lawmakers who were appalled

by the sole-source deal have begun investigating it. The contract will also be included in the articles of impeachment that the House minority bloc members are expected to pre-file today. Senate President Paul A. Manglona, Ind.-Rota, in an interview on Friday noted that the power purchase agreement was made during the governor’s emergency declaration for CUC. House Minority Leader Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero, R-Saipan, noted that the governor signed a $190 million contract for a 50-megawatt power plant that some experts believe should cost $50 million to $60 million only. House Committee on Judicial and Governmental Operations Chairman Ralph S. Demapan, Covenant-Saipan, in an interview, said he is expecting acting Gov. Eloy S. Inos, acting Attorney General Viola Alepuyo and CUC acting Executive DirectorAlan Fletcher to provide him documents regarding the deal so his panel can start its investigation.

Former police chief Manuel Sablan, center, is joined by family members outside the federal courthouse after the detention hearing on Friday evening for former police captain Delbert Reyes Sablan who was allowed to be released to his father, Manuel Sablan, as third-party custodian. Photo by Andrew O. De Guzman

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MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS - MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012

House minority bloc delays pre-filing of impeachment resolution, again development. There were also talks regarding the possibility of “forcing” Speaker THE House minority bloc mem- Eli D. Cabrera, R-Saipan, to hold bers met Friday morning for the a session. final review of the impeachment Deleon Guerrero said at least resolution, but they did not pre- 11 of the 20 House members file it because one member who can compel the speaker to hold was off-island requested a session, but House his colleagues to wait for Floor Leader George his return so he could join N. Camacho said the them in pre-filing it. House leadership is still They said they will do waiting for the Senate’s so today. action on House Bill Those who attended 17-313 or the fiscal year the meeting on Friday 2013 budget. Deleon were House Minority Joseph The Senate will hold Guerrero Leader Joseph P. Deleon a session on Wednesday Guerrero, R-Saipan; Reps. Ray A. this week to act on the budget Tebuteb, R-Saipan; Ray N. Yumul, bill and two Social Security meaR-Saipan; and Janet U. Maratita, sures. R-Saipan. Camacho, Ind.-Saipan, said the Other members stayed in their House may not have session until offices and waited for any new the end of this week. By Emmanuel T. Erediano emmanuel.erediano@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

UOG achieves 100% pass rate on nurse exam By Louella Losinio louella@mvguam.com Variety News Staff

HAGÅTÑA — The University of Guam has achieved a 100 percent passing rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses for 23 nursing graduates who earned their Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2010. According to a press release from UOG, all graduates passed the exam the first time they took the test. The UOG nursing program’s accomplishment surpassed the 89 percent national average for 2010. “I congratulate each of our 2010 graduates for their hard work and dedication to their nursing education,” said UOG School of acting Nursing Director Kathryn Wood. “Guam’s nursing professionals and the community as a whole can share in the celebration of this moment. Our nursing students receive their clinical experiences at Guam Memorial Hospital and in clinics around the island under the guidance of experienced registered nurses so the success of our students is truly a community success,” Wood added. She said they are also acknowledging “the contribution made by TakeCare each year for nursing education and NCLEX-RN prep courses.” The UOG nursing program also achieved a 100 percent passing rate in 2003, according to the release. In order to receive licensure, nursing graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN, a national standard for skills and competencies required in nursing practice.

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CDA terminates lease with its landlord

THE Commonwealth Development Authority has given a sixmonth notice to the owner of its current office on Middle Road. “We have provided the landlord a formal notice of non-renewal of lease agreement,” CDA Executive Director Manuel A. Sablan said. CDA has been leasing the twostory Wakins Building for $6,000 a month. The lease is supposed to expire in Sept. 2020, but since last year, CDA has been considering options to relocate to either a new facility or to lease a cheaper office so it can cut costs. This year, CDA was able to finalize a deed in lieu of foreclosure that led to its acquisition of a four-story building in San Jose where it intends to relocate. Sablan said they plan to Manuel Sablan move out of Wakins Building by Feb. 2013. In the meantime, they are already proceeding with the renovation of their new office by going through the required paperwork for an invitation to bid. Asked if the renovation will affect their budget submission for fiscal year 2013, Sablan said no. “We will be financing the improvements,” he added. CDA, moreover, is anticipating a surplus by end of the fiscal year, he said. “Cash flow will be there to pay for renovation.” He anticipates that CDA will not have a negative cash flow in the next two fiscal years. Once they move into their new office, he said CDA will no longer pay rent while getting additional revenue from the leases of the San Jose building’s other units. Initially projecting a $680,000 fund balance by the end of FY 2012, CDA later revised it and raised the amount to $967,000. (Alexie Villegas Zotomayor)

Local / Pacific Islands

NMI may lose $200K funding for Garapan public market By Alexie Villegas Zotomayor avz@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

THE Northern Marianas will lose about $200,000 in earmarked federal funds for the Garapan public market project if the commonwealth government fails to obligate the money next month. “If [the Department of Land and Natural Resources] does not obligate the money by Sept. 30, 2012, it will be lost. That would be a shame and a waste. The commonwealth really can’t afford to be throwing away money. We need every economic development dollar we can get,” U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan told Variety on Thursday. Sablan spearheaded the efforts in 2009 to have $1.35 million appropriated for various Northern Marianas projects — the first time that congressionally requested earmarks were made available to the CNMI. “That was the first — and last — year since I’ve been in Congress when I could get these special

grants appropriated for the North- tional funding or to find investors ern Marianas,” said Sablan. to build the facility. The $200,000 is supposed to fund “Similar markets in Hawaii are the design and construction of the tourist destinations and are very public market facility where fresh important in their destination enproduce, seafood and other local hancement strategies,” he added. products can be made available to Sablan said DLNR could also use consumers daily. the money to improve or expand the But since fiscal year 2010, no existing Garapan Street Market. action has been taken by the CNMI “I am sure that there are a number to obligate the funds. of creative uses that [the Mari“Most of the recipients anas Visitors Authority], I got earmarks for in the hotel association or 2010 have been prompt chamber of commerce to spend their money: could help develop, if the Northern Marianas they were asked to colTrade Institute, Micronelaborate,” he said. sian Legal Services, the Sablan said such Public School System, funding does not come and now the Joeten-Kiyu Gregorio Sablan easy. Public Library,” he said. “When the Republicans took “So I don’t know what the holdup over [the U.S. House], they ended is on spending the $200,000 for the earmarking. This is too bad, beGarapan public market. DLNR cause it can be difficult for a small could do the preliminary design place like the Northern Marianas for a permanent market with power to compete successfully for grant and water and sewer infrastructure funding,” he said. and get the permitting and public Variety tried to get a comment comment out of the way.” from DLNR Secretary Arnold Sablan said having the design Palacios on Thursday but was told would make it easier to get addi- he was off-island.

Marshalls nuclear test survivor dies in Majuro began advocating for Rongelap nuclear test survivors, becoming MAJURO — A survivor of nuclear well-known internationally. She fallout from a Pacific hydrogen spoke at conferences and went bomb test, who traveled the globe on speaking tours in Europe, the to speak out about health problems United States and Japan to raise she and fellow fallout victims people’s awareness about health suffered, has died in Majuro at problems Rongelap Islanders exage 66. perienced as a result of their fallout Lijon Eknilang, one of 82 Ron- exposure. She put a spotlight on gelap Islanders who were engulfed the birth problems — ranging from by a snowstorm of radioactive miscarriages to “jelly fish-like” fallout from the March 1, 1954 babies — Rongelap women have Bravo hydrogen bomb test at Bi- reported experiencing since the kini Atoll, was an icon among the 1954 test. fallout-exposed community in the Eknilang was one of the motiMarshall Islands for her vators of the Rongelap international advocacy people’s self-evacuation on behalf of nuclear test from Rongelap to Mevictims. jatto Island in Kwajalein Bravo was the largest Atoll in 1985 onboard the of the 67 nuclear weapGreenpeace ship Rainbow ons tests that the United Warrior that a few weeks States conducted in the later was bombed and sunk Marshall Islands from Lijon Eknilang in New Zealand by French 1946 to 1958. In an ironic government secret agents. twist of fate, Eknilang’s birthday “People were getting sick and was March 1. frequently being sent off for mediShe died at Majuro Hospital cal treatment,” she said in a 2005 earlier in the week following a interview about the underlying brief illness. motivation for Rongelap people A former councilwoman for leaving their island. In an article Rongelap, Eknilang was eight years on the 20th anniversary of the old when the Bravo hydrogen bomb resettlement, she said the entire was tested at Bikini, spewing radio- community was in agreement that active ash onto unsuspecting island- Rongelap Atoll was contaminated ers at Rongelap and other islands and they had to evacuate before more than 100 miles downwind. more people got sick. Most of the Rongelap islanders suf“We were worried for the safety fered from severe radiation burns on of our children,” she said. “Our their necks, backs, arms and feet, main goal to move was to get the and many had their hair fall out as U.S. to clean Rongelap.” a result of the exposure. Majuro resident Bill Graham, Later in life, after her and other who for 21 years worked as the islanders’ health problems multi- public advocate for a Nuclear plied — including a rash of thyroid Claims Tribunal in Majuro that tumors and cancers — Eknilang provided compensation to nuclear By Giff Johnson For Variety

test victims, recalled a 1999 trip to Rongelap, Ailinginae, and Rongerik atolls that included Eknilang, a dozen or so members of those communities and the independent scientific and land valuation experts who were working on the Rongelap nuclear test property damage claim. “Lijon was obviously excited at returning to her ancestral homelands and recalled various special items which each of several different islands had traditionally provided,” said Graham. “Many of those ‘treasures,’ as she called them, were still there to be found when the group went ashore at those islands and she took great delight at again being in what she referred to as her ‘playground.’ “But there was a very serious side to Lijon as well,” Graham said, “especially when she described the many hardships and suffering that the people experienced as a consequence of the nuclear testing program. She was a powerful spokesperson for the Rongelap people and her courage in being willing to share personal health issues helped other women to come out publicly as well.” Subsequent to the Rongelap people’s departure from their home atoll in 1985, the U.S. government funded independent scientific studies that confirmed the need for a nuclear cleanup, and the U.S. Congress later appropriated a $45 million Rongelap Resettlement Trust Fund. The question of a return to Rongelap remains controversial, as US funds have provided for cleaning up only one of the more than 60 islands in Rongelap’s necklace of coral islands. 8/26/12 10:05:32 PM

Local / Guam

MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS

Owner solves theft of lawnmower, tire rims; police arrest suspect By Andrew O. De Guzman andrew.deguzman@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

BENEDICTO Taisakan, also known as Ben, 21, has been arrested on charges of burglary and theft of a lawnmower and four tire rims last May. The owner, who learned that his belongings were missing after returning from the Philippines, conducted his own investigation, and eventually found his stolen items at the Sky garage sale establishment, located east of Dolphin Wholesale in San Jose. The owner of the establishment then provided the victim Taisakan’s phone number. It was on May 27, 2012 when the victim was informed by his partner that his lawn mower was stolen. The owner was sick at the time and was bedridden, according to Detective JB Cepeda. Days later, when he was already

feeling better, the victim went inside his storage room, and noticed that his four black car rims were also missing. At the time, the owner didn’t want to file a police report because he wanted to find out on his own who stole the items, Cepeda said. The victim eventually found his items at Sky garage sale whose owner said he purchased the items from Taisakan for $53. The owner gave Taisakan’s name, phone number, and the plate number of the vehicle the defendant used when he sold the items on May. 16, 2012. The victim called the phone number provided by Sky garage sale. Taisakan later came to the victim’s residence and confessed stealing the items. When interviewed by police, Taisakan admitted that on May 16, at about 12 noon, he arrived at the victim’s residence to ask for betelnuts, but no one was in

the area. Taisakan said he saw the lawnmower, took it, and brought the stolen item to his residence. He later placed it in the trunk of a black Crown Victoria sedan, which belonged to the defendant’s mother-in-law. Taisakan said he returned to the victim’s residence and looked for more items in the storage room that was unlocked. Taisakan took the first two rims and returned to take the remaining two rims. He placed them in the sedan’s trunk and drove to the Sky garage sale where he sold the stolen items, police said. Detective Cepeda arrested Taisakan on Aug. 20 in Kagman. Superior Court Judge Joseph N. Camacho lowered to $6,000 the $10,000 bail order he imposed on Taisakan, who was remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections after the defendant’s initial appearance, and bail hearing. Chief Prosecutor Peter Prestley represented the government, while the Public Defender’s Office was appointed as Taisakan’s counsel.

New Guam hospital administrator gets down to business “With e-billing for Medicaid and Medicare on the horizon, we certainly need to be prepared to have the upHAGÅTÑA — As new Guam Me- grade to our information system ready morial HospitalAdministrator Joseph to deal with those new requirements. Verga wraps up his first week at the There are a number of upgrades hospital, legislators are eager to call right now that are in progress and his attention to issues that need to be in the pipeline. I’m in the process addressed. of assessing where exactly and how Vice Speaker Benjamin J.F. Cruz quickly we can make improvements,” wrote to Verga to share concerns Vega said. about the technical upgrades that In the short time he has been here, need to be made to the hospital in Verga has been assessing the needs order to use new software and to of the hospital. He has formulated a make electronic billing a strategic plan which relies possibility. on the pillars of account“I recognize that steps ability, cost efficiency, must be taken to capture excellence in performance, every dollar owed to the safety, and quality, or what hospital. This is why I he terms “ACES + Q.” have drafted a floor amendVerga presented his ment to the budget proposal ACES + Q strategic plan to presently being considered Joseph Verga the GMH board of trustees which, if successful, will on Thursday night include the $125,000 appropriation “I’ve already seen some opportuniit needs,” Cruz said. ties to increase revenue, tighten up In a previous letter that Cruz sent expenditures by more efficient manto then-interim GMH Administrator agement and utilization of resources, Rey Vega, the former administrator [and] enhancing the collection rate of said new systems are scheduled to outstanding bills,” he said. be used by hospital staff by NovemThe new administrator added: ber this year. However, this would “Some of these things will happen be dependent on the purchase of quicker than others and others will a total of 188 computer terminals. take a little more time because it’s The process of upgrading hospital been this way for a very long time.” systems and equipment has been Verga is very positive there’s a ongoing since 2010. Also, a funding better future for the hospital and source for the upgrades has not yet is confident in the abilities of the been identified. GMH staff. By Joy White joy@mvguam.com Variety News Staff

CPA projects $19M revenue from airports, seaports By Raquel C. Bagnol raquel.bagnol@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

THE Commonwealth Ports Authority expects $19 million in revenue from airports and seaports this year. CPA comptroller Derek T. Sasamoto told reporters in an interview on Friday that they are projecting about $11.7 million in revenues from the airports on Saipan, Tinian and Rota, and about $7.5 million from the seaports on the three islands. “$19 million in projected revenue is a conservative estimate, but CPA has been doing good in the past years,” Sasamoto said. Compared to the past year, he said they are expecting revenue from the seaports on Saipan, Tinian and Rota to go up by about 5 to 6 percent. They also expect a 13 percent increase in revenue from the airports on the three islands. Sasamoto said they do not include federal grants in the projected revenue. Expenses at the airports and seaports are also always controlled, he added. He said the figures for projected revenue are based on the latest market trends, airline figures on traffic and the figures from the previous year which they have analyzed. “Personnel expenses are down and revenue’s up. We expect a 10 percent increase in expenses due to the escalating utility costs and shipping costs worldwide,” Sasamoto said. He added that last year, CPA spent about a million dollars for insurMV 8-27-12.indd 4

The Port of Saipan welcomes vessels from all over the region.

ance costs for the seaports which, he said, comprised a big chunk of the budget. Sasamoto said there are no rate increases in the airports and seaports for now, although the possibility is always there. “The rates will remain as it is but anything could happen that could change things,” he added. He cited incidents that are beyond CPA’s control like the earthquake that hit Japan last year, an increase in worldwide shipping costs, the decrease in demand and other factors that could affect tourism which would cause the CNMI to lose millions of dollars in revenue. “No matter how good we are do-

ing, there are incidents that cannot be controlled. The environment is very unpredictable,” Sasamoto said. Supplemental budget CPA also approved a supplemental budget of $28,500 to renovate its training room at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport and turn it into a storage area for records and documents. During the monthly meeting in the CPA conference room on Friday, the board approved the budget after noting that the ports authority had so many records scattered in different locations for the past years. The board agreed to renovate the

small training office and utilize it as storage area for records that will be kept for seven years before they are destroyed. The CPA board members also agreed on the need to protect the records from termites and other factors that could destroy them. With an approved $28,500 budget, renovation and termite proofing can begin shortly so all records could be moved and secured. The board members said digitizing the records is one option but it will cost the CPA more money to get the software needed to archive the records and acquire computer capability for archiving. Currently, one has to go to a

Photo by Alexie Villegas Zotomayor

bunker or some other places where CPA records are kept if someone needs a document. The board said there is also the danger that these records could be infested by termites or already destroyed beyond recognition. The board said CPA has to digitize its records eventually, but in the meantime, it must have a termiteproof storage area to keep these records. The CPA board also approved a supplemental budget of $24,567.04 to upgrade the emergency generators at the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport pursuant to Federal Aviation Administration Change Order # 7. 8/26/12 10:05:33 PM

MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS - MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012

Court sets preliminary hearing for Dan Johnson By Andrew O. De Guzman andrew.deguzman@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

SUPERIOR Court acting Presiding Judge David A. Wiseman has ordered musician Dan Kalikohua Johnson, 35, to appear in court on Aug. 30, Wednesday, for his preliminary hearing. Johnson, a Garapan resident, was brought before Wiseman on Friday for the defendant’s initial appearance and bail hearing on charges of sexual abuse of a minor and disturbing the peace. It was Wiseman who signed the warrant for Johnson’s arrest and set bail at $50,000. The court allowed Johnson, also known as Kaliko, to post $5,000, or 10 percent of the bail order. Chief Prosecutor Peter Prestley and Assistant Attorney General Nicole Driscoll represented the government, while the court appointed the Public Defender’s Office as counsel for Johnson. Wiseman remanded Johnson to the custody of the Department of

Corrections after Friday’s hearing. Detective Josef P. Deleon Guerrero arrested Johnson in Susupe on Aug. 23. The incident was reported in June 2012, and the Department of Public Safety made a follow-up investigation on Aug. 22. Police earlier responded to a truancy case after the mother called authorities. The girl later called police, and reported that she was at the residence of her relatives in Kagman. The girl told police she’s scared of Johnson who touched her inappropriately on June 23. On Aug. 22, police said it also learned about a May 17, 2009 incident during which Johnson sexually abused the girl. Court records didn’t mention the girl’s age.

Local

Govendo convenes parties to Fund lawsuit

Northern Mariana Islands Retirement Fund vs. the CNMI government, Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, THE court next week will convene Department of Finance and Lt. all parties to the Retirement Fund’s Gov. Eloy S. Inos in his capacity collection lawsuit against the as then-secretary of Finance. CNMI government. The proceedings were In his order dated Aug. put on hold when the 21, Superior Court AsFund filed for a Chapter sociate Judge Kenneth L. 11 bankruptcy petition on Govendo said the status April 17. conference will be held on Back in March, after Friday, Sept., 7 at 9 a.m. listening to the various in Courtroom 205A. parties discuss how to Kenneth “All parties are ordered resolve the Fund crisis, Govendo to appear,” Govendo Govendo issued an order said. setting a June 15 deadline for parThe case is Civil Action No. ties to arrive at an agreed-upon 06-0367, otherwise known as the solution. By Alexie Villegas Zotomayor avz@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

Govendo stated that the court might proceed with allowing petitions for receivership to be filed if the actions of the Fund board, administration and Legislature were “unsatisfactory.” In his March 19 order, Govendo reiterated that the court was not in a position to reduce pension benefits. He said this could be done by the Fund board, the Legislature or even through a constitutional amendment. Govendo said if the court were to cut benefits, then judicial review would not be possible. The government owes the Fund over $300 million.

Camacho says law enforcers should focus on NMI entry points THE authorities should prevent the entry of illegal drugs by focusing on the airports and seaports, according to former Police Maj. Ramon B. Camacho, Neighborhood Watch Task Force chairman,. “I believe we don’t have a laboratory to make ‘ice’ here,” he said, reacting to the arrest of nine individuals, including a former police captain and current law enforcers, on “ice” charges. Camacho, who is also the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council chairman, said law enforcement agencies should closely monitor the islands’ entry points by thoroughly searching containers carrying merchandise from other countries. Although there is a lack of manpower, all law enforcement agencies can work together, he added. He urged at the same time the Public School System and PTA’s to continue their information campaign against the ill effects of prohibited drugs. If “ice” use continues on island, it will be passed on to the young generation and eventually break some families, he said. He advises police officers not to consider their badge as a symbol of authority, but as a reminder of their duty to serve and protect the public. (Junhan B. Todeno) MV 8-27-12.indd 5

8/26/12 10:05:36 PM

Local

MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS

CUC meets with off-island power group He said he and CUC’s power generation team met with the group which had various questions COMMONWEALTH Utilities regarding CUC operation. Corp. acting Executive Director The group also toured CUC’s Alan W. Fletcher says power plant tour. he meet with visiting Fletcher said the tour officials of the China was arranged through Tan Energy Fund Committee, Holdings and coordinated but he doesn’t know it has by the office of acting Gov. something to do with a Eloy S. Inos two weeks possible power purchase ago. agreement. “CUC is always looking “I believe they were Alan Fletcher for ways to improve its similar to the many firms and services and communicating with groups that come to CNMI each groups to gain insights as to how year to explore business opportuni- other regions are approaching their ties,” he said. energy needs,” he added. By Junhan B. Todeno junhan.todeno@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

Ramon B. Camacho, right, Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council chairman, with some of the MIHA housing residents in Koblerville during a meeting about the Neighborhood Watch Task Force. Photo by Junhan B. Todeno

Koblerville residents join Neighborhood Watch Task Force By Junhan B. Todeno junhan.todeno@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

SOME Koblerville residents have committed to supporting the village revitalization and anti-crime program of the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council. At least 25 residents, including children, attended the meeting with Ramon B. Camacho, municipal council chairman, at the basketball court on Thursday night. Camacho discussed the importance of “neighborhood relationship” in fighting against crime. He encouraged residents to join the Neighborhood Watch Task

Force, which, he added, also aimed at strengthening the bond and camaraderie among residents. “We need to build that chain regardless of ethnicity,” he told residents: Chukeese, Chamorros, Pohnpeians and Filipino. Camacho said once the residents have organized they will be included in the Precinct 1 group of the task force which comprises members from Dandan and San Antonio. “It’s a good program,” said Mark Casio, one of the Koblerville residents. Camacho said village revitalization program can help deter

criminality in their area which, he noted, has only one main entrance and exit. Residents, if united, can secure their place from any criminal elements, he added. During the meeting, John Erom was designated as the residents’ leader. Erom said he wants to encourage more participation in the Koblerville cleanup campaign. He said he will also ask business establishments to donate paint for their beautification program. “We’d like to have our own children playground,” he added.

Uncle Dave receives plaque of appreciation from mayor’s office, Liberation Committee By Junhan B. Todeno junhan.todeno@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

SAIPAN Mayor Donald G. Flores believes that it’s never too late to give recognition to those involved in last month’s Liberation Day festivities. Last Friday, the mayor and the 2012 Liberation Committee members handed David M. Sablan Sr., this year’s grand marshal, a plaque of appreciation during a dinner-ceremony at Fiesta Resort & Spa. Liberation Committee chairman Jonas Barcinas was represented by committee secretary Joyce Taro and concession committee’s Larissa Flores. Sablan, who’s also known as “Uncle Dave,” received the recognition with his wife Rita. “It’s really an honor and I’m very fortunate to have been chosen by the committee,” he said. Sablan said the recognition “means a lot to many of us who still remember the war.” The first Liberation Day, he recalled, was a “festive day for all of the people because fences that used to cordon Chalan Kanoa were taken down so that we were free to travel through

“Uncle” Dave Sablan, this year’s Liberation Day grand marshal, receives a plaque of recognition from Saipan Mayor Donald G. Flores. Also in the picture are Sablan’s wife Rita, members of the Liberation Committee and Saipan mayor’s office staff members. Photo by Junhan B. Todeno

the island without having to be guarded.” During and after the Battle of Saipan, civilians were gathered by the U.S. military at Camps Susupe and Chalan Kanoa so it could better meet their basic needs for food, clothing, shelter and medical care.

The gates of the camp in Chalan Kanoa, which housed Chamorros and Carolinians, were opened on July 4, 1946. Sablan said the recognition he received is for all the people who survived the war. “I represent them and there are

still many others who are still alive who still remember the war. I became grand marshal on their behalf,” he said. Flores said his office wants to again extend its appreciation to all those who supported the Liberation Day festivities

“We encouraged them to join us again next year,” he added. Last week, the mayor’s office and the Liberation Committee also gave plaques of appreciation to all major sponsors of the event, including IT&E, Delta Air Lines and Coca-Cola.

Marianas Variety News & Views is circulated by home and office delivery throughout Saipan, Rota, Tinian, Guam and Palau as well as mail delivery to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, South Pacific, Hawaii, Japan and the U.S. Daily coverage also can be read from our Web site via www.mvariety.com. MV 8-27-12.indd 6

8/26/12 10:05:38 PM

MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS - MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012

Kay Amandus in spear gun assault By Andrew O. De Guzman andrew.deguzman@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

KAY K. Amandus, 24, has been arrested on the charge of injuring a man with a spear gun in Koblerville last June. Superior Court Judge Joseph N. Camacho lowered to $5,250 the original $10,000 bail order on Amandus, who is being held on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, and disturbing the peace. Assistant Attorney General Darren Robinson represented the government, while the court appointed Assistant Public Defender Daniel Guidotti as Amandus’ counsel. Amandus was remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections after the defendant’s initial appearance, and bail hearing. Detective Jeffrey I. Norita arrested Amandus on Aug. 21 in Koblerville. Detective John D. Cabrera told the court that police responded to a complaint in Koblerville in June 20, 2012 at about 12:06 a.m., regarding a man shot with a spear gun. The victim, who sustained a punctured wound on his right thigh, told police Amandus was seen at around midnight walking in the area, carrying a spear gun. Afterward, the victim said he heard a woman, carrying a baby, screaming and running into her house. The victim told the other people in the area to get inside their houses because Amandus might

use the spear gun on them, too, police said. The victim then walked to the back of K25 unit where he saw Amandus holding a spear gun. The victim started running away from Amandus who yelled at him, saying he would shoot the victim. The victim said after he was hit in the right leg, he saw Amandus running toward the K27 unit. Responding Officer Jess Wabol later spoke with Amandus who told police that he used a small knife to stab the victim. Amandus claimed that the victim and two others were going to beat him up. Police recovered a spear gun and not a knife from Amandus. The victim’s puncture wound was also round-shaped and was not a laceration. “All of these facts prove that Amandus was giving false statements to Officer Wabol,” Detective Cabrera stated in his affidavit. When interviewed at the Department of Corrections facility, Amandus told Cabrera that he, the defendant, was drinking beer at his auntie’s house at about 9 p.m. prior to the incident. Amandus said the victim and two others later tried to beat him up and that’s why he stabbed the victim on the leg using a small knife “for self defense.” Amandus said he ran back to his aunt’s K27 unit and hid until police arrived. When asked by Cabrera where the knife was, Amandus said he didn’t know.

Yap citizens express concerns about China investment project COLONIA, Yap (Yap State Government) — The 8th Yap State Legislature held a special meeting on Thursday with a group of concerned citizens who were seeking information on the investment agreement signed by Yap Gov. Sebastian Anefal and Deng Hong of ETG, a Chinese investment group. The concerned citizens want the Legislature to cancel the agreement which they believe may bring problems to the people. Fr. John Hagileiram, SJ, who accompanied the group, said not all state leaders supported the deal before the signing ceremony took place, adding that there might have been a lack of transparency. There were also concerns regarding land and identity. Vice Speaker Ted Rutun said the Legislature did not have all the information to answer all their questions and concerns. MV 8-27-12.indd 7

He said the acting attorney general, who negotiated with ETG, was not available to shed light on some of the concerns, which included the following: “Was there a complete assessment done by the government on the ETG investment project?” “Can you name a place in the world that ETG has developed and has no problem?” “The Council of Pilung and the governor don’t have ownership or rights to people’s land. The Chinese are given rights to take ownership of our lands after signing the agreement.” “Do we have enough legal issue to take the investment agreement to court; the way paper processing has taken place, people being overstepped and others?” The citizens have agreed to work with the Legislature and meet with the governor and the Councils of Pilung and Tamol to discuss their concerns.

Local / Pacific Islands

35 Saipan sites surveyed for coral reef resiliency By Emmanuel T. Erediano emmanuel.erediano@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

THIRTY-FIVE sites on Saipan were surveyed for reef resiliency, according to All-Island Coral Reef Committee report. Its chairwoman and CNMI coral reel task force point of contact, Fran Castro, provided Variety a copy of the final report which included the reef resiliency study for the CNMI. The report was presented during the two-day 28th Annual U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting at the Tauese P.F. Sunia Ocean Center in Pago Pago, American Samoa. The CNMI reef resiliency study is a comprehensive analysis of the reefs around Saipan. The report said that over the past year, the reef resilience team, consisting of local, federal, and contracted partners, developed a design and implementation plan for the reef resiliency study. The team developed an assessment protocol based on an evaluation of the best metrics to determine reef resilience and recovery. They found that 11 metrics would be most powerful in determining the relative resilience of the reefs. The report said 35 sites were surveyed around Saipan from March

to May 2012. These sites were ranked according to their relative resilience, with each metric being scaled from 0 to 1. As a result of the study, the CNMI is now working on the development of a bleaching response plan along with the final report, which will provide resource managers with a tool to guide management and future projects. Climate change In Feb. 2012, a group of coral reef scientists met with CNMI Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and his American Samoa counterpart Togiola T.A. Tulafono in California to discuss a draft consensus statement regarding the implications of climate change on coral reefs. Fitial later presented the statement to the Micronesian Chief Executives meeting. Fitial and the other Micronesian leaders then adopted a resolution and endorsed the statement in March 2012. The statement calls on the global community to take the climate change threat seriously, and requests nations making large contributions

to greenhouse gas emissions to put in place policies and measures that will not only curb the increase in emissions, but ultimately result in a significant decrease of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and oceans, and provide sufficient technical and financial support to islands. In his opening remarks in Pago Pago last week, Fitial lauded the task force for shifting this year’s focus toward climate change, adding that the reality faced by nation’s throughout the world today is one of immense threat and considerable danger. “I place a high priority on climate change because I know that even the smallest of changes can have a large impact on our small islands,” Fitial said. “We already know that increased carbon in the atmosphere is leading to global warming, and in turn, is causing more carbon to be absorbed by our oceans and affecting our coral reefs. Thus, we have the daunting task to combat perceived consequences through our present day actions,” he added.

Saipan mayor recognizes Casquero’s volunteer work By Raquel C. Bagnol raquel.bagnol@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

SAIPAN Mayor Donald G. Flores gave a plaque of recognition and appreciation to Sharmaine Casquero, a beautician at ASKS Fashion & Salon in Garapan, to recognize her tireless volunteer work for the community over the years. Flores said he was impressed by the volunteer efforts and programs that Casquero have organized and choreographed, most of which helped raise awareness about the need to protect the environment. “We see and read about Casquero’s achievements through the years. Efforts like these need recognition, and we are giving this recognition and appreciation also to encourage other people to follow Casquero’s efforts for the betterment of the community,” Flores said. Casquero said she did not expect to receive any appreciation or recognition for her community work. She said her mentor in choreography and fashion shows, Ernie Molina, asked her to come with him on an errand. “We headed to the mayor’s office and I was surprised when I was given a plaque of recognition,” Casquero said. “I am so happy for this recognition and appreciation of my efforts to help with community events ,”

Beautician/choreographer Sharmaine Casquero accepts a plaque of appreciation and recognition from Saipan Mayor Donald G. Flores last week. Contributed photo

Casquero said. In December last year, Casquero was given an Environmental Award by the CNMI Division on Environmental Quality for her involvement and valuable contributions and participation in the 2011 Environmental Awareness Month Trash-In-Fashion Show held at American Memorial Park in April last year. She also conducted a seminar to children about environmental awareness last year. Casquero was named Environmental Steward when she joined the 2009 Beautify CNMI-Miss Earth Diva Pageant.

Her fabulous creations of gowns and costumes made of recyclable trash have also showcased the talents of students in fashion designing and modeling. In addition to choreographing the Trashin’ Fashion Show held by the Division of Environmental Quality every year, Casquero also choreographs other fashion shows and fundraising events such as the Search for Top Model for the Marianas and the Marianas Bikini Open. Casquero is also choreographing the bikini pageant that will be held at the Waterfront Bar in Garapan on Sept. 1. 8/26/12 10:05:40 PM

Local

MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS

Saipan’s Next Top Chef

From left, NMPASI legal counsel Matthew Holley, DEQ program manager Reina Camacho and DFS associate store manager Wolf Mojica are seen sampling the entries.

Organizer Shelli Neal leads the raffle drawing.

Guam celebrity chef Peter Duenas interviews the contestants of the “Saipan’s Next Top Chef” competition at the Charley’s Cabaret of the Pacific Islands Club last month.

Guam celebrity chef Peter Duenas interviews Hyatt Regency Saipan chef Jessie Aguon.

Photos by Alexie Villegas Zotomayor

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Organizers are seen confirming the winning tickets for the raffle draw as celebrity chef and host Peter Duenas speaks to the audience.

8/26/12 10:05:41 PM

Local / Pacific Islands

MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS - MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012

First Hawaiian Bank a major sponsor for Docomo Pacific Golf Classic (Docomo Pacific) — First Hawaiian Bank has stepped up its support for the Marianas Tourism Education Council as major sponsors of the upcoming Docomo Pacific Golf Classic this coming Labor Day Weekend. The tournament date is set for Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012 at the scenic Kingfisher Golf Links with a tee time set at 7:30 a.m. “It is imperative that we provide proper guidance to our students regarding the importance of our tourism industry and how it can affect the CNMI economy in a positive way,” says Juan Lizama, FHB vice president. Also joining the ranks as major sponsors for the event this year are McDonald’s of Saipan, DFS Saipan Ltd., Mobil, Marianas Management Corporation and the Tan Siu Lin Foundation. Hole-In-One sponsors Joeten Motors and Bank of Hawaii are back once again and Triple J Motors has joined in this year. The Fiesta Resort, Delta Air Lines, Kanoa Resort, the Marianas Visitors Authority, Pacifica Insurance, Herman’s Bakery and the Pacific Islands Club are back once again as sponsors along with Marianas

Variety, Dickerson & Quinn, Kautz Glass, JWS Refrigeration, Saipan Tribune and DataDot Micronesia. “It really is heartwarming to see the support from the business community for this worthwhile event. We must do all we can to support non-profit organizations that have a direct impact on tourism and our student community,” added James Nelson, Docomo pacific general manager. This year’s entry fee has been lowered to $85.00 and Docomo Pacific subscribers can enter for only $75.00. Entry forms are available at the Docomo Pacific store on Middle Road in Gualo Rai. Entry fees are accepted at Docomo Pacific. The deadline for entries is Thursday,Aug. 30, 2012, so golfers are encouraged to enter as soon as possible. For more information, contact James Nelson at 483-4924 or email jnelson@docomopacific.com.

First Hawaiian Bank General Manager Juan Lizama, left, hands over a ceremonial check for $2,000 to Docomo Pacific retail operations manager Paulene Johnson and general manager James Nelson for the 3rd Annual Docomo Golf Classic tournament. Contributed photo

FSS Unity joins FSM maritime surveillance fleet

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services) — A handover ceremony for the FSS Unity was held at the wharf site of the FSM Maritime Wing, FSM National Police, marking the transfer of the assistance of a 16-meter long patrol craft from the Nippon Foundation, through the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Japan. The FSS Unity aims to strengthen maritime surveillance against illegal fishing, search and rescue operations and disaster prevention capabilities. Acting Secretary of the Department of Justice Johnson Asher reiterated the FSM’s gratitude to its development partners that have contributed to the strengthening and capacity building of the maritime surveillance services, such as the United States, Australia and Japan. “I can assure you that the FSS Unity and the communication facility will be utilized in a manner that maximizes the maritime wing’s capacity to effectively carryout coastal law enforcement services, search and rescue operations as well as emergency responses,” said Asher. Takeju Ogata, president of the Nippon Foundation, spoke of the difficult nature of maritime surveillance issues and challenges, saying, “no country individually, unilaterally and bilaterally can effectively deal with these transnational issues” in vast maritime areas. He said these “must be addressed to keep the peace and prosperity of the Micronesian countries and livelihood of the people.” MV 8-27-12.indd 9

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8/26/12 10:05:42 PM

MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS

FORUM A Meeting Place For Our Opinions. . .And Yours. . .

Letter to the editor Impeach! WHILE the CNMI Republican House majority continues to defend Governor Fitial and comes up with excuses as to why he should not be impeached, I would like to ask them a few questions: 1. When disgraced former Attorney General Edward T. Buckingham fled Saipan and had law officials to shield him from being served a penal summons, do you honestly believe this was not orchestrated by Governor Fitial? Do you really think that Governor Fitial’s personal driver just showed up on his own in the wee hours of the morning to offer a ride to Bucky and his wife Pam? Do you think it is acceptable that federally-funded “Human Trafficking Unit” vehicles are being used to transport people and their luggage? Do you think the law officials involved just decided to give AG Buckingham a “royal escort” using federally funded vehicles? Do you think manhandling a news journalist and physically stopping her from doing her job while standing on public grounds is acceptable police behavior? Do you think using law officials to thwart a penal summons from being served is an abuse of power? If not for the FBI serving the summons and a journalist filming this fiasco, don’t you think Bucky would have gotten away without being served the summons and the public would know nothing about it? Shouldn’t you be thanking OPA, the FBI, and KSPN News Reporter Tina Sablan and condemning Governor Fitial and Ed Buckingham and the law officials who attempted to obstruct justice? 2. Regarding Governor Fitial’s sole-source $190 million, 25-year power generation contract with a five-day-old shady company that has been linked to an ex-convict, aren’t you concerned about the huge cost to us taxpayers? If the cost of building a 50-megawatt plant is estimated by experts to be about$50 million as previously reported, isn’t the $190 million price tag a complete rip-off? Aren’t you concerned that future generations will have to make huge payments on this overpriced power plant for 25 consecutive years, even if it may not be needed in the future? Isn’t alternative and renewable energy technology developing rapidly right now all over the world, and don’t we think it will be even more affordable within the next decade, let alone 25 years? Why aren’t you doing the math or why don’t you get someone who knows math to explain to you that the $190 million is only a drop in the bucket compared to the associated and indirect costs, which could possibly end up costing us taxpayers more than $2 billion? Why aren’t you concerned that the governor and the escaped fugitive/former AG Ed Buckingham are the signatories on the contract, but both of them have ZERO experience with regard to power generation and diesel generators? Why aren’t you upset that this secretive contract is not even needed right now, according to the former executive director of CUC and other experts? And if this diesel power plant truly is needed, then why are we not following procurement regulations and BIDDING IT OUT? Isn’t that why we have procurement regulations? To ensure fair bidding? Why was this contract so secretive anyway? Shouldn’t anything that is going to cost $190 million be thoroughly researched and analyzed by experts and APPROVED by CNMI taxpayers, since it is OUR MONEY, not Governor Fitial’s money? And shouldn’t any power contracts be coming from the office of CUC and not the greedy hands of Governor Fitial? 3. Why are you so reluctant to impeach the governor? Is it because you are part of the Republican Party and he is in charge of your party? Is your loyalty with the people, or is it with the governor? With sixteen articles of impeachment, do you honestly believe none of them are true? If you think at least one of the articles of impeachment is true, do you not realize this is grounds for impeachment? What about neglect of duty? Do you think Governor Fitial is neglecting the people of the CNMI when he takes his wife and his press secretary on a three-week junket using taxpayer money? Do you think this is acceptable, when people are dying because their Medicaid is no longer being accepted so Continued on page 11

Serving the Northern Marianas for 40 years Published Monday to Friday by Younis Art Studio, Inc. Publishers : Abed and Paz Younis Editor: Zaldy Dandan P.O. Box 500231, Saipan MP 96950-0231 Tel. (670) 234-9797/9272 Fax: (670) 234-9271 E-mail: mvariety@pticom.com URL: www.mvariety.com © 2012, Marianas Variety All Rights Reserved

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• BC Cook

BC’s Pacific Heritage Phantom islands and lost cities “EVERYONE knew the stories. Our parents told us about the cities of gold and the lost civilizations with advanced technology. They were always happier and healthier than us. It was the stuff of legend, tales spun by adventurers and sailors to amuse the locals, but few believed they were true. Then we landed on the island and saw the remains of what must have been the place we always heard of. The people were long gone but the gold remained. From what we could see of their machines and devices, they were far more advanced than we will be in another five hundred years. We found...” Shall I complete the sentence with Atlantis? The Seven Cities of Cibola? The Lost Continent of Mu? Terra Incognito? Shangri-La? Perhaps El Dorado. Nearly every culture in the world shares stories of far-away places that are populated by people who are superior to themselves in some way: richer, happier, healthier, more advanced. Of course, no one has ever been there. The stories are passed down, mixed up, retold, and embellished. But with so much similarity in the accounts it makes us wonder if there was some common bond that linked the stories together back in the mists of time. Was there ever such a place that was better than anything we have now? What do all of the stories of lost civilizations have in common? Let’s take a quick look. Atlantis. As told by the ancient Greeks, it was an island roughly somewhere in the Atlantic or Mediterranean. They were technologically advanced, never went to war, and enjoyed political harmony. It was destroyed by a natural disaster that caused the island to sink into the sea. Few, if any, survivors remained. Seven Cities. Perhaps the most globally diverse of the legendary places, the Seven Cities could have been in the Atlantic Ocean somewhere off the coast of Spain, on an island in the Caribbean Sea, in the Rocky Mountains of North America, or somewhere in the Pacific. The cities were populated by refugees from a previous civilization, like the Spanish or Aztecs,

who relocated to avoid catastrophe but were finally overcome by a natural disaster. Mu. Rather than a single city or culture, many believe that the islands of the Pacific Ocean are actually the mountain tops of a massive continent that sank as the earth’s crust collapsed. This lost continent was peopled by the ancestors of the Polynesians, Micronesians, and Melanesians. They possessed advanced technology, were peaceful, and lived in harmony with nature until the epic disaster that sent their civilization to the bottom of the sea. The Pacific islanders are the scattered remnants of this once proud people. El Dorado. This was thought to be a city made of pure gold, nestled in a valley somewhere in the mountains of South America or North America, populated by an advanced race of people who were likely the ancestors of the Aztecs, Incas, Mayans, or Toltecs. They were peaceful and prosperous but their isolation left them vulnerable to natural or self-made disaster, since no help could come from the outside. What similarities do we see in these various accounts from all corners of the world? The people of the lost civilizations always seem to have advanced technology, are always more peaceful than we are, and usually live longer lives. They are also isolated from the rest of humanity, either on an island or in the mountains, which helps explain why they developed much faster than the rest of us. Finally, nearly all of them were destroyed by natural disasters, in other words, problems not of their own making. If it had not been for some catastrophe beyond their control they would still be here, so they are not to blame for their collapse. What do you make of this? What conclusions do you draw from these details? Could all of these stories reach back to the same original account, where details have varied with each telling but the kernel of truth remains? Do the stories teach us something about ourselves, that we have a longing for some better life that we can never reach? 8/26/12 10:05:47 PM

Letter to the editor

MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS - MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012

Dear NMI legislators MOST of you know me; some of you may not like me very much. Understandable in view of past criticism. Regardless of “history,” I now appeal to each and every one of you to think deeply in the next few days about why you are where you are. It involves so much more than the fact that a majority of voters in your precinct cast a vote for your election. It involves so much more than the fact that you represent the voice of the people and your mandate to uphold the Constitution of the CNMI, of the United States of America and your sworn requirement to uphold the very laws that you are charged to make. You are faced with a decision to remove from office the highest elected official in the CNMI: Governor Fitial. Yes, I am among the 94 percent of the local population (online polls in BOTH newspapers) who favor impeachment. But I do not write this to plead for your compliance; I write it to ask you to place the people of the CNMI ahead of your ambition or your self-imposed sense of obligation to your party-mate. Throughout my long career with the U.S. government, I was taught, and adhered to the principle of “service” to the public over which my decisions, based firmly in law, held a certain “survival” of their business or their standard of life. I was not “elected” but rather chose that service — because it “felt right.” Now, I ask you to do the same. Here are a few thoughts for your consideration from the people, from “legal” references and from me: 1) From the people: An online voting poll presented in both local newspapers during the past week each indicated 94 percent of the votes cast favor impeachment of the governor. Some persons may be voting more than once but the percentage difference has not varied during the week. Therefore, statistically speaking, a consistent vote of 94

Impeach... Continued from page 10 they cannot have access to doctors and medicine that is needed to keep them alive? These are only a few questions that I ask the Republican House majority. A friend stated that we should go and meet with these leaders. But my question to him is, is it not their job to meet with us? Why can’t they take a lesson from Congressman Kilili Sablan and host a public forum? Is it because they are afraid we will come with tough questions and will see right through their bogus excuses? Someone needs to remind them that they are PUBLIC SERVANTS and they are supposed to listen to our people. But these leaders must do more than just listen to our people — they must also listen to their conscience! My dearest friends and family, we all know that each year Governor Fitial has been in office, things have continually gotten MV 8-27-12.indd 11

to 6 percent indicates those voting are not only “impeachers” or “outsiders” as suggested by some Fitial supporters in online blogs, but actually represents the true sentiments of an overwhelming portion of the populace. 2) From “legal” references: Corruption: Politics “Political corruption is the abuse of public power, office, or resources by elected government officials for personal gain, e.g. By extortion, soliciting or offering bribes. It can also take the form of office holders maintaining themselves in office by purchasing votes by enacting laws which use taxpayer money. Systemic corruption is the complete subversion of a political or economic system. Governmental corruption of judiciary is broadly known in many transitional and developing countries because the budget is almost completely controlled by the executive. The latter undermines the separation of powers, as it creates a critical financial dependence of the judiciary. The proper national wealth distribution including the government spending on the judiciary is subject of the constitutional economics. It is important to distinguish between the two methods of corruption of the judiciary: the government (through budget planning and various privileges), and the private.” “Political corruption is the use of power by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by private persons or corporations not directly involved with the government. An illegal act by an officeholder constitutes political corruption only if the act is directly related to their official duties, is done under color of law or involves trading in influence.” “Forms of corruption vary, but include bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft,

and embezzlement. Corruption may facilitate criminal enterprise such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and human trafficking, though is not restricted to these activities.” “Corruption also generates economic distortions in the public sector by diverting public investment into capital projects where bribes and kickbacks are more plentiful. Officials may increase the technical complexity of public sector projects to conceal or pave the way for such dealings, thus further distorting investment. Corruption also lowers compliance with construction, environmental, or other regulations, reduces the quality of government services and infrastructure, and increases budgetary pressures on government.” “Favoring relatives (nepotism) or personal friends (cronyism) of an official is a form of illegitimate private gain.” Systemic corruption “Systemic corruption (or endemic corruption) is corruption which is primarily due to weaknesses of an organization or process. It can be contrasted with individual officials or agents who act corruptly within the system.” “Factors which encourage systemic corruption include conflicting incentives, discretionary powers; monopolistic powers; lack of transparency; low pay; and a culture of impunity. Specific acts of corruption include “bribery, extortion, and embezzlement” in a system where “corruption becomes the rule rather than the exception.” Neglect of Duty: (from USLegal.com) “Neglect of duty is the omission to perform a duty. Neglect of duty has reference to the neglect or failure on the part of a public officer to do and perform some duty or duties laid on him as such by virtue of his office or which is required of him by law. It is not material whether the neglect is willful, through malice, ignorance or oversight, when such neglect

is grave and the frequency of it is such as to endanger or threaten the public welfare, it is gross. [State ex rel. Hardie v. Coleman, 115 Fla. 119 (Fla. 1934)].” 3) From me: Ladies and gentlemen of the legislature: The people are crying out to you; they are bearing unbearable obstacles by fault of their own unforeseen mistake (re-electing Fitial). They are looking to you to correct that mistake. They are looking to you for “A Sense of Duty” — the “Duty” you owe to those who put their trust in you. Please remember, that the act of impeachment is NOT a determination of illegal actions. You need only believe that the object of the impeachment has repeatedly failed to act in the best interest of the people. Those of you in the Senate must also remember that there is NO judicial review of your actions; YOU are the final, irrevocable word! And just what IS “your” sense of duty? Well, here’s what I think it is (from “The Free On-Line Dictionary”): “Motivation deriving logically from ethical or moral principles that govern a person’s thoughts and actions.” You must now take it upon

yourselves, both individually and together, to apply the ethical and moral principles of the DUTY your office demands and apply logic and reason to arrive at a just and righteous decision to relieve the oppression of the people. WHO among you can stand and justify the series of events wrought upon the CNMI by Mr. Fitial and still honestly affirm that you have SERVED the people and your office to the best of your ability? WHICH of you will put away your sense of “obligation” to a single man and find the true obligation you have to the electorate? HOW many of you will stand to redeem the values of your little corner of the greatest democratic republic on earth? The case for impeachment is clear under the definitions given above — and the people have spoken; this is NOT the time for delay as to do so would surely and gravely negatively affect the future welfare of the state and further erodes the confidence of the public in your ability to carry out the demands of your office. Sincerely,

worse, with absolutely no signs of improvement. There are no investors pouring in to the CNMI like he promised. There are no peanut butter factories. Or shoe factories. He has failed to deliver on any of his “Better Times” campaign promises, but he has certainly not failed to deliver us a ton of excuses, lies, and shame. When you have your personal driver selling ice out of your own car, that is SHAMEFUL. When you use taxpayer money to travel the world with your wife and press secretary while our people are dying, that is SHAMEFUL. But when you break out a federal detainee from prison to get a midnight massage, that is ILLEGAL. When you order public safety officials to stop a criminal from being served a penal summons, that is ILLEGAL. When you use a state of emergency as a disguise to pass out sole-source contracts that are detrimental to our people and ignore procurement laws and regulations , that

is not only ILLEGAL...it is also an ABUSE OF POWER. We have two more years under Governor Fitial’s reign. My question to you is, can we really afford another two years? Look around you. Look at the deplorable condition of the CNMI. And yet, Governor Fitial still has people defending him, trying to explain that he “inherited” these problems. Yes, Governor Fitial inherited problems. But he was ELECTED to solve our problems, NOT ADD TO THEM! Why can’t some people get this through their thick skulls? Governor Fitial likes to refer to himself as the “Father of the CNMI.” But my question is, what kind of father goes on three-week junkets around the world while his “children” are left at home to suffer and die? What kind of father would get first-class medical check-ups and treatment at the finest hospitals in the United States and Philippines, but not even leave

any money for his “children” to buy medicine for when they are sick? What kind of father would make sole-source deals that will bankrupt his “children” for 25 years? I’m sorry, but these are not the actions of a “Father of the CNMI.” These are actions of greed, gluttony, and abuse of power. Lives are at stake right now, and so is the future of our children. If you stand by and allow this abuse to continue, then you are just as guilty as the perpetrators. Corruption and evil only exist because good people do nothing. Please, join the fight. Do what is right. It is never too late to do the right thing. And the right thing to do right now is to put pressure on our leaders to IMPEACH this governor. As I told a friend, the impeachment is only the beginning. We will have to work together to solve the CNMI’s problems. But we cannot solve any problems while we are constantly battling a governor who continues

to drive our poor economy deeper in to debt and is on the verge of ruining our children’s future for 25 full years. It must end now, before it is too late. Thank you to all the great people living in the CNMI and abroad who are taking a stand and speaking out. When we succeed, it will be because of brave people like you who decided that these beautiful islands are worth fighting for. It is no longer just about us...it is about our children. Pot fabot, let us do the right thing, right now. And if this Republican House majority FAILS to impeach Governor Fitial, then let us remember this and be sure to IMPEACH them from office in November. We need courageous leaders right now who are loyal to the people, not spineless leaders. May God bless the good people of the CNMI.

DR. THOMAS D. ARKLE JR. Winter Haven, Florida

ED PROPST Dandan, Saipan 8/26/12 10:05:48 PM

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MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS

✑ Letter to the editor

E-mail your letters to editor@mvariety.com. Letters must carry the full name of the writer, with a telephone number for verification. Letters addressed to other publications or to third parties and those endorsing particular political candidates are discouraged. All letters are subject to editing. The Variety reserves the right to reject any letters. Name withheld and unsigned letters will not be printed.

A house divided by delegate politics I HAD intended to stop writing about the Delegate election only because I have family that I must think about who don’t deserve the embarrassment of the slanderous attacks on my character. But after being strongly encouraged by a highly respected Priest to “keep it up, there is too much anger and revenge in our society” — so I’m BACKKK! The slander does not bother me anyway after putting my life on the line in the Civil Rights Movement when we used to chant “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me” from the use of the N word and worse. I won’t dignify

the slanderous attempts by trying to explain anything. As for the people responsible for the slanderous attacks on me, I’m sure voters could see through their hate and vengeance but I have chosen to “forgive them all, for they know not what they do” — a way to always WIN with LOVE, something I learned from Jesus Christ. So let them who have not sinned cast the first stone so voters will see and remember their disdain behavior. FYI, a person’s character IS NOT measured by something 30 plus years in the past that was OK’d for me to teach and to even be considered for commis-

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR JANITORIAL SERVICES RFP 12-01

SERVICES REQUIRED The Marianas Public Land Trust (MPLT), a public trust of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands requests proposals from interested firms to provide janitorial services for MPLT office located on 1222 Capital Hill Road, Capital Hill, Saipan, MP 96950 SCOPE OF SERVICES Provide general janitorial services for the MPLT office. Interested parties can pick up the scope of work at the MPLT office or can be access at the website at www.mplt.gov.mp. PACKAGES & SUBMITTAL DATE Please submit letter of interest to include monthly rate to the attention of Barbara Reyes, Office Manager, Marianas Public Land Trust P.O. Box 501089, Saipan, MP 96950, no later than 4:00 P.M., Thursday, August 30, 2012. Interested firms are welcome to conduct a survey of the site. This public notice is also available on our website at www.mplt.gov.mp. Should you have any question or need additional information, please contact our office at 3224401/4402, Monday – Friday between the hours of 8:00am to 5:00pm.

sioner. Character is determined by what we have become and the children we have raised, so I’m very confident that my family, most of our society and God is pleased with the end results. As for the Delegate election, one of President Lincoln’s most famous quotes was “a house divided cannot stand” as he was referencing the pending Civil War. Just think if he didn’t believe in the unity of America because a dividedAmerica, including the CNMI, would be very different places today. My fears for voters being permanently divided into splinter groups appears to be coming true after a decade or more of promoting one people, one direction. I have said it on more than one occasion that it going to take Devine Intervention to save voters from themselves to fix the CNMI. WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS US, a 1950 Political Book collection of events. How can we be brothers and sisters on Sunday and sworn enemies on Monday? Too many voters just don’t get it and some don’t even want to be one people! With four Parties and a host of Independents the CNMI has become so divided by our leaders who are now encapsulating voters into their fighting with the Governor they may never see the light in this generation. Kilili supporters have re-introduced the ugly character assignation approach to our politics will do any and everything against the Governor and to hell with the consequences for the people. Our job as voters is to publicly “vet/debate” the candidates, NOT me but Kilili supporters are vetting me because I pose one of the biggest threats, as the truth I have shared about both candidates cannot be disputed — so they try to

kill the messenger. But the truth is if you ask any rational and morally straight person do you want a high school grad or Phd and do you want 289 votes or 0 votes in Congress we know they will say they want the Phd holder and the 289 votes supporting Dr. Demapan in Congress which is why I say its ka du ku in any language to choose Kilili. The disenfranchised leaders dividing up the people must learn to keep it real. Like it or not we must give Governor Fitial his due credit because he has simply out done many of the politicians in our Government which is why they are so angry wanting revenge. I’m not saying he was right on everything but I will say he has proven to be the superior politician among the entire crew-so grow up fellows, take it like a man and stop pulling voters into YOUR personal fight. The Governor has continued to win and come out on top in the face of adversity and now he just won again and made his opposition and our media outlets look silly with a failed impeachment and a good power deal. The media and all of us need to exercise more caution before passing judgment and ready to execute the Governor or anyone in the news. It has always been in voters’ best interest to let THEM fight it out on the Hill and not get all worked up with the Impeachment hype. Unlike many, I have chosen to remain professional and to accept the Governor as our leader and to try to help the Governor on something we agree on that is good for the People — a Delegate with real voting POWER in Congress. To assert that everything the Governor is trying to do is bad and that every person around him is bad demonstrates an evil ill-rational and prejudicial mind-set that can’t

be trusted for truth, fairness and honesty. I knew and even told voters the Impeachment talk was more political hype than substance and the Minority Bloc KNEW even before they said it that they did not have the votes. So voters must ask WHY did they even say impeach the Governor? The answer should be obvious — it was revenge by disenfranchised politicians who were politicking to get elected at any cost. Voters are being manipulated by their own anger to fight the Governor and to get Kilili elected. These Third Parties and Kilili are trying everything to make Dr. Demapan and the Governor look bad but in reality it reflects on and will cost the People. They tried to get the Federal Government involved in a state’s matter which has only served to make the entire CNMI look bad in Washington. Kilili has even made allegations about our Governor to the Chief Federal Prosecutor that we are now finding out to be NOT TRUE — more political hype to get elected. History should have taught us with the ARRA controversy of Mr. Ada, the Federal Government IS NOT in a hurry to clean up a state’s mess so don’t expect the Feds to get in this and remember, those who don’t learn the lessons taught by history are DOOMED to repeat them. Yes, they may have hurt the Governor’s efforts but We the People will bear the cost in all future Federal negotiations with a cloud of doubt hanging over the CNMI that WE created in Washington — duh! Be careful what you wish for, remember, the Alien Workers complained to the Feds for help and they got a settlement but that same Federal Government Continued on page 13

COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS STATE BOARD OF EDuCATION, PuBLIC SCHOOL SySTEM P.O. Box 501370 CK, Saipan, MP 96950 HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE Request foR PRoPosals (RfP No. Rf12-007) aDMINIstRatIVe HeaRING offICeR seRVICes OPENING DATE: August 23, 2012

CLOSING DATE: September 13, 2012

The Northern Mariana Islands Retirement Fund (“Fund”), the CNMI government employees’ defined benefit plan, is soliciting proposals from qualified vendors to provide administrative hearing officer services with respect to consolidated appeals taken by members relating to adverse decisions of the Administrator relating to overtime/comp-time credits. The RFP packet contains a listing of affected members for the purposes of conflict checking by vendors. The Fund will not waive any conflict and requests that only non-conflicted vendors respond to this RFP. To receive the RFP packet, please fax, e-mail, or mail your request to: Esther Ada, Acting Administrator Northern Mariana Islands Retirement Fund PO Box 501247 Saipan, MP 96950 Fax: (670) 664-8080 E-mail: nmirf.rfp@nmiretirement.com The Acting Administrator reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive any imperfections in a proposal if doing so is in the best interests of the Fund. All proposals shall become the property of the NMI Retirement Fund.

MV 8-27-12.indd 12

JOB VACANCy ANNOuNCEMENT OPEN COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION ANNOuNCEMENT

It is the policy of the State Board of Education, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, that the Public School System’s Human Resources Regulations shall be applied and administered according to the principles of equal employment opportunity as defined by the Northern Marianas Commonwealth Public Law 6 - 10, regardless of age, race, sex, religion, political affiliation or belief, marital status, handicap or place of origin. Applicants for this position must be a U.S. Citizen or be eligible and authorized to work in the U.S., including the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

========================================================================== Announcement No: PSS-2012-077 Position Title: Certification & Licensure Officer Pay Level/Step: UNGRADED Per Annum Salary: $40,000.00 per annum Opening Date: August 16, 2012 Closing Date: August 30, 2012 Location: PSS, Office of the CNMI State Board of Education Benefits: Salary Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent benefits (including Life Insurance, Retirement Benefits, and Paid Leave/Holidays

Minimum Requirements: Graduation from a U.S. accredited college or university with a Bachelors Degree in Human Resources Management, Business Management, Education or related field with at least five (5) years work related experience.

==========================================================================

INTERESTED APPLICANTS MAY OBTAIN A DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION WITH QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND APPLICATION FORMS AT THE PSS HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE AT THE 1st FLOOR, CNMI PSS CENTRAL OFFICE BUILDING, BWUGHOS STREET, SUSUPE. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MUST BE ATTACHED TO COMPLETE APPLICATION FORMS: (1) COPY OF DIPLOMA/ DEGREE, (2) TRANSCRIPTS, (3) POLICE CLEARANCE (FROM PLACE OF RESIDENCE FOR PAST SIX MONTHS), (4) VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT LETTER, (5) RESUME, AND (6) TEACHING CERTIFICATE (IF APPLICABLE).COMPLETED APPLICATIONS AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTS MAY BE SUBMITTED TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE OR MAILED TO: CNMI PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, ATTN: HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE, FIRST FLOOR, CNMI PSS CENTRAL OFFICE BUILDING, BWUGHOS STREET, SUSUPE, P.O. BOX 501370 CK, SAIPAN, MP 96950, and TEL. #. (670) 237-3052/79/64/31, FAX # (670) 664-3707. ALSO VISIT http://www.cnmipss. org ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB. 8/26/12 10:05:50 PM

Letters to the editor

MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS - MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012

Attack the deficit THE $336 million deficit compared to the CNMI’s economy is very disproportionate. The government can only spend what it has to start liquidating its deficit. Over the past 25 years, our leaders did not address the growing government deficit and it is now affecting the people. Blaming and blathering will not solve our problem. It is now time to act. Reform is imminent! The people have suffered too much already and our leaders and aspiring leaders must attack the deficit once and for all. But the deficit cannot be retired by an individual or one political party. End bureaucracy in government and work together for the sake of your suffering people. Ease the people’s sufferings, pot fabot! Uncle David M. Sablan Sr. has a very good suggestion to cut down the cost of government. Start with the Legislature and government fat. His recommendation is very reasonable and sound. Obviously, per diem to remunerate the legislators is the way to go. No need for a full-time Legislature. We have enough laws already. Just implement them. A part-time Legislature will also discourage career politicians, and that’s good for the commonwealth. Continuing the status quo will lead to more frustrations and hardships for the people. Rebuild the CNMI! Our leaders owe a great deal of accountability to their constituents. End the mistakes and failed policies of the past. It’s time to wake up! Address the dilemma of the retirees’ impending nightmare. A

lot of them are sick and old. No way they could be employed again. Fulfill and honor the government’s contractual obligations to the Retirement Fund. Our leaders must focus on this problem. Imagine the massive hardships that will be inflicted on retirees, overnight, once the pension stops. Think about it. Second guessing this impending chaos is bad for the commonwealth. To our elected leaders: Use your power to prevent this economic catastrophe. Many have criticized and attacked me for being an “outsider.” I am not an outsider. I simply care and I don’t have any personal agenda. The people are complaining about their government, so please, elected leaders, step up and stop the politicking. Enough already. Serve the people and restore the public trust in their government. God bless the CNMI! NOEL M. SORIA Virginia Beach, Virginia

Open letter to Kilili THANK you for taking your time to hear my idea for federal legislation that could help the CNMI fight inflation by making on-line shopping and shipping easier/cheaper for our people. Let me explain: Currently, many online suppliers will not ship our purchases to the CNMI. What we must now do to get our goods is to ship our purchases to a friend or relative living in one of the 50 states. That adds cost and takes at least one or two weeks of extra time, plus the inconvenience for all involved! I have asked many times why there is this restriction not to ship to the CNMI. I have never received a logical answer to this question. The people working for the sellers/shippers do not understand why a U.S. citizen living in the USA (CNMI) is discriminated against by not receiving equal treatment by U.S. shipping laws.

Most of the sellers use the U.S. postal system to ship (mail) to those in the 50 states. Why not the CNMI? I have been frustrated many times by finding items I wanted to purchase, only to find out that the seller will not ship to the CNMI. Even the process of ordering makes it impossible to get goods shipped to us. For example, the drop down bar in the addressing process asked for the “State” of residence, but the list does not include the CNMI (or any other territory of the U.S., including Guam, American Samoa, etc.) This makes it impossible for us to order on line because the system will not allow us to fill in our correct address. Sometimes I even give Hawaii as my “state” and someone knows that Saipan is in the CNMI and the post office forwards the goods to me. What do I suggest? Please pass

regulations requiring companies engaged in interstate commerce and using the U.S. postal system to ship goods to all territories, commonwealths, and other possessions of the U.S. They should also be listed in sellers drop down bar for determining the “state” of address. The shipping/selling enterprise must be required to ship, using any shipping company providing that service, for example, USPS, DHL, Federal Express, etc. I am tired of being a second class citizen because I live in the CNMI! We need more competition in the CNMI to keep prices under control. As more companies close and leave the CNMI the ugly head of monopolies rises, inflation goes out of sight. We need your help! FRANK STEWART Capital Hill, Saipan

A house... Continued from page 12 sent them home and is sending all the remaining Alien Workers home against their will — hello! Leaders and voters had better wake up and get a clean mind and open their hearts before we end up shooting ourselves in the head or heart by mistake figuratively. I have total respect for the TRUE Independents who were brave enough to stand alone and not divide the people. But voters must send a signal to these Third Parties and Kilili that We the People want Power in Congress with Acha, which will also send a stronger signal for these Third Parties to return to a TWO Party System. It would also be great for the CNMI and the Democratic Party if they would support Acha, since they don’t have a candidate, which would give them the true “jump start” they so desperately need to be ready for 2014. Electing Acha and forcing these Third Parties to reconsider their politics would be a great starting dose of medicine to curing our very sick Democracy because a house divided cannot stand, as a majority for progress and moving forward will never be achieved as long as we stay divided into so many small political groups. One people one direction or Bust! AMBROSE M. BENNETT Kagman, Saipan MV 8-27-12.indd 13

8/26/12 10:05:53 PM

Local

MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS

Monday, August 27, 2012

Marianas Variety News & Views

Steaming hot dinner in a garden restaurant Text and photos by Raquel C. Bagnol raquel.bagnol@mvariety.com Variety News Staff

I HAD my eye on this restaurant in a twostory building on the right side of the road just before the former labor department’s building in San Antonio for a long time but didn’t get the chance until last Saturday evening. It was almost 9 p.m. and I was on my way to cover an event but decided to stop by and check out what the place had to offer hungry diners. If you’re not Korean and can’t read signs written in Korean, Sam Ho Garden Restaurant in San Antonio won’t hold any appeal to you, but a whole new world of culinary delight awaits anyone who enters its frosted glass door and windows. A cheerful, homey atmosphere greeted me and my companion at Sam Ho Garden Restaurant. The walls were filled with a variety of decorations: cloves of garlic, lamp posts, signs and pictures of food and posters. There was no particular theme and that added to the casual atmosphere. A cheerful food staffer led us to one end of a long table and handed our menus. It took us quite a while to choose what to eat because most of the dishes were authentic Korean and the ones we were familiar with were not there. There were grills on the table, typical of Korean restaurants, but we were not in the mood to cook anything. I still had an appointment and didn’t want to show up smelling of smoke and grilled cattle intestine. I finally saw something familiar — the hot pot rice with vegetables, or bibimbap, and decided to check out how they would prepare it. My friend ordered chicken soup and rice. The food staffer took our orders and was back with six bowls of appetizers — six kinds in generous amounts. I was still arranging the bowls when the food staffer appeared again with the steaming bowl of chicken soup on top of a sizzling platter. My bibimbap was served a couple of minutes after. Personally, I prefer an interval between serving the appetizers and the main dish. That way, we’ll have time to enjoy our appetizers before digging into our main orders. At Sam Ho, we only took tiny bits from the appetizers and left some of them untouched. Not being into creamy food, I silently decided to dislike the chicken soup at first sight. It was a white creamy concoction MV 8-27-12.indd 14

with bits of onion leaves floating on top, but I took a tiny sip just the same, preparing a glass of tea to wash off the expected sweetish, sticky thing — but I was wrong. The soup was not sticky at all, it tasted good, and I went for another sip, and another. The chicken strips at the bottom of the bowl were tender and flavorful. Sam Ho’s bibimbap was quite similar to what other Korean restaurants were serving, except for the sunny side up egg on which was sprinkled a generous amount of sesame seeds. The food staffer tried to convince me to pour hot and spicy sauce into my bibimbap, but I shook my head. She seemed to find it funny that anyone could not tolerate spicy flavors but she gave me Kikkoman sauce and waited until I gave the thumbs up sign before leaving. All the tables were filled and everybody seemed to be having a good time, talking like they were eating at home. I enjoyed watching a family with two kids grilling meat at the next table. To enjoy grilled delights at Sam Ho Garden Restaurant, you can try the pork galbi and pork belly, beef tongue, bulgogi, beef entrails or cattle intestines which go with Korean cold noodle or Miso soup. The main courses range from $7 to $10 including Korean cold noodle, galbi soup, beef or mixed pork soup, rice with raw fish on top, broiled squid, rice dumpling, steamed seasoned ribs and more. Dig into the specialty dishes from $13 to $35 dishes such as Kimchi seasoned ribs, pork bone potato soup, cattle intestine soup, spicy cattle intestine soup, yellow fish soup, frozen fish soup, stir fried small octopus or roasted fish and bean paste pot stew. You can also go for the Specials of the House: Korean sausage, seasoned seashell or broiled octopus with noodle, sashimi with mixed vegetable, beef sashimi with special sauce, grill leek pancake, beef tendon steamed vegetables, spicy braised short ribs The tables at Sam Ho Garden Restaurant are good for families or large groups. The main dining hall is no place for intimate lunches or dinners but it’s where hearty meals are served and attentive food staffers keep checking at your tables to see if everything is okay. Three VIP rooms offer privacy for small group conferences and meetings. Sam Ho Garden Restaurant is open for lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. every day. Credit cards are accepted. For reservations or inquiries, call 234-3535. 8/26/12 10:05:55 PM

MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS - MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012

A true story (Editor’s note: Due to the sensitivity of the subject matter, the author has requested anonymity.) MANY of you in the CNMI know who I am. Whether it be my face, my name, or both, I’m sure you’ve heard of me somewhere. I won’t be disclosing my identity here, however. Just know that I’m a young adult, female, a graduate of a CNMI public high school, and I live in one of the most diverse cities in America. Life here has been interesting, fast-paced, competitive, often lonely, but eye-opening. Despite the challenges of being an islander in the city, I love it here. I’ve learned so much about the world, about myself, and how those two things can be harmoniously intermixed. Needless to say, my life has been changed. O n e change, however, I didn’t anticipate. It’s 4 a.m., and from my dorm lounge I watched the wasted stumble in from some crazy party. Some football players entered my room though, which prompted me to go and chase them out. All except one of them left, and the one who remained stood between me and the door, locked it, and brought me to the ground. The next thing I knew I was being pinned down while his hands swiftly made their way underneath my bra and shorts. I didn’t know what to think. I was half-scared, half-bewildered, both screaming and laughing. “You’re yellin’ as if I’m raping you,” he said. He was right — he wasn’t raping me. He could have. But he stopped and left before things got heavy, which probably wouldn’t have happened if I wasn’t so loud. The whole ordeal felt like a joke. I didn’t get raped. No big deal. Little did I know that this incident would foreshadow what was to come in the following months. As time passed, male attention became more frequent from both schoolmates and strangers. Cat calls, booty calls, genuine interest, you name it. Some I attended to, others I didn’t, but they were always hard to ignore. This never happened back home, so I didn’t know how to deal with it other than to be shocked at every incident. Eventually it became a constant in my life, and I thought I’d become comfortable with the fact that men found me attractive. It happens to many girls, I’d imagine. That feeling changed this summer when I had more opportunities to explore the city. I noticed I’d been receiving male attention MV 8-27-12.indd 15

in the most unlikely situations — at the gym, during a 5:30 a.m. run, en route to work, in sweats, on the train, anywhere. I’d always feel a pair of eyes burning into me. I don’t use make-up, nor do I dress up, and yet I still managed to attract unwanted attention. Once during breakfast at a coffee shop, a man looked at me and said, “Damn! What do you taste like?” At breakfast. It came to a point where I had to try to look ugly in public, just so I wouldn’t be bothered. I was annoyed that I had to deal with this on a neardaily basis. From nonchalance to irritation, my feelings toward male attention began to tank. And just last week, it hit rock bottom. For a couple days I had been crossing paths with a certain man on the way to work. He looked much older than I was, but not very old. Nothing about him stood out except for the fact that I saw him all the time. One day he stopped to chat, and the next day he gave me his card and told me to give him a call. At this point I knew what his intentions were, but naively I proceeded to contact him and opened myself to what would become a really uncomfortable situation. We ended up hanging out one night as a product of my boredom and his persistence. The conversation we had was decent. He eventually revealed that he was much older than I thought he was — he was, in fact, the same age as both my father and my boss. I should have walked away at that moment, but because he’d been so respectful up to that point, I didn’t. I don’t enjoy making people feel bad unintentionally, let alone someone who didn’t exactly deserve it. I finally decided to call it a night. But as I was leaving he proceeded to hug me… a n d b o y, did he hug me. He ran his hands down my back and dug his head into my neck. He kissed my cheek. Tw i c e . I tried to pull away, but couldn’t — so I waited it out. He let go and I walked off as he tried to make me stay by prolonging the conversation. I headed home that night with an insuppressible urge to cry. I’d never felt so violated. To have someone my father’s

age approach me like that was mortifying, and the worst part was that I let it happen. How did it come to this? The honest answer to this question was one that I didn’t want to hear, one I had been ignoring all those months I spent as the target of desperate men. I realized that I had been too open, too reckless. My nonchalance toward these advances acted as a segue into more serious situations — another sexual assault, being pulled into bathrooms and asked for sexual favors, a hook-up-turned-rape, etc. I had been okay with being treated this way for so long that I didn’t notice that lines had been crossed until the situation became extremely abnormal. I realized that throughout those months, I did not respect myself enough to stay away from those circumstances. I never want to assume that a man has ulterior motives when he’s just being friendly, but even after intentions were made clear I still failed to put up my walls. It’s something I regret, and because I realized it just a few days ago, I’m still in the process of reflecting and healing. I could have written about all the other pressing issues facing the CNMI today, but the topic I present here is not specific to the islands. It knows no borders, and the effects it can have on individuals are by no means pressed for time or limited in strength. If there’s anything that I can do for the CNMI from where I am, it is to share my experience and let it serve as a reminder that situations such as those I’ve listed above can come from/happen to even the most unsuspecting individuals, and are never, ever okay. I haven’t spoken to that man since that night, but he still calls/texts me. I never respond. He didn’t assault me, yet I still feel scared, my self-esteem at a new low. I’ve never been more afraid of men, but thankfully my family is filled with respectable male figures who treat me well and have never hurt me. Because of them, I still believe that many men are genuine individuals who do deserve the time of day. Other girls aren’t s o l u c k y. My heart goes out to them. L a s t l y, I hope I don’t seem resonant of those who believe that rape/sexual assault is the woman’s fault. I strongly disagree with that, as would anyone with a conscience. However, when circumstances grant you the opportunity to choose — leave yourself open, or walk away? — opt for the latter. You don’t want to feel the way I do now.

Local / Pacific Islands

Pacific Digest Taiwan praises relations with Palau

TAIPEI (Pacnews) — Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou praised the healthy state of his nation’s relations with Palau, pledging to bolster exchanges between them across every sector. “[Taiwan] and Palau share a longstanding friendship and I wish to thank our West Pacific ally for supporting efforts to expand Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations,” Ma said. The president made the remarks after receiving the credentials of Peter R. Adelbai, Palau’s new ambassador at the presidential office in Taipei. Ma said he and his Palau counterpart, Johnson Toribiong, a former ambassador to Taiwan, have left no stone unturned in boosting bilateral relations over the years, and that the appointment of Adelbai illustrates the importance Toribiong places on these ties. Their relations span a variety of areas such as agriculture, aquaculture, culture, education, healthcare and vocational training, Ma said, adding that people-to-people exchanges are vibrant, with increasing number of direct two-way flights and tourist arrivals.

12 retired Fiji teachers head to Marshalls

NADI (Pacnews) — Twelve retired Fijian schoolteachers under the Fiji Volunteer Services will soon leave to teach in various high schools in the Marshall Islands. This follows a request from president of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Christopher Jorebon Loeak, who identified their human resource needs in the island nations’ education sector. The new Fiji volunteers program involves hiring of retired Fijian school teachers who are willing to share their skills and knowledge around the region by assisting them in teaching at other schools around the region. The 12 teachers will be teaching English, math, accounting, social studies and science subjects.

Fiji mulls euthanasia proposal SUVA (Pacnews) — The Fijian government is considering a proposal to open a euthanasia clinic where seriously ill Australians and others could go to die. Australian euthanasia advocate Dr Philip Nitschke has proposed a “hastened death service” in Nadi which would operate like the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland, where about 1000 foreigners have died since 1998. While a handful of European countries and two U.S. states have legalized euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide, the Dignitas clinic is the only one in the world that allows foreigners to use its service. In a proposal sent to Fiji’s AttorneyGeneral Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum last year, Nitschke said the island nation could generate “considerable income” from a similar clinic with demand expected to come from people in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and India who do not have access to physician-assisted suicide

Australian soldiers build Nauru processing center

CANBERRA (Pacnews) — Australian soldiers are heading to Nauru to start working on an offshore processing center for asylum seekers. The Australian government has secured agreement with Nauru to begin work on the temporary offshore processing center. The defense force is sending 120 soldiers to Nauru for the project and the first 30 were expected to fly to the Pacific Island nation on Friday. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said he expects there will be room for 500 asylum seekers at the Nauru site by the end of September. Refugees will be processed at sites on Manus Island and Nauru which will house about 2,000 people.

PNG gas site jobs in full swing PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) — Construction activities in various PNG LNG project sites continued apace during the first-half of this year, according to Oil Search managing director Peter Botten. He said in the company’s half-yearly report that some of the milestones achieved included the completion of the outer shells and roof installation for the two LNG tanks, installation of key vessels and equipment on the LNG trains and the completion of the 2.4km jetty trestle and the offshore pipeline lay. “The project’s construction activities have now reached their peak level, with a workforce in excess of 17,600 people,” Botten said.” 8/26/12 10:05:56 PM

Philippines / Asia

Philippine police arrest 350 in China phone scam MANILA (AFP) — Philippine police said they arrested more than 350 people on Thursday over a major telephone scam that swindled people out of millions of dollars in Taiwan and mainland China. At least 357 suspects, believed to be mostly from Taiwan and China, were arrested after simultaneous raids on 20 houses across Manila, said Senior Superintendent Ranier Idio, deputy chief of an anti-organized crime task force. “This is a big syndicate. They go for the millions (of dollars),” he told reporters. The gang would pose as police and government prosecutors, telling their victims by telephone that they had legal problems and they would have to transfer money to a certain account to settle the matter, said Idio. He said the group would carefully check their intended victims’ background to make sure they could pay up before they struck. They chose to operate in the Philippines to avoid Chinese police and because of the country’s proximity to China and Taiwan, according to Idio. Police said many of their victims were elderly retirees. Numerous computers and telephone systems were recovered in the raid, Idio added. The arrested suspects included both men and women but it was difficult to get further details out of them as they declined to answer most questions, said Senior Inspector Robert Reyes, one of the investigators. “Mostly, they are not cooperative. We don’t know if they can’t speak English or if they just don’t want to talk,” he told AFP. Envoys from mainland China and Taiwan were at the police centre, determining where the suspects had originated from, police said. The syndicate, operating in cells, would bring their gang members to the Philippines in small groups and put them up in rented houses in upscale neighborhoods to avoid raising suspicion, police said. Two Filipinos who facilitated the entry of the foreigners were also arrested. Reyes said police suspected the group was linked to 78 Taiwanese suspects who were arrested in the southern Philippines in April, also for using telephone systems to obtain money from mainland China and Taiwan. MV 8-27-12.indd 16

MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS

Aquino names Philippines’ first female chief justice

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer) — Various legal, business and political sectors, public and private groups on Saturday hailed the appointment of Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as the first female chief justice of the Philippines. “It’s a tough job. But like they say, when you want the best man for the job, pick a woman,” said Sen. Pia Cayetano. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said she doubted that Sereno would allow herself to be controlled by the president. “If the charge is that she is just going to be a presidential puppet or marionette I’m sure that Ms Sereno will soon prove her critics to be wrong,” Santiago said. A graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines College of Law, Sereno earned a master of laws degree from the University of Michigan Law School. She’s a consultant for the United Nations, World Bank, and U.S. Agency for International Development. In Aug. 2010, Aquino named her associate justice. The Makati Business Club issued a statement on Saturday, saying that Sereno “is a morally upright person with impeccable integrity, independence of mind, and competence.”

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, left, administers the oath to his newly appointed Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno during the oath-taking ceremony, Saturday, at the Malacañang presidential palace in Manila. At right is Sereno’s husband Mario Jose Sereno. AP

“The impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona divided the country and greatly tested the faith of the people in our justice system,” the club said. “We sincerely hope that our new chief justice rebuilds the people’s trust in the institution by ensuring greater transparency and accountability in the courts.”

Aquino administered the oath to Sereno at the presidential palace with her husband, Mario Jose Sereno, daughter Sophia and son Jose Lorenzo standing behind her. Sereno, who at 52 will serve for 18 years, declined reporters’ requests for interviews. She is the second youngest mag-

istrate to become Chief Justice of the Philippines, after Chief Justice Manuel Moran, who was 51 when he was appointed in 1945. She replaces Corona, whom the House of Representatives impeached in December last year, and convicted by the Senate on May 29, 2012 after the conclusion of a four-month trial.

N. Korea’s Kim threatens war over S.Korea-US drill

Government officials wearing gas masks evacuate from a government complex during a civil defense drill against North Korea’s attack as part of Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise, in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday. South Korea and the United States have begun annual military drills that North Korea calls a precursor to war. AP

PYONGYANG (AFP) — North Korea’s leader has warned of an “all-out” war against the South while denouncing its ongoing joint military drill with the United States, state media said Sunday. The U.S. and South Korean militaries on Monday began a two-week exercise aimed at testing defenses against the communist North, insisting it was defensive in nature but Pyongyang called it a drill for a preemptive nuclear attack. More than 30,000 U.S. troops, including most of those based in the South plus 3,000 from overseas, are taking part in the annual joint drill known as Ulchi Freedom Guardian. North Korean leader Kim JongUn called the drill a grave threat and said his army was ready to deal “deadly blows” if their territory was violated during the exercise. “If the enemies fire even a single shell on our inviolable territory... the whole army should turn out as one and lead the battle to an all-out counter-offensive,” said the leader, according to KCNA news agency. The courageous officers...are now waiting for a final order for

charge for a life-and-death battle against the enemies,” Kim was quoted as saying in a speech to army officials Saturday. “There is a limit to our patience.” Kim, believed to be in his late 20s, took over the impoverished but nuclear-armed nation after his late father and longtime ruler Kim Jong-Il died last December. On the eve of the ongoing drill, the young leader visited a frontliner artillery unit that carried out a deadly 2010 bombardment of a South Korean island near the disputed western sea border. Kim praised its personnel as heroes and told them never to tolerate enemy aggression. The two Koreas have remained technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, without a subsequent peace treaty. Cross-border tensions have been high since the South accused the North of torpedoing one of its warships with the loss of 46 lives in March 2010. The North angrily denied involvement but went on to shell the Yeonpyeong island in November of the same year, killing four South Koreans including two civilians. 8/26/12 10:05:58 PM

Nation

MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS - MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012

Obama-Romney race is focused on 7 states TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — On the eve of their national party conventions, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are locked in a close race to amass the requisite 270 Electoral College votes for victory. And the contest is exactly where it was at the start of the long, volatile summer: focused on seven states that are up for grabs. Neither candidate has a significant advantage in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Nevada, New Hampshire and Virginia, which offer a combined 85 electoral votes, according to an Associated Press analysis of public and private polls, spending on television advertising and numerous interviews with Republican and Democratic strategists in battleground states. The analysis, which also took into account the strength of a candidate’s on-the-ground organization and travel schedules, found that if the election were held today, Obama would have 19 states and the District of Columbia, offering 247 votes, solidly in his column or leaning his way, while Republican Romney would have 24 states with 206 votes. Obama won all seven of the tooclose-to-call states in 2008, and they are where the race will primarily be contested in the homestretch to the Nov. 6 election. Romney also is considering trying to expand the battleground map in the coming weeks, watching for an opportunity to compete more aggressively in Wisconsin, and possibly Michigan and Pennsylvania. GOP-leaning groups have been running ads in those states to lay the groundwork for Romney. Ten weeks before Election Day, the AP analysis isn’t meant to be predictive but rather is intended to provide a snapshot of a race that’s been stubbornly close all year. Among the unknowns that could shake up the electoral landscape before November: the latest unemployment figures that come out early next month, an unexpected foreign policy crisis in Syria or Iran and the outcome of the candidates’ October debates.

Both sides are working to persuade the 23 percent of registered voters who said in an Associated Press-GfK poll that they are either undecided about the presidential race or iffy in their support for a candidate. Too woo them, the campaigns and political parties, along with allied groups with access to unlimited financial contributions, have already spent an astounding $540 million on television advertising, according to ad spending reports provided to the AP. And there’s more to come. Over the past three months, the campaign took a sharply negative turn, at times becoming nasty and personal. Obama sought to define Romney early as a ruthless corporate raider for his time at the head of a private equity firm in Boston, and as an out-of-touch rich man keeping secrets about his wealth. Romney, in turn, worked to cast Obama as a failed president on a host of fronts, primarily the economy. Both candidates have hit road bumps: Obama saw the unemployment rate rise to 8.3 percent and gave Republicans an opening to argue that he was unfriendly to small business. Romney had a widely panned foreign trip and made a series of potentially problematic comments, most recently joking about the debunked conspiracy theory regarding Obama’s citizenship. The national party conventions, starting with Republicans here on Monday and ending with Democrats the following week in Charlotte, N.C., will set the parameters of the fall campaign, and could provide each side with at least a temporary surge of support in national, if not battleground state, polls. While Obama has a clear advantage given his incumbency, Romney does have a path to victory — though it’s a steep climb. He must win most of the seven most competitive states — Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Nevada, New Hampshire and Virginia — in order to reach the magic number.

President Obama arrives at a campaign event, Saturday, in Windham, N.H., at Windham High School.

For instance, he can lose Ohio’s 18 electoral votes and still become president if he wins the other six and hangs onto those already in his grasp. It’s difficult to see a scenario where Romney wins without a victory in Florida, which offers 29 electoral votes. Neither side expects a dramatically different playing field this fall. “You know the states that are in play,” said Obama’s campaign manager Jim Messina. “I don’t think there’s going to be a surprise.” Romney’s political director Rich Beeson makes the same point: “I don’t think you’re going to see the map go crazy.” Still, once their conventions are over, both campaigns will commission polls in the hardest-fought states to determine whether to shift their strategies. The candidates and their allied outside groups will pull money

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, center, and running mate Paul Ryan, right, attend a campaign event at the Village Green Park, Saturday, in Powell, Ohio. AP MV 8-27-12.indd 17

and manpower from states that are moving out of reach while relocating it to others they may now think they have a shot at winning. “We’re in a holding pattern,” said Charlie Black, a veteran Republican campaign strategist and informal adviser to Romney. Perhaps not for long. With a huge cash advantage, Romney is considering trying to put more states in play — and creating more state-by-state paths to reach 270. He’s closely watching to see whether it’s worth it to compete aggressively in Wisconsin, now that native son Rep. Paul Ryan is on the ticket. The Republican National Committee and GOP allies have been advertising in the state in hopes of making it competitive; at least one poll shows they’ve had some success and the race appears close. Obama, who has a formidable campaign on the ground that includes the state’s active labor and minority blocs, hasn’t advertised there but might be forced to do so. Romney also is eyeing a deeper investment in Michigan, where he campaigned Friday, and Pennsylvania, where Ryan was last week. Obama carried both states in 2008, but the GOP sees promise in the economically struggling northern industrial states, especially among working-class, white voters. The Republican may have the money to expand the map. August financial reports show that Romney’s overall fundraising apparatus — his campaign, the RNC and a separate joint-fundraising committee — had roughly $177 million in the bank at the end of July. The reports are the most recent public data. And to a greater degree than Obama, Romney also has amassed an untapped stockpile of general election money that he plans to use this fall. He can begin spending it immediately upon accepting the

nomination for president at the convention’s close Thursday night. Obama and his comparable committees, in turn, had only about $127 million on hand, according to the most recent report. He also must wait until he accepts his party’s nomination on Sept. 6, the close of the Democratic convention, to start spending his general election money. Unlike Romney, Obama isn’t focused on expanding the map in earnest. He’s mostly looking to hang onto as many of the states he won four years ago, with Ohio being of particular focus. In recent months, Obama’s standing there has strengthened, the unemployment rate has dropped and last week General Motors announced a $200 million expansion of a northeast Ohio plant to continue building the Chevrolet Cruze there. Beyond playing defense, Obama’s team is watching to see whether the political terrain becomes more favorable to him in Missouri in the aftermath of controversial abortion and rape comments by Rep. Todd Akin, a GOP Senate candidate. The backlash has been fierce, and polls show Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill — arguably the most vulnerable Senate Democrat — having gained ground. Obama competed for Missouri four years ago but lost and hasn’t run ads there this year. Romney has had a comfortable advantage there. If they have the money to do it, both sides will engage in headfaking: spending money in places simply to force the other side to defend their home turf. For example, if Romney goes after Pennsylvania, which has voted Democratic in all recent presidential elections, Obama would likely have to spend money to defend it, limiting the amount of cash he’ll have available to spend in more competitive states, like Florida or Virginia. 8/26/12 10:05:59 PM

Lifestyle & Entertainment

MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS

• Ask Dr. Brothers By Dr. Joyce Brothers

Combating workplace gossip Dear Dr. Brothers: I recently was the target of gossip that circulated via email at my company. Fortunately, one of my friends let me know what was going on, and we were able to put a stop to it, but I didn’t realize how quickly this kind of thing gets out of hand. Even though I knew the things people were saying weren’t true, it hurt my feelings. What should I do now, and what can I do to avoid being a target in the future?— K.P. Dear K.P.: Unfortunately, gossip is a part of workplace politics that seems like it’s here to stay. No matter how conscientious employees are, there always will be a rumor or bit of gossip that circulates. The best thing you can do is ignore it and go about your business as if nothing had happened. Rushing to defend yourself or prove others wrong will only draw more attention to whatever you’re trying to downplay and give credence to other people’s claims. Instead, enlist your friends within the workplace to subtly shift the focus when your name comes up and either change the subject or pre-empt any negative gossip with something positive. A recent study in the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography investigated gossip in the workplace, and was able to show the subtle ways that gossip infiltrates even formal company meetings. Gossip in this setting often is more negative and more likely to influence other employees’opinions of the person who’s the target of the gossip. For this reason, it pays to understand who and where the gossip came from and think about whether there’s a grain of truth to the accusations. You may be blameless in this situation, but you still want to do what you can to minimize the chances that you become the target again. Take a close look at the politics and relationships within your office, and try to stay on the gossip-free side. ***

Being yourself at work helps performance Dear Dr. Brothers: I’m a gay man, and I just started a new job. I feel like my company’s overall culture is much more conservative than I am, and I’m afraid to come out to my co-workers and boss. I don’t think they’ll be very upset or treat me badly, but I think it might have a more subtle negative effect on my career and my role in this office. Is hiding something important about myself at work worth the effort, or will it backfire? — M.P. Dear M.P.: There seems to be a pretty clear answer to this question, and it may be what you’re thinking anyway. Deception at work -- or in other social or working situations -- is a difficult path. According to a recent study published in the journal Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, this kind of personal dishonesty leads to decreased job satisfaction and a higher likelihood that you’ll end up leaving the company. Think of it this way: If you’re working in a place that doesn’t allow you to be yourself, you’re not going to be able to perform to the best of your abilities. In that way, hiding the truth might even have a greater negative effect on your career than biting the bullet and being honest. While the overall trend is toward greater diversity in the workplace — not just racial, but gender, sexual orientation and others — there certainly are holdouts that make it more difficult for people to express their true self in the workplace. In fact, being honest about your sexual orientation may actually have a positive effect on your workplace relationships. People will take better care to be sensitive about sexual orientation issues, and you’ll feel more comfortable being around them. This can all lead to a better team environment and not only increase your productivity but also your enjoyment of your work. (c) 2012 by King Features Syndicate MV 8-27-12.indd 18

Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969.

First man on moon Neil Armstrong dead at 82

CINCINNATI (Reuters) — U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong, who took a giant leap for mankind when he became the first person to walk on the moon, has died at the age of 82, his family said on Saturday. Armstrong died following complications from heart-bypass surgery he underwent earlier this month, the family said in a statement, just two days after his birthday on August 5. As commander of the Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969. As he stepped on the dusty surface, Armstrong said: “That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.” Those words endure as one of the best known quotes in the English language. The Apollo 11 astronauts’ eu-

phoric moonwalk provided Americans with a sense of achievement in the space race with Cold War foe the Soviet Union and while Washington was engaged in a bloody war with the communists in Vietnam. Neil Alden Armstrong was 38 years old at the time and even though he had fulfilled one of mankind’s age-old quests that placed him at the pinnacle of human achievement, he did not revel in his accomplishment. He even seemed frustrated by the acclaim it brought. “I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks but for the ledger of our daily work,” Armstrong said in an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes” program in 2005. He once was asked how he felt

American astronaut Neil Armstrong.

knowing his footprints would likely stay on the moon’s surface for thousands of years. “I kind of hope that somebody goes up there one of these days and cleans them up,” he said. James Hansen, author of “First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong,” told CBS: “All of the attention that ... the public put on stepping down that ladder onto the surface itself, Neil never could really understand why there was so much focus on that.” The Apollo 11 moon mission turned out to be Armstrong’s last space flight. The next year he was appointed to a desk job, being named NASA’s deputy associate administrator for aeronautics in the office of advanced research and technology. Armstrong’s post-NASA life was a very private one. He took no major role in ceremonies marking the 25th anniversary of the moon landing. “He’s a recluse’s recluse,” said Dave Garrett, a former NASA spokesman. Hansen said stories of Armstrong dreaming of space exploration as a boy were apocryphal, although he was long dedicated to flight. “His life was about flying. His life was about piloting,” Hansen said. Born August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio, Armstrong was the first of three children of Stephen and Viola Armstrong. He married his college sweetheart, Janet Shearon, in 1956. They were divorced in 1994, when he married Carol Knight. Armstrong had his first joyride in a plane at age 6. Growing up in Ohio, he began making model planes and by his early teens had amassed an extensive aviation library. With money earned from odd jobs, he took flying lessons and obtained his pilot’s license even before he got a car license. In high school he excelled in science and mathematics and won a U.S. Navy scholarship to Purdue University in Indiana, enrolling in Continued on page 19 8/26/12 10:06:01 PM

MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS - MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012

Lifestyle & Entertainment

First... Continued from page 18 1947. He left after two years to become a Navy pilot, flying combat missions in the Korean War and winning three medals. After the war he returned to Purdue and graduated in 1955 with an aeronautical engineering degree. He joined the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, which became NASA in 1958. Armstrong spent seven years at NACA’s high-speed flight station at Edwards Air Force Base in California, becoming one of the world’s best test pilots. He flew the X-15 rocket plane to the edge of space — 200,000 feet up at 4,000 mph. In September 1962, Armstrong was selected by NASA to be an astronaut. He was command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission and backup command pilot for the Gemini 11 mission, both in 1966. On the Gemini 8 mission, Armstrong and fellow astronaut David Scott performed the first successful docking of a manned spacecraft with another space vehicle. Armstrong put his piloting skills to good use on the moon landing, overriding the automatic pilot so he and fellow astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin would not have to land their module in a big rocky crater. Yet the landing was not without danger. The lander had only about 30 seconds of fuel left when Armstrong put it down in an area known as the Sea of Tranquility and calmly radioed back to Mission Control on Earth, “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” Aldrin, who along with Armstrong and Michael Collins formed the Apollo 11 crew, told BBC radio that he would remember Armstrong as “a very capable commander and leader of an achievement that will be recognized until man sets foot on the planet Mars.” Armstrong left the National Aeronautics and Space Administration a year after Apollo 11 to become a professor of engineering at the University of Cincinnati. After his aeronautical career, Armstrong was approached by political groups, but unlike former astronauts John Glenn and Harrison Schmitt who became U.S. senators, he declined all offers. In 1986, he served on a presidential commission that investigated the explosion that destroyed the space shuttle Challenger, killing

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Jodian Masga Sablan, who celebrated her special day on Saturday, Aug. 25, 201. May you be filled with joy and happiness, and may you have more birthdays to come. Cheers and we love you!” — from your bro Randall, mom, dad, friends and family.

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EMPLOYMENT

Needed part-time accountant with 5 years work experience with established businesses. References, police clearance & possibly bonding required. Contact: 235-8424, ask for Mr. Hudak

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS CLEOFE M. PANGANIBAN Petitioner, vs. DANTE MAGDAMIT CRUZ, Respondent,

WANTED

FCD DI CIVIL ACTION NO. 12-0210

WAITER/WAITRESS FOR IMMEDIATE HIRING Apply at Kingfisher Golflinks 322-1100 APARTMENT FOR RENT Going in to Capitol Hill Market go on the 1st right • 2 bedroom with washer and dryer outlet • front and backyard space • free trash and mowing •quiet and breezy Rent is only $ 300.00 every month plus security deposit required. Please call 287-4447 for more details.

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION TO THE ABOVE NAMED RESPONDENT: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to appear within thirty (30) days after the date of the fourth publication of this Summons and defend the above entitled action in the above entitled court and answer the complaint of the Petitioner and to deliver or mail a copy of your answer to the Petitioner whose address is P.O. Box 503894, Saipan, MP 96950 as soon as practical after filing your answer or sending it to the Clerk of Court for filing. Your answer should be in writing and filed with the Clerk of this Court at Susupe, Saipan, MP 96950. If you fail to file and answer in accordance with this summons, judgment by default may be taken against you for relief in the complaint. Dated this 26th day of July, 2012.

/s/ Clerk of Court

Job Vacancy Announcement Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong gives a thumbs up signal as he and the other astronauts walk to the transfer van en route to the Saturn Five rocket ready to blast off for the moon on July 16, 1969 in Cape Kennedy, Fla. AP

its crew of seven shortly after launch from Cape Canaveral in January of that year. Armstrong made a rare public appearance several years ago when he testified to a congressional hearing against President Obama administration’s plans to buy rides from other countries and corporations to ferry U.S. astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Armstrong also said that returning humans to the moon was not only desirable, but necessary for future exploration — even though NASA says it is no longer a priority. He lived in the Cincinnati area with his wife, Carol. “We are heartbroken to share the news that Neil Armstrong has passed away,” the family said in their statement. “Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.” His family expressed hope that young people around the world would be inspired by Armstrong’s feat to push boundaries and serve a cause greater than themselves. “The next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon

smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink,” the family said. Obama said that Armstrong “was among the greatest of American heroes — not just of his time, but of all time.... “Today, Neil’s spirit of discovery lives on in all the men and women who have devoted their lives to exploring the unknown — including those who are ensuring that we reach higher and go further in space. That legacy will endure — sparked by a man who taught us the enormous power of one small step.” Glenn, an original NASA astronaut with Armstrong, spoke of his colleague’s humble nature. “He was willing to dare greatly for his country and he was proud to do that and yet remained the same humble person he’d always been,” he told CNN on Saturday. The space agency sent out a brief statement in the wake of the news, saying it “offers its condolences on today’s passing of Neil Armstrong, former test pilot, astronaut and the first man on the moon.” Armstrong is survived by his two sons, a stepson and stepdaughter, 10 grandchildren, a brother and a sister, NASA said. Some controversy still surrounds his famous quote. The live broadcast did not have the “a” in “one small step for a man ...” He and NASA insisted static had obscured the “a,” but after repeated playbacks, he admitted he may have dropped the letter and expressed a preference that quotations include the “a” in parentheses. Asked to describe what it was like to stand on the moon, he told CBS: “It’s an interesting place to be. I recommend it.”

Counsel (1) Open: August 20, 2012 FLSA Status: Exempt

Closed: September 21, 2012

The CNMI Office of the Public Auditor (OPA) is looking for an experienced counsel. Detailed information about the requirement for the position and employment application may be obtained at the OPA website: http://www.opacnmi.com . Interested applicants must submit all the required information by mail, email, or hand delivery at the office/email addresses listed below. Submission must be marked confidential and must have the applicant’s name and returned address. Office of the Public Auditor 1236 Yap Drive, Capitol Hill P.O. Box 501399, Saipan MP 96950 Email: jobs@opacnmi.com

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All advertisement copies designed and created by the YAS graphic artists are the property of Marianas Variety Newspaper. Advertisers agree that it cannot authorize the production of any such advertising copy, in whole or in part, for use in any other medium without the written consent of the publisher. Contact us at (670) 234-9797 / 234-9797 / 234-6341 extension 226/233 or Fax (670) 234-9271 Email: sales@mvariety.com 8/26/12 10:06:03 PM

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MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS

8/26/12 10:06:03 PM

MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS - MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012

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Sports

8/26/12 10:06:03 PM

Sports

MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012 - MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS

Dodgers trounce Marlins 8-2 LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adrian Gonzalez hit a three-run homer on the second pitch he saw in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform, and Andre Ethier tied a franchise record with his 10th straight hit in an 8-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Saturday. Clayton Kershaw (12-7) pitched three-hit ball over eight innings for the new-look Dodgers, hours after they acquired Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett in a blockbuster trade with Boston. Ethier and Mark Ellis also went deep for Los Angeles. Ethier had his second straight fourhit game. He gave the Dodgers a 7-2 lead in the fifth with a leadoff homer against reliever Wade LeBlanc and added a bloop single to center in the seventh for his 10th consecutive hit, tying a club mark set in 1919 by Ed Konetchy. Marlins starter Josh Johnson (7-11) threw 89 pitches in three innings, giving up six runs and 10 hits. He retired only nine of the 20 batters he faced in his shortest outing this season. The two-time All-Star has lost his last four starts. Braves 7, Giants 3 Jason Heyward hit a three-run homer and Atlanta snapped San Francisco’s five-game winning streak. Michael Bourn had two hits and two RBIs for the Braves, who had lost six of seven but still lead the NL wild-card race. Reed Johnson and Martin Prado each drove in a run. Atlanta left-hander Mike Minor (7-10) gave up three runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings. He also doubled, walked and scored twice. Minor was 1-4 with a 2.22 ERA in his previous seven starts. Pinch-hitter Gregor Blanco had a two-run double for the NL Westleading Giants, who had won eight of 10. Madison Bumgarner (14-8) allowed four runs and seven hits over

San Francisco Giants’ Angel Pagan, right, reacts as he walks past Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw after Pagan scored on a single hit by Pablo Sandoval in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Monday, Aug. 20, 2012. AP

6 1-3 innings. He matched his season high with four walks and struck out five, losing for only the second time at home. Phillies 4, Nationals 2 Roy Halladay outpitched Gio Gonzalez with seven solid innings and John Mayberry Jr. homered to lead Philadelphia to its third consecutive victory. Halladay (8-7) allowed two runs and seven hits, struck out six and walked one. The right-hander, who missed 42 games with a strained muscle, is 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA in his last five starts. Steve Lombardozzi drove in both runs for Washington, which lost its third straight. Gonzalez (16-7) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. After Antonio Bastardo struck out the side in the eighth, Jonathan

Major League Baseball standings National League East Division Washington Atlanta Philadelphia New York Miami Central Division Cincinnati St. Louis Pittsburgh Milwaukee Chicago Houston West Division San Francisco Los Angeles Arizona San Diego Colorado American League East Division New York Tampa Bay Baltimore Boston Toronto Central Division Chicago Detroit Kansas City Cleveland Minnesota West Division Texas Oakland Los Angeles Seattle MV 8-27-12.indd 22

W 77 72 60 58 57

L 49 55 67 69 71

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GB — 5 1/2 17 1/2 19 1/2 21

77 69 68 58 48 40

51 57 58 67 77 87

.602 .548 .540 .464 .384 .315

— 7 8 17 1/2 27 1/2 36 1/2

71 69 64 58 51

56 58 63 70 74

.559 .543 .504 .453 .408

— 2 7 13 1/2 19

73 70 69 60 56

53 57 57 67 70

.579 .551 .548 .472 .444

— 3 1/2 4 13 1/2 17

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.560 .540 .448 .437 .405

— 2 1/2 14 15 1/2 19 1/2

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.595 .548 .520 .480

— 6 9 1/2 14 1/2

Papelbon closed it out for his 29th save in 32 chances. Reds 8, Cardinals 2 Brandon Phillips hit his first home run in August, Mike Leake pitched effectively into the seventh inning and the Reds strengthened their hold on the top spot in the NL Central. Phillips and Ryan Ludwick had three hits apiece and Jay Bruce added a two-run homer as Cincinnati regained a seven-game lead over second-place St. Louis, which rallied to win the series opener 8-5 on Friday night. Leake (6-8) yielded at least one hit in every inning except one, but kept the Cardinals mostly at bay. Leake, who also had two hits, lasted 6 2-3 innings, allowing 10 hits and two runs. St. Louis left-hander Jaime Garcia (3-5) gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings. He entered with a 7-1 record and a 3.12 ERA in nine career starts and two relief appearances against the Reds. Mets 3, Astros 1 R.A. Dickey helped his own cause for his 16th victory, driving in a run

with an infield single and pitching seven solid innings to help the Mets stop a six-game skid. Justin Turner hit his first homer of the season and Jason Bay snapped an 0-for-14 slump with an RBI single in the eighth that ended a stretch of offensive futility for the Mets. New York went seven straight games without scoring more than two runs for the first time since September 1982. Dickey (16-4) yielded just five singles in tying the NL’s Gio Gonzalez and Johnny Cueto and the AL’s Jered Weaver and David Price for the major league lead for wins. Pirates 4, Brewers 0 Jeff Karstens pitched seven-plus innings before leaving with an injury and the Pirates snapped a four-game losing streak. Karstens (5-3) gave up seven hits, did not walk a batter and struck out four for his first win in nine career starts against Milwaukee. Karstens also had an RBI single and scored during Pittsburgh’s fourrun fifth inning, but left with an

injured right groin after the first two Brewers singled in the eighth. Pedro Alvarez had two hits for the Pirates, who are one game behind St. Louis for the second wild-card spot. Shaun Marcum (5-4) did not allow an earned run in his first start since June 14 but took the loss due to two errors in the Pirates’ fifth. Aramis Ramirez had three hits for the Brewers, who had won four in a row. Rockies 4, Cubs 3 Carlos Gonzalez used his speed to beat out a potential double-play ball in the seventh inning and drive in the go-ahead run in the Rockies’ victory. Andrew Brown hit his first career homer and pinch-hitter Josh Rutledge had a two-run shot for Colorado, which has won six of seven. Carlos Torres (3-1) threw 2 1-3 scoreless innings as four Rockies relievers combined for five innings of one-hit ball. Brett Jackson hit a two-run homer for Chicago, which has dropped five of six and seven of nine. Manuel Corpas (0-1) got the loss. The Rockies grabbed the lead for good in the seventh. With runners on first and third and one out, Gonzalez hit a grounder to first baseman Anthony Rizzo and beat the return throw from shortstop Starlin Castro, allowing DJ LeMahieu to come home. Padres 9, Diamondbacks 3 Yonder Alonso hit the last of San Diego’s three solo homers and added a two-run single to lead the streaking Padres past Arizona. Chase Headley and Carlos Quentin also homered for the Padres, who have won six in a row. Clayton Richard (11-12) allowed three runs over eight innings, improving to 5-0 in seven career starts against Arizona. Justin Upton celebrated his 25th birthday with his first career inside-the-park home run and Aaron Hill also connected for the slumping Diamondbacks. Arizona is 4-9 in its last 13 home games after winning eight straight at home in July.

New York Mets’ Andres Torres can’t catch a three-run triple hit by the Miami Marlins’ Bryan Petersen in the eighth inning of the baseball game in New York on Aug. 8, 2012. AP 8/26/12 10:06:04 PM

Sports

MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS AND VIEWS - MONDAY - AUGUST 27, 2012

NSA... Continued from page 24 Care, second by Alono, and third by Andrea and ended with 51.78. Placing third place was Sluggers with Kika on home, Mya on first, Devin on second, and Adriane on third. With a time of 39.88, the Rookies bagged second with Kazu on home, Lamar on first, Dahin on second, and third covered by Mathew. But it was the Bad News Bears that placed first place again with a time of 36.45. Winning it for the team were LJ covering home, JR on first, Najaray on second, and Andre finishing off on third. Following the Balloon Pop Relay was the Ball Toss. The concept was to have two lines with two players paired across. With each toss at the sound of the whistle, ball must be caught or player is out and remaining players move further away from each other after each throw. It went from a full line of 20 pairs down to six pairs after the first throw, then four after the second. Among the four were JR and Ross for Bad News Bears, Johnathan Baby and Keoni for Little Ballers, Tonchu and Heath for Bad News Bears, and the only girl, Kiana, and her partner Jylon. By the third throw, players were two levels further away and only Jr and Ross and Johnathan Baby and Keoni were standing. Fourth throw was a tie, and both pairs moved to the final level. JR and Ross made the final compete pass and placed first again for Bad News Bears. Sprint to Home was next on the agenda, where each team had three players who will round the bases with the fastest time. Coming on top were TO, Heath, and Ton Chu of Bad News Bears with an outstanding time of 41.68. Coming right behind them were Isa, Boboi, and Jack of Little Rascals with a time of 46.18. Placing third was Terrel,

Bad News Bears pose with their medals and yell loud and proud “Bad News Bears” as the number one team of the Natibu Sports Association Fun Day 2012 Tee-Ball for the Youth at the Capital Hill Softball Field.

Dylan, and Elinay with a finished time of 49.06. The biggest of the competition was the Tee-Ball Homerun Derby. Only two players from each team were chosen to compete. First up was Jylon who set the bar early making two out of ten hits out

of the gate. Breaking the mark came Sluggers’ Josh who hit out four balls. But winning it all was TonTon of Bad news Bears hitting on ball more, five out of ten hits. Props to the only girl to join the homerun derby, Kiana Camacho.

Rookies pose with their medals last Saturday for the Natibu Sports Association Fun Day 2012 Tee-Ball for the Youth at the Capital Hill Softball Field.

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The day ending with the award ceremony to give away prizes of school supplies to the winners of the day’s events, as well as medals given to each player of the teams. Natibu Sports Association is a non-profit organization that functions to implement sports

and athletics programs for the benefit of the community. They have been up and running since 2008. This summer, they tackled the “Cover Home” program and succeed with this year’s Tee-Ball for the youth. They look forward to another season next summer.

Sluggers pose with their medals last Saturday for the Natibu Sports Association Fun Day 2012 Tee-Ball for the Youth at the Capital Hill Softball Field. Photos by Demalynn F. Sablan

8/26/12 10:06:10 PM

MONDAY- -AUGUST AUGUST27, 27,2012 2012 - MARIANAS MARIANASVARIETY VARIETYNEWS NEWS&AND VIEWS MONDAY VIEWS P.O. Box 500231 Saipan, MP 96950 • Tel. (670) 234-9272 • 9797 • Fax: (670) 234-9271 E-mail: younis@pticom.com • mvariety@pticom.com www.mvariety.com

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NSA successfully end the 2012 Tee-ball for the Youth By Demalynn F. Sablan demalynn.sablan@mvariety.com For Variety

THE Natibu Sports Association held a Fun Day to end the 2012 Tee-Ball for the youth ages 5-8 at Capital Hill Softball Field last Saturday. Natibu Sports Association brought another fun filled summer for the youth with the TeeBall tournament throughout this summer while educating them with the basic fundamentals of baseball. Five teams participated this year: Sluggers, Rookies, Little Rascals, Little Ballers, and Bad News Bears. All teams were coed groups of ages 5-8. The opening of the event and the first two games were held at Micro Beach Field then moved up to the Capital Hill Softball Field. The last day was one most enjoyed the most. It was a day of the classic tug of war, relays, ball tosses, and homerun derbies. And dominating the competitions was the Bad News Bears placing first in all five events. The tug of war was the ice breaker of the day. Bad News Bears proved to have the strongest tug rounding all four other teams undefeated. Second on the agenda came the Balloon Pop Relay. The teams chose four players to participate. Each player was placed on base with a balloon. Starting from home, player will run to first and popped the balloon to allow the next player to ran to second and do the same and fastest time won. Little Ballers had Fabio on home, Seanicia on first, Mia on Second, and Tyler on third. Team finished with a time of 49.62. Little Rascals had Ardon on home, first covered by TonTon of Bad News Bears wins the Tee-Ball Homerun Derby last Saturday at the Natibu Sports Association Fun Day 2012 Tee-Ball for the Youth at the Capital Hill Softball Field. Photo by Demalynn F. Sablan

Continued on page 23

Wanna Be champions for Summer Basketball Jam By Demalynn F. Sablan demalynn.sablan@mvariety.com For Variety

AFTER all the rain and cancelation, the Summer Basketball Jam had come to an end last Saturday at the Garapan court with Wanna Be taking home the championship prize of $150. Wanna Be won over Mobil, 85-68. Instead of the usually two halves the SBJ were playing the whole season, championship went through a complete fourquarter game. Wanna Be almost lost it when they tied up with Mobil at the end of the second quarter. First quarter was in favor of Wanna Be ending at 19-11. Jack Lizama was hitting his shots MV 8-27-12.indd 24

back-to-back including landing a three to close the quarter. Lizama made a total of 11 points. But Marvin Rebauliman of Mobil came back in second with a vengeance matching Lizama’s 11 points and carrying Mobil to the deadlock at 40 points. Along side Rabauliman was Jun Estolas who was taking care of the shots behind the three-point line to help lift the team. Lizama fought back entering the third quarter. To break the tie, he completed a three-point play making a shot and taking the foul along with it. He again added 11 points to the score board. It was in the third quarter that errors occurred on Mobil’s end. Turnover after turnover, Wanna Be had

all the opportunity to widen the spread. And they did with a gap of eight points. Wanna be took off from there and hitting the double digit scores were Lizama with game point high 26 points, Mel Manibusan with 16, Pete Mendiola with 13, and Preston Basa with 12. Scores: Wanna Be 85 – J. Lizama 26, M. Manibusan 16, P. Manibusan 13, P. Basa 12, P. Lizama 8, Z. Diaz 4, D. Barcinas 4, A. Avila 2 Mobil 68- M. Rabauliman 16, G. Ruluked 13, J. Estolas 11, D. Sablan 11, A. Fernanso 10, J. Joyner 4, B. Sablan 2 Quarterscores: 19-11, 40-40, 64-56, 85-68

Jack Lizama of Wanna Be dribbles past Mobil’s Jun Estolas during the championship game last Saturday at Garapan basketball court for the Summer Basketball Jam. Photo by Demalynn F. Sablan 8/26/12 10:06:17 PM