Freeze! Put your hands in the air!
These are the words or phrases I would hear from cop flicks when I was a kid. Those police officers in blue, well ironed cop suits with their guns sticking out around their firm and masculine grip...
Yet, this is not about it.
News today says that despite the budget cut the local government has found to have hired new staff - a clinical staff and an admin staff - which defied the freeze hiring budget measures coming from up there....(arrows pointing up)
Hmmm....Should we even bother look into this? Should we trouble ourselves looking into whom has the government hired e.g. affinity to the ones that hired them?
Oh well, again, you tell me....
May 24, 2009
May 19, 2009
When the Beatles Sings Help....
When the Beatles sings Help, the group is in harmonious unison.
When the foreign workers on Saipan cry for help, they're also in unison. Harmonious? I don't know. Now the group turns to the Philippine president, what good would that do to them?
Recently the Philippine Government has been fraught with international or foreign crises when at least two of its contract workers faced death sentences from the host countries where they worked. One was given a life sentence instead. The other was not that lucky.
Now, the Filipino workers turn to the Philippine president...
If it didn't work, who's next?
More in the news....
When the foreign workers on Saipan cry for help, they're also in unison. Harmonious? I don't know. Now the group turns to the Philippine president, what good would that do to them?
Recently the Philippine Government has been fraught with international or foreign crises when at least two of its contract workers faced death sentences from the host countries where they worked. One was given a life sentence instead. The other was not that lucky.
Now, the Filipino workers turn to the Philippine president...
If it didn't work, who's next?
More in the news....
May 13, 2009
When Selecting for New AG is Aging....
News today says that another choice of the Governor's Office for the new Attorney General has declined its offer. The news says that former AG resigned from his post in September 2008. The Governor's Office offered the post to former legal counsel of the convicted Lt. Gov. yet also turned the offer down.
For a while there was a also a debate whether the AG should be voted on or elected by the NMI people. This the Governor just shrugged on the idea.
If you were a practicing lawyer, would you give it up and serve the islands? The people?
Ok. I remember when I saw some OAG staff during the oath taking of the current governor in 2005 that they raised their eyebrows when they found out that the current governor selected the former AG, hence most of them left their posts. I still can remember the faces they made. Either they were disappointed or were shocked with the selection. I also heard these former OAG staff were also from the clout of Gov. Babauta's selected AG back then.
Politics. Don't you love it....
For a while there was a also a debate whether the AG should be voted on or elected by the NMI people. This the Governor just shrugged on the idea.
If you were a practicing lawyer, would you give it up and serve the islands? The people?
Ok. I remember when I saw some OAG staff during the oath taking of the current governor in 2005 that they raised their eyebrows when they found out that the current governor selected the former AG, hence most of them left their posts. I still can remember the faces they made. Either they were disappointed or were shocked with the selection. I also heard these former OAG staff were also from the clout of Gov. Babauta's selected AG back then.
Politics. Don't you love it....
May 6, 2009
GOP Picks....
A little survey here. Which tandem should GOP pick for the gubernatorial race? Babauta-Deleon Guerrero or Hofschneider-Palacios?
According to the news today, each tandem has signed an "accord" that whoever gets wins the primary poll should commit its full support and not run as independent candidates. This accord reportedly and hopefully ended that speculation.
Yet again, anything can happen on Saipan.
I hope the party thinks and strategizes very well and not divide the opposition if they opt to win this year's election.
So, again a little survey here. Which GOP tandem do you think should battle head to head with the Covenant Party (Fitial-Inos)?
You tell me....
(source: ST)
According to the news today, each tandem has signed an "accord" that whoever gets wins the primary poll should commit its full support and not run as independent candidates. This accord reportedly and hopefully ended that speculation.
Yet again, anything can happen on Saipan.
I hope the party thinks and strategizes very well and not divide the opposition if they opt to win this year's election.
So, again a little survey here. Which GOP tandem do you think should battle head to head with the Covenant Party (Fitial-Inos)?
You tell me....
(source: ST)
Apr 30, 2009
A Kick In the A...
Todays news on Marianas Variety, headlining the governor's reaction to Rep. Sablan's disappointment with him, reportedly "praising" the convicted Lt. Gov. instead of encouraging and motivating the community of such misconduct should not be tolerated.
The Governor said in the report that you "don't kick someone who is all ready down" in the dumps. He said it would be "un-Catholic" of him if he would add insult to injury.
I guess, it's just human nature to feel compassion to people who committed misdeeds. Besides, the Governor has worked with his partner years and years and for sure the Lt. Gov. has become one of his closest allies. Yet, this things happen.
On this island friendship and families matter the most. I remember some people's relatives would commit theft and other crimes and they would try to go to the media crying, trying to stop the press. "He's my uncle...She's my parent's cousin...He's a son of the former politician...," and so on.
The governor in the news said what happened to the Lt. Gov. should serve a warning to all.
On the other hand Rep. Sablan said, “My point, which the governor missed entirely, is that we should be lifting up all the people of the commonwealth who were victims of the crimes committed, and praising the people who demonstrated so much courage and worked so hard to bring this case to justice and uphold the rule of law.”
(source: MV)
The Governor said in the report that you "don't kick someone who is all ready down" in the dumps. He said it would be "un-Catholic" of him if he would add insult to injury.
I guess, it's just human nature to feel compassion to people who committed misdeeds. Besides, the Governor has worked with his partner years and years and for sure the Lt. Gov. has become one of his closest allies. Yet, this things happen.
On this island friendship and families matter the most. I remember some people's relatives would commit theft and other crimes and they would try to go to the media crying, trying to stop the press. "He's my uncle...She's my parent's cousin...He's a son of the former politician...," and so on.
The governor in the news said what happened to the Lt. Gov. should serve a warning to all.
On the other hand Rep. Sablan said, “My point, which the governor missed entirely, is that we should be lifting up all the people of the commonwealth who were victims of the crimes committed, and praising the people who demonstrated so much courage and worked so hard to bring this case to justice and uphold the rule of law.”
(source: MV)
Apr 29, 2009
May Day Rally Anyone?
How clever to name it May Day Rally. Either, the ship is sinking or it's on fire....
Yes. The local nonresident workers are up to it again for their voice to be heard once again.
I first read about this from Unheard No More blog but the news today says that the Dekada Movement would be joining the “May Day” rally on May 1. The group is calling on all workers in the Commonwealth-local and foreign alike-to unite and join in this celebration and call to action.
The rally will start at Fishing Base across the Kristo Rai Church in Garapan at 6pm on Friday and proceed to the American Memorial Park's amphitheater.
“The business community and general public should also join this effort because they have common interests and the economic future of the CNMI depends on capitalizing on those common interests,” according to Dekada president Boni Sagana in a statement issued yesterday.
(source: ST)
Yes. The local nonresident workers are up to it again for their voice to be heard once again.
I first read about this from Unheard No More blog but the news today says that the Dekada Movement would be joining the “May Day” rally on May 1. The group is calling on all workers in the Commonwealth-local and foreign alike-to unite and join in this celebration and call to action.
The rally will start at Fishing Base across the Kristo Rai Church in Garapan at 6pm on Friday and proceed to the American Memorial Park's amphitheater.
“The business community and general public should also join this effort because they have common interests and the economic future of the CNMI depends on capitalizing on those common interests,” according to Dekada president Boni Sagana in a statement issued yesterday.
(source: ST)
Apr 27, 2009
Playboy's Paradise Lost
Hey, who da thunk it?
That the infamous Playboy Magazine publishes investigative reports? WTH?
Well, they do apparently sending one writer to the CNMI, stayed at the PIC and immersed with the hotel's clubmates.
Paradise Lost. That's the title of the five-online page article. The article zeroes in how clubmates more than assist hotel guests and "F-around." According to the news today, the hotel manager denied the majority of the content of the story. "All made up characters."
As I read through, I noticed that the writer hid the actual people behind nicknames. I know one of them whom he named "Jim" that decided to work to teach soccer to the Marianas kids....
Another tourism piece for the CNMI?
The writer, a white guy, used to be a common face on the island. I didn't know that he's an award winning writer. He also wrote one notable book that talked about labor practices in the US that included the CNMI. A friend of mine met him a long time ago. He also had an Asian wife or a girlfriend. However, I heard they had a falling out at that time. Oh my, 'been watching too much "Gossip Girl" ;-)
Apr 26, 2009
Eye on the Trial: Guilty Pleasures....
Enough is enough...reportedly said by the prosecuting lawyer commenting about the stressful trial. Justice has been served, he added.
According to the report the verdict was handed down so fast that it "caught spectators and the media et al off guard." The sentencing, however, has been set in July and the defendants are free prior to sentencing.
In the news, the current governor expressed remorse for his Lt. Gov. who could face a maximum of 20 years imprisonment.
“But it seems to me that the jurors, when they were asked if this, in fact, was their verdict, they all seemed very confident and so I think the strength of the testimony, especially the employees of CUC, gave the jurors the courage [to come out with the guilty verdict],” the prosecuting lawyer told the media.
Will we ever learn from all this? Hmmm....
Update: Lt. Gov. has resigned from his post...read on.
According to the report the verdict was handed down so fast that it "caught spectators and the media et al off guard." The sentencing, however, has been set in July and the defendants are free prior to sentencing.
In the news, the current governor expressed remorse for his Lt. Gov. who could face a maximum of 20 years imprisonment.
“But it seems to me that the jurors, when they were asked if this, in fact, was their verdict, they all seemed very confident and so I think the strength of the testimony, especially the employees of CUC, gave the jurors the courage [to come out with the guilty verdict],” the prosecuting lawyer told the media.
Will we ever learn from all this? Hmmm....
Update: Lt. Gov. has resigned from his post...read on.
Apr 23, 2009
When Free is Never Free
Ahhh...the newspapers are feasting on the latest news about the local government's adviser's supposed free legal services to the government when in fact he was reportedly reimbursed and paid for the services amounting to over $100, 000...
Hmmm,,,I guess the man has bills to pay too y'know. Perhaps he has done a tremendous assistance to the government office?
Now I wonder what Rep. Tina Sablan's next move on this....
Read on...
Hmmm,,,I guess the man has bills to pay too y'know. Perhaps he has done a tremendous assistance to the government office?
Now I wonder what Rep. Tina Sablan's next move on this....
Read on...
Apr 21, 2009
Go(vt) for Broke....
In theMarianas Variety today, the local government is said to be broke to pay the Retirement Fund its actuarial rate but will be able to pay on almost 1/3 of the actual rate....
The government owes $156 million plus 25 percent penalty, as reported, to the Retirement Fund.
I guess when the local government has budget problems, the inevitable domino effect is indeed "in effect." However, does this financial brink make the government get away from its responsibilities?
Every one has to make sacrifices and needs to understand the local situation.
You tell me....
Story here....
The government owes $156 million plus 25 percent penalty, as reported, to the Retirement Fund.
I guess when the local government has budget problems, the inevitable domino effect is indeed "in effect." However, does this financial brink make the government get away from its responsibilities?
Every one has to make sacrifices and needs to understand the local situation.
You tell me....
Story here....
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