Senate Journal

FINAL THE SENATE • FIFTEENTH LEGISLATURE • COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS Senate Journal FIRST REGULAR SESSION, 2006 SJ 15-007 Seventh Day Friday March 17, 2006 The Senate of the Fifteenth Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature convened in its Seventh Day, First Regular Session, on Friday, March 17, 2006, at 1:17 p.m., at the Rota Northern Marianas College Conference Room, Tatachog, Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Honorable Joseph M. Mendiola, President of the Senate, presided. A moment of silence was observed. The clerk called the roll. Eight members were present and one absent. President J.M. Mendiola: For the record, Senator Felix Mendiola will be coming in late. He has some personal things to attend to but if no objection from the members, I would like to appoint Vice-Chairman to be the Floor Leader for today. Senator San Nicolas: No objection. Several members voiced “no objection.” President J.M. Mendiola: Floor Leader? Reading and approval of the journal? Floor Leader Reyes: Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of Senate Journal 15-004 and 15-005. Senator Hocog: Seconded the motion. President J.M. Mendiola: Approval of the journal for 15-004 and 15-005. Those in favor say “Aye.” Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President on discussion. Mr. President, I would like to request, with the indulgence of the members, to be allowed to make corrections on the journals. I have been reviewing it and there seems to be a lot of corrections that needs to be made. If we could just go ahead and adopt it but allow the members to make the corrections, if there’s no objection from the Senate Members. President J.M. Mendiola: Does everybody agree on that? So can we go ahead and adopt it then and have each member work with the Senate Journal Clerk to do the final corrections. The adoption of Senate Journals 15-004 and 15-005 was carried by voice vote. President J.M. Mendiola: Senate Journal 15-004 and 15-005 is hereby adopted. 1 FINAL Senator Manglona: Mr. President, just under discussion. The Chair recognized Senator Manglona. Senator Manglona: Senate Journal 15-004, I know that as far as my comment during the last session, I asked for a copy of the letter to be included last time and be incorporated as part of my statement. I don’t know if that letter was written as part of the journal and if not, I would like it to be incorporated in this journal. Attached herewith is a letter from Sen. Paul A. Mangloña and Sen. Jude U. Hofschneider February 16, 2006 The Honorable Maria T. Pangelinan Chairwoman Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Programs And The Honorable Edwin P. Aldan Chairman House Committee on Natural Resources Capitol Hill Saipan, MP 96950 RE: SB 15-33 / HB 15-57 Dear Chairwoman Pangelinan and Chairman Aldan, Following the public hearings held on Saipan, Tinian and Rota, regarding Senate Bill 15- 33 and House Bill 15-57, we respectfully write asking that you take the following into consideration. An overwhelming number of those who testified in the hearings were against the total abolishment of the Mariana Public Lands Authority. Understandably, the public voiced concerns as to certain aspects of MPLA, however, the prevailing sentiment was that the people would like to see more legislative oversight of the agency rather than a complete dismantling. Many of those who testified stated that if wrongdoings or illegal activities were taking place within the agency then there are other remedies to resolve this matter such as the Governor’s authority to remove board members. The following is a summary of the comments made during the Rota and Tinian hearings: PUBLIC HEARING ON ROTA 2/13/05 – ROTA COURTHOUSE HB 15-57 & SB 15-33 1. Ricardo Taisacan –Supports Bill 2. Former Senator Edward U. Maratita – Doesn’t support bill. 2 FINAL 3. Former Councilman Tom Mendiola – Will support if officials will become more accountable/economical for office. 4. Henry Santos – Doesn’t support bill. 5. Lee Taitano – Doesn’t support bill. Deal with MPLA problem through legislative oversight; amend P.L. 6-10 defining government per diem rates. 6. Paul Taisacan – Doesn’t support bill. 7. Vincent Calvo – Doesn’t support bill. 8. Former Mayor Benjamin Manglona – After 12 years of existence MPLA functions should be decentralized as before under T.T. government where Rota and Tinian make local decisions on land matters. 9. Barry Toves – “Ping pong Agency”. Doesn’t support bill. 10. Former Senator Bill Hocog – Doesn’t support bill. Same position as former Mayor Benjamin Manglona. 11. Martin Mendiola – More local decision making in public land. Bill needs changes. 12. Acting Resident Director Herman Apatang – Supports bill but need to incorporate local decision. Decentralized land management. PUBLIC HEARING ON TINIAN 2/15/06 TINIAN COURTHOUSE HB 15-57 & SB 15-33 1. Joe Untalan, Representing Mayor Jose San Nicolas (See Mayor’s Letter) – Place management of public lands in each island within control of each municipality. 2. Guillermina Cepeda – Too drastic a measure, need more time to review. Doesn’t support bill. 3. David M. Evangelista – No position, just stated homestead problems. 4. Julian Hofschneider – Doesn’t support bill. 5. Ramona Pangelinan Viches – Supports Mayor’s position 6. Mr. Jose P. Kiyoshi opposed the bill and recommends that the Governor use the findings of the OPA report, which may justify the termination of current board members. 7. Steve Lebarmoff (Dr.) – No position on bill, indicated concern on qualification of board members. 8. Councilman Trenton Connor – Doesn’t support bill. Could become political like tax rebate issuances, etc. Need more oversight hearings by legislature. 9. Lucia Blanco Maratita – Don’t support bill. Bill will cause disillusion of people of Rota & Tinian. Legislature should come up with stricter standards. 10. Ballina Mendiola Perez – Change board members. No clear position. 11. Youth Senator Nikita Mendiola – Local decision by elected local leaders. 12. Teresita Sanchez, NMC Student – Doesn’t support bill 13. Carmen DLC Farrel – Doesn’t support bill. However recommends that Department of Commerce be made in charge of investment aspect of public lands. 14. Tom Ericson – Doesn’t support bill. 15. Vicente Manglona – Doesn’t support bill. Put more teeth in present law. As you may be aware, Representative Arnold I. Palacios has introduced a bill that addresses some of the concerns raised at the public hearings. House Bill 15 – 43, “To reform the Compensation of Boards and Commissions, and for other purposes,” explicitly defines the compensation for MPLA board member meetings and establishes per diem rates for off-island travel in line with rates of the Executive Branch. In addition to the measures included in Palacios’ bill certain members of the public suggested the following which could be incorporated as amendments; 1) annual legislative oversight of the MPLA budget, 2) a clear 3 FINAL and established policy of MPLA’s transfer of funds to MPLT, 3) safeguards to prevent further abuse of travel within the agency and 4) clearly defined homestead development and administration costs. The above measures would define MPLA’s fiduciary responsibilities while maintaining their autonomy when making land use decisions. As a result of these safeguards MPLA officials would be more accountable for their actions. Another important consideration repeatedly mentioned at the hearings was that more local control should be given to each municipality in regards to land use issues in their respective districts. In particular, the Honorable Jose P. San Nicolas, Mayor of Tinian, former Mayor of Rota, Benjamin T. Manglona, and former Senator Eusebio Hocog, all testified in support of placing management of public lands in the control of municipal public land agencies, as was the practice during the Trust Territory Government. According to former Mayor Benjamin T. Manglona, and as envisioned by the framers of the Constitution and Covenant, this local control was to be reestablished after our constitution had been in affect for a minimum of twelve years. Attorney Lucia Blanco Maratita, of Tinian, has graciously volunteered to provide your joint committee a draft bill that would effectuate the above intention and recommendation. Lastly, we hope you will consider the magnitude of this bill and the far-reaching effects it would have on the CNMI should it become law. We respectfully ask that the members be given sufficient time to discuss the merits of the bill and consider the public’s comments. Again this bill will have long-lasting consequences and should not be considered lightly. We are sure that you will agree that this bill should not be ‘railroaded’ through the legislative process because of political pressures and without regard to the best interests of the people of the CNMI. Therefore, in light of the above we respectfully ask that your respective committees take a measured approach and cautiously consider the repercussions before acting on SB 15-33 and HB 15-57. Further, it is our hope that a substitute bill may be introduced addressing the concerns of the public, and the Administration, without completely abolishing MPLA. We thank you in advance for considering our comments and sincerely hope that your committee will afford the members ample time to reflect on this significant piece of legislation. Sincerely, /s/Sen. Paul A. Manglona /s/Sen. Jude U. Hofschneider President J.M. Mendiola: You want the letter to be written out verbatim on the journal or to be recognized as part of the journal? Senator Manglona: Mr. President, I’m just saying, it wouldn’t be difficult to provide that letter. I just want it to be incorporated as part of this comment, at the end of my comment. If this letter to be inserted verbatim is a problem, then just incorporate it into the journal. President J.M. Mendiola: Okay, so Floor Leader? 4 FINAL Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I think there’s a new version. I think I remember Senator Mangloña made specific request to have that included as part of the journal. So if a copy can be provided to the clerk, so that it can either be attached to the journal or be included in that section where the discussion was made. President J.M. Mendiola: So we’ll make sure that that reflects on the journal, the entire letter that you (Senator Manglona) and Senator Hofschneider submitted to the members. Senator Manglona: Thank you. The Chair recognized Senator Pangelinan. Senator Pangelinan: Just in defense of our journal clerk who is not present, I just want to acknowledge that she provided all the members of the draft journal in advance to review them and to make the corrections. So I would like to ask my colleagues to make sure that they do the corrections in advance so that we can move with adoption when the session starts. Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: That’s a very good point. For the members please, we’re always given the opportunity to review the journals like two weeks, two to three weeks prior to our session so it would be very convenient on our part to have everything ready, have your comments submitted to the journal clerk so, you know, we can go through the agenda of adoption of journals without really going through…that’s a really good comment Senator Pangelinan. Senator Manglona: Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: Messages from…no more discussion on the journal? No discussion? Messages from the Governor? Senate Clerk? MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR 1. Gov. Msg. No. 15-80: March 08, 2006 – Nomination for Mr. Norman T. Tenorio to serve on the MPLT to represent Saipan. 2. Gov. Msg. No. 15-81: March 09, 2006 – Certification for vacant position of Tax Technician II at the Division of Revenue & Taxation, Dept. of Finance – Rota. 3. Gov. Msg. No. 15-82: March 09, 2006 – Certification for vacant positions of (1) Accountant, (1) Cook III and (1) Custodian Worker II and (1) Clerk II at the request of the Mayor of Rota. 4. Gov. Msg. No. 15-83: March 09, 2006 – Certification for vacant positions of (1) Manager, Medical Referral Services, (2) Medical Referral Assistant, (2) Medical Referral Coordinator, (1) Head Nurse, (6) Staff Nurses, (1) Licensed Practical Nurse and (1) Staff Nurse I at the Dept. of Public Health. 5. Gov. Msg. No. 15-84: March 14, 2006 – Enclosing copies of resume, statement of financial interest and drug test receipt for Mr. Charles V. Cepeda to serve on the NMC Board of Regents. 6. Gov. Msg. No. 15-85: March 14, 2006 – Enclosing copies of resume, statement of financial interest and drug test receipt for Ms. Linda F. Lizama to serve on the NMC Board of Regents. 5 FINAL 7. Gov. Msg. No. 15-86: March 14, 2006 – Appointment of Mr. Roman S. Demapan to serve on the Board of Professional Licensing to represent Saipan. 8. Gov. Msg. No. 15-87: March 09, 2006 – Certification for vacant position of (1) Clerk II at the DPS. 9. Gov. Msg. No. 15-88: March 13, 2006 – Certification for vacant position of (1) Custodian Worker at the Women’s Affairs Office. 10. Gov. Msg. No. 15-89: March 13, 2006 – Certification for vacant position of Administrative Assistant at the EMO. Gov. Msg. No. 15-90: March 14, 2006 – Enclosing copies of resume, statement of financial interest and drug test receipt of Ms. Rita Lizama Arkle to serve as a member of the MVA Board of Directors. Gov. Msg. No. 15-91: March 14, 2006 – Enclosing copies of resume, statement of financial interest and drug test receipt of Dr. Rita H. Inos to serve on the NMC Board of Regents. 11. 12. President J.M. Mendiola: Any discussion under Governor’s Messages? No discussion. Communications from the Judiciary? COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE JUDICIARY NONE President J.M. Mendiola: Communications from the Heads of Executive Departments? COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS 1. Dept. Msg. No. 15-06: SAPLR acknowledging receipt of SR 15-09, entitled, “Expressing the full support of the Senate for the Chamolinian Project and respectfully requesting the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services to approve the Chamolinian Project grant application. Dept. Msg. No. 15-07: SAPLR acknowledging receipt of SR 15-02, entitled, “Respectfully requesting the Honorable Pedro A. Tenorio, CNMI Resident Representative to the United States, to seek assistance of the Honorable Madeline Z. Bordallo, Guam Congresswoman, and Dr. McClellan, CMS Administrator, Center for Medicaid and Medicare services, to include the CNMI in the Medicare Program utilizing qualified Philippines medical facilities for medical referral patients.” 2. President J.M. Mendiola: Any discussions on 15-06 and 15-07? No discussion? Communications from the Senate? COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE SENATE 6 FINAL NONE President J.M. Mendiola: Communications from the House? COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE HOUSE 1. Hse. Comm. No. 15-18: March 08, 2006 – Transmitting a certified copy of H.R. No. 15-24, entitled, “To respectfully request the Honorable Governor Benigno R. Fitial to expedite the Pagan Mining Project with the joint venture of J.G. Sablan Rock Quarry Inc. and Bridgecreek International Corporation for and in the interest of the financially strapped CNMI Government.” Hse. Comm. No. 15-19: March 09, 2006 – Transmitting a certified copy of H.R. No. 15-27, entitled, “To request that the Governor include the Northern Marianas College in the list of Budget Reduction Exemptions.” Hse. Comm. No. 15-20: March 07, 2006 – Transmitting a certified copy of H.R. No. 15-29, entitled, “To respectfully request the CNMI Board of Education to select and hire a Commissioner of Education from available qualified residents.” Hse. Comm. No. 15-21: March 09, 2006 – Transmitting a certified copy of H.R. No. 15-30, entitled, “Recognizing and commending Mr. Jason Shankweiler and Marince Tech International’s Merchant Marine Training Service & License Center that offers U.S. Coast Guard approved maritime training courses to local CNMI residents.” 2. 3. 4. President J.M. Mendiola: Any discussion on House Communications? The Chair recognized Floor Leader Reyes. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I noticed that on Hse. Comm. 15-18, reference of H.R. No. 15-24, regarding the Pagan Mining Project, the venture of J.G. Sablan Rock Quarry and Bridgecreek, had been approved by the House of Representative and I’m very happy to see that. Part of the sponsor of this includes a good friend of mine, a colleague from the House of Representatives, Cinta Kaipat. I applaud and commend the House for moving quickly on this resolution. It is something that needs the attention of this government if we were to look ahead with our economic development. Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: Thank you Floor Leader. Maybe in the next session we’ll have a similar senate resolution, practically endorsing the same. I remember Senator Crisostimo called me up about this so if you’re ready for the next session. The Chair recognized Senator Crisostimo. Senator Crisostimo: Thank you President and colleagues. Going back to the confident in the Pagan Mining, I think our President and I work almost every weekend trying to bring an investor to the Marianas to hopefully market its minerals or mine pozzelan in the Northern Islands and I assure Senator Reyes, this is one of the time that you know Cinta Kaipat is in it that supported our colleagues in the lower House. And even me, I have a resolution already but I haven’t finalized and I’m asking you guys to help us. This is a local company, somebody that invested almost a decade you know and I am in Research and Development. 7 FINAL He spent every dollar that he had and now that he has a very, very, lucrative venture, I think we need to give him extra attention. That’s all Mr. President and colleagues. Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: Thank you Senator Crisostimo. Anymore discussion on House Communication? No discussion? Communications from the Washington Representative? COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE WASHINGTON REPRESENTATIVE NONE President J.M. Mendiola: Unfinished business? UNFINISHED BUSINESS NONE President J.M. Mendiola: Introduction of Bills, Initiatives, Local Bills & Resolutions? The Chair recognized Senator Crisostimo. Senator Crisostimo: Mr. President, I think we have a couple of bills that I saw. One was from me and one was from Senator Reyes as well. I have a resolution that I think, I don’t know if it’s on the calendar. President J.M. Mendiola: Can we have a short recess? The Senate recessed at 1:26 p.m. RECESS The Senate reconvened at 1:29 p.m. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS, INITIATIVES, LOCAL BILLS & RESOLUTIONS President J.M. Mendiola: We’re still under resolution and introduction of bills. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I would like to make a motion for the placement of HB 15-26, HS1; HB 15-27, HD1; HB 15-28; HB 15-29; SB 15-37, on today’s calendar under final reading. Also I would like to include S.J.R.15-05 and SR 15-10 on the resolution calendar for adoption. I so moved. President J.M. Mendiola: There’s a motion on the floor to place HB 15-18, HB 15-26,HS1, HB 15-27, HD1, HB 15-28, and what Senate Bill was that Floor Leader? Floor Leader Reyes: SB 15-37. President J.M. Mendiola: SB 15-37 and SJR. 15-05, SR 15-10. Any second to that? Senator Crisostimo seconded the motion. 8 FINAL President J.M. Mendiola: Discussion? Floor Leader Reyes: On the placement. President J.M. Mendiola: Okay, is hereby placed. The Chair recognized Senator Crisostimo. Senator Crisostimo: Mr. President, I just have one senate resolution that I wanted to get on today’s calendar to the floor. It’s 15-10. I think it’s a resolution. Did you all get a copy? President J.M. Mendiola: Senator Reyes already place that. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, we can, without objection, just go ahead and place it on the calendar. President J.M. Mendiola: Yes. If there’s no objection, those in favor say “aye.” Those not in favor say “nay.” Motion passed. Motion was carried out by voice. President J.M. Mendiola: Senate House Bill as indicated and House Resolution, I meant Senate Resolution and Joint Resolution are hereby placed on calendar. Initiatives? RESOLUTIONS: 1. Senate Joint Resolution No. 15-05: To respectfully oppose the proposal to amend the applicable entry, immigration, adoption and other laws and regulations of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands which would allow for the implementation of the proposed Safe Haven Program. Offered By: Senator Pete P. Reyes 2. Senate Resolution No. 15-10: To request the Honorable Juan B. Tudela to rename “Beach Road,” Saipan to Chalan Bishop Camacho. Offered By: Senator Luis P. Crisostimo President J.M. Mendiola: Reports of Standing Committees? REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES 1. Standing Committee Report No. 15-17: March 14, 2006 – From the Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations reporting on the nomination of Mr. Ernest M. Williams to serve as the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety. 9 FINAL 2. Standing Committee Report No. 15-18: March 14, 2006 – From the Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations reporting on the nomination of Dr. Rita H. Inos to serve as a member of the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents. Standing Committee Report No. 15-19: March 14, 2006 – From the Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations reporting on the nomination of Mr. Charles V. Cepeda to serve on the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents. Standing Committee Report No. 15-20: March 14, 2006 – From the Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations reporting on the nomination of Ms. Linsa F. Lizama to serve as a member of the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents. Standing Committee Report No. 15-21: March 14, 2006 – From the Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations reporting on the nomination of Ms. Emma S. Villagomez to serve as a member of the Marianas Visitors Authority Board of Directors. Standing Committee Report No. 15-22: March 14, 2006 – From the Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations reporting on the nomination of Mr. Jerry Tan to serve as a member of the Marianas Visitors Authority Board of Directors. 3. 4. 5. 6. Standing Committee Report No. 15-23: March 14, 2006 – From the Committee on Education and Youth Affairs reporting on Senate Bill No. 15-08. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President? The Chair recognized Floor Leader Reyes. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I move for the adoption of SCR 15-17 from the Committee on Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations reporting on the nomination of Mr. Ernest M. Williams to serve as the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety. The motion was seconded by several members. President J.M. Mendiola: The motion on the floor is to adopt S.C.R. 15-17 has been seconded. Discussion? No discussion? Senate Clerk roll call. The roll called on the motion to adopt S.C.R. 15-17. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola yes yes yes yes (absent) yes yes yes yes 7. President J.M. Mendiola: All eight members voting yes, S.C.R. No. 15-17 is hereby adopted. 10 FINAL Senator Hocog: Short recess? President J.M. Mendiola: Short recess please. The Senate recessed at 1:40 p.m. RECESS The Senate reconvened at 1:41 p.m. President J.M. Mendiola: We’re back to our preliminary, preliminary session. We’re still under standing committee reports. The Chair recognized Floor Leader Reyes. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I move for the adoption of SCR. 15-18 from the Committee on Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations reporting on the nomination of Dr. Rita H. Inos to serve as a member of the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion to adopt SCR 15-18. The motion was seconded by several members. Floor Leader Reyes: Discussion, Mr. President. President J.M. Mendiola: Discussion? Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I’m happy to see Dr. Inos nominated for this position. Although I feel that this is ceremonial because the Constitution actually does not provide for Senate confirmation but it seems that it has become a tradition, we need to just go ahead and make a motion of adopting this Committee Report. Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: Thank you Floor Leader. Anymore discussion? No discussion? Senate Clerk. The roll called on the motion to adopt SCR 15-18. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola yes yes yes yes (absent) yes yes yes yes President Joseph M. Mendiola: All eight voting yes, SCR 15-18 is hereby adopted. Floor Leader? 11 FINAL Floor Leader Reyes: Thank you. Mr. President, I move for the adoption of SCR 15-19 from the Committee on Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations reporting on the nomination of Mr. Charles V. Cepeda to serve on the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents. Senator San Nicolas: Second. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion on the floor to adopt SCR 15-19 has been seconded. Discussion? Ready? Senate Clerk. The roll called on the motion to adopt SCR 15-19. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola yes yes yes yes (absent) yes yes yes yes President J.M. Mendiola: All eight members voting yes, SCR 15-19 is hereby adopted. Floor Leader? Floor Leader Reyes: Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption for S.C.R. 15-20 from the Committee on Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations reporting on the nomination of Mrs. Linsa F. Lizama to serve as a member of the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents. Senator Hocog: Second. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion to adopt 15-20 has been seconded. Any discussion? No discussion? Senate Clerk. The roll called on the motion to adopt SCR 15-20. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola yes yes yes yes (absent) yes yes yes yes President J.M. Mendiola: All eight members voting yes, SCR 15-20 is hereby adopted. Floor Leader? Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I move for the adoption of SCR 15-21 from the Committee on Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations reporting on the nomination of Ms. Emma S. Villagomez to serve as a member of the Marianas Visitors Authority Board of Directors. Senator Crisostimo: Second. 12 FINAL President J.M. Mendiola: Motion to adopt SCR 15-21 has been seconded. Discussion? Ready? Clerk. The roll called on the motion to adopt SCR 15-21. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola yes yes yes yes (absent) yes yes yes yes President J.M. Mendiola: All eight members voting yes, S.C.R. 15-21 is hereby adopted. The Chair recognized Senator San Nicolas. Senator San Nicolas: Mr. President before any motion on S.C.R. 15-22, Senator Crisostimo has requested if we could hold on to its adoption because he has some concerns that he would like to clarify on this certain appointing. If there’s an objection then maybe I should give the floor to Senator Crisostimo to try and explain what is the concern that he would like to raise. Floor Leader Reyes: No, no, no. President J.M. Mendiola: He’s requesting for a suspension for adoption of the committee report? Senator San Nicolas: To postpone. President J.M. Mendiola: So can we have Senator Crisostimo… Senator San Nicolas: We should give him that. Senator Crisostimo: Thank you Mr. President and Chairman of the Committee. One of the thing about being a minority as a Senator from Saipan, we encumber the three islands and unfortunately Mr. Tan is not here for me to ask the questions and one of the questions I was going to ask him is, is there a conflict? Because Mr.Tan holds interests in the other hotel, I want to know that. We don’t have a lot of money today and our fundings is very low. I want to feel comfortable voting for him. I don’t want people to say that I’m a rubber stamp and I’ve been told that. But I want to tell you guys that the last time I wasn’t pretty good enough to the committee as a whole and during the discussion. I think we should, since I don’t sit in the committee and I’m not in the committee, I should be given that privilege to call him in and ask him questions before I give him my vote. I mean that’s all I’m asking you guys, if you can give me that. Maybe I’m a minority but as a Senator I have some questions of concern, too, and for example, what would he promote? He’s a Chinese national with Filipino. I’m going to ask him if he was one of the people who tried to open the Manila office? Were we trying to trade in our workers eight hours bi-weekly and now we’re trying to open a destination that really is cols. So, I’m going to ask him hard questions. I mean, I even did that to David Sablan. I asked him questions. We gave them two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) already and then we gave eight hundred thousand for MVA. Two million ($2,000,000.00) dollars for CPA. I want to see some reports. We are all tax payers and we’re going to trim the bills, we’re going to trim expenditures, I want to see these people. I want to make sure that they know that we meant business here at 13 FINAL the Senate and with your leadership here Mr. President, I want them to know that you being there or not there, I’m one of the watchdogs of every autonomous agency. The last autonomous agency that we abolished, we abolished them! MPLA, because of negligence of spending you know. Ramping travel, various I don’t know. I feel that we didn’t do our job. So I’m just trying to do my job today. Bring these people in. Tell me what are you going to do. Am I going to appoint you for four years and make the government pay for your travel, while you represent other businesses? Ti fair enao Mr. President. It’s not fair! So I just want to find out does he have a conflict? I want to see how he responds you know. I mean if you guys don’t, then fine. But if you can give me that privilege, I’m happy. If not, majority rules. You can pass this. Bula-ña botun-miyu kini guahu. You have more votes than me. Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: Thank you Senator Crisostimo. For the record, if you feel that you are rubberstamping anything from appointees, you continue to feel as a minority, you have every right in this chamber to vote “no”. Thank you for your comment and like I said in the previous confirmation session, you have every right to go in the committee. The Chairman has never restricted anyone from participating in the hearing of the committee. This hearing was conducted Tuesday and everybody was given the opportunity to come in to be part of the hearing process. Now we’re half way through our nomination, the committee has come up with a report, ready for adoption and you’re requesting for a postponement because of the background if this individual or your concern of his qualification, I think to be comfortable just vote “no” if you don’t feel like it or you don’t feel like being a rubber-stamp for the administration. We did this in the previous administration. Nobody came up and accused us of rubber-stamping the nominee of the previous governor! Now that we have the Fitial Administration we’re going to be accused of rubber-stamping? If I’m going to be accused of rubber-stamping, so be it! But I made my decision based on the report, based on facts, based on questions and comments. I meant if they want to call me a rubber-stamper, I’ll willfully take that. That’s my prerogative as a member of the Senate and my prerogative as an individual of the CNMI. Floor Leader? Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, first of all, a public hearing was held. There were intensive questioning of Mr. Tan. He was asked if whether there were conflict. There was none, at least from his perspective. I personally don’t see any conflict in respect to Mr. Tan. Mrs. Pierce, when we confirmed her as a member of Marianas Visitors Authority, we did not question whether she has a conflict of interest since she is the President of Duty Free. Mr. Tan has made a huge contribution to the CNMI. And even before he was even confirmed, he was already doing something for Marianas Visitors Authority and for the people of the CNMI. I’m embarrassed that this kind of question is being raised because here’s an individual whose company has made huge contribution, not just in terms of bringing money in to invest, but investing in our local talented people. This is one of the companies that have the most local employees and he’s not only recruiting employees because he wants to comply with the twenty percent that’s required by law. He’s recruiting talents, CNMI talents, and man, I’ll tell you, I respect that. You know, it is because of the CNMI talents that he hires through his business that enables him to diversify into many different types of businesses in the CNMI. I am not just bringing this up, it is a reality. Mr. Tan, utilizes our own people to diversify and pay them well. And for us to even question the qualification of this nominee is embarrassing to me! You know, we need to start acting mature here. If Senator Crisostomo doesn’t want to vote, it’s his privilege. And let me just clarify what a minority means in the Senate or in the House. When you’re a minority, you don’t hold a committee, you’re not a member of the leadership. Every single member here and the President will attest to this that at my insistence and my pleading to give every single member of the Senate a committee to chair. And I’m so happy that the leadership embraces that in. So let me tell you there’s no such thing as a minority Senator Crisostimo. You’re more than welcome to sit in on the public hearing that Chairman San Nicolas holds because he invites anybody that wants to come in. I’ve seen him do this. And I’ve seen you walk into a public hearing of another committee even though you are not a 14 FINAL member. When Senator Frica was conducting the public hearing on MPLA, you are not a member, but you walked in there because you have an interest and that’s good! But don’t accuse the members of the committee that because you do not agree or feel that you do not have personal questioning privilege to question Mr. Tan that you’re going to hold up his confirmation because it signifies that you don’t trust the committee’s work. And I take offense when you do that. So I would like to go ahead, Mr. President, and move for the adoption of S.C.R. 15-22 from the Committee on Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations reporting on the nomination of Mr. Jerry Tan to serve as a member of the Marianas Visitors Authority Board of Directors. President J.M. Mendiola: Okay. Can I have a second to the motion first? Senator San Nicolas: Second. President J.M. Mendiola: Senator Crisostimo? Senator Crisostimo: Thank you Vice President Reyes and President Mendiola. The only reason why that I have question, as you said Senator Reyes, this is a guy that is very well connected. Everything is of his connection. So it brings alarm to me na debi lokkue’ I have to see kao --- does he have a conflict, and I want to ask him that. I asked David Sablan that and David Sablan ever since --- his performing probably better. But anyway, going back to this thing, you know I want to ask him if there’s no other local anymore? And what is Jerry going to promote, is he going to promote China or you know. Kao taya’ esta taotao-ta nai na para ta fan man apunta taotao hiyung? I meant you know. I know of some prominent business people that we can put too. So I just try to filter didide’. I feel that those are the things that we, as Senators, and just to answer Senator Reyes. Colleague, am I a member of Natural Resources? Unless Senator Pangelinan forget na she appointed, she asked me to join and that’s why I’m sitting in. But in some cases she asked me to be a member and you know I’m happy, but if she doesn’t want me to be a member, fine. I can step aside from that membership and that’s the reason why I come here. You know, I came here --- and going back to your answer, yes we said we’ll work on this but in reality an un atan nai, I don’t hold the same money as you guys. I meant coming to this trip I don’t even have money, I had to pay my air fare. So unlike you guys, you have a little bit more. So I’m sorry to tell you that if I said minority, what I meant is I have less money. I have less people that I’m just putting myself. And I will not offend the Chairman of this committee. I will not do that. And I’ll assure you that the next hearing or public hearing, confirmation hearing I’ll sit in. I’m going to make sure that I’m going to make noise those days. But if I fail, even when I passed by there, even when we had the attorney general, this is the guy that’s going to be --- we make laws. So we want to know what he likes and not like. I wasn’t able to even ask him some of those questions. I’m sorry. If I fail to be in that committee but I’m just asking that the next time, welcome us into this. I’m not a member. I’ll sit. If I have to sit on the floor, back side or in the audience side, fine, I’ll do it. But I want to make sure na every confirmation, it’s not a matter of setting rubber-stamp. Rubber-stamp may not be the issue here but now people are figuring out you know. I want them to know that these body here work diligently. We work with transparency and that we look and I’m sorry if I felt that I didn’t look, but I just want to give you a picture. If he’s the president of Grand Hotel and he’s the president of Century Hotel and he’s the president also of La Fiesta Resort and he takes a government travel, I don’t know. He might say, “oh, here’s my card.” He can say MVA or he might say you know. So those are the kind of things that I just want to ask him. Very simple but if you feel that I’m too late so I can write a letter to the editorial and ask him (a) question, (b) question, (c) question, please answer me Mr. Tan or even send him a letter so that the people will know. Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: Thank you Senator Crisostimo. Again, we’re still discussing 15-22. 15 FINAL Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President. The Chair recognized Floor Leader Reyes. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I want to make this very short. You know we need to be consistent. If Senator Crisostimo is questioning whether we don’t have any local resident of the CNMI to be appointed to MVA, we just voted and if we can turn back the recording of this session, just a few minutes ago he voted for Mr. Williams for the Commissioner of Department of Public Safety. And he did not question whether we have local resident to be appointed or nominated. So if he wants to look good, be consistent. You know, be consistent in your position because then you would look good. You know the other thing is Mr. Tan because he’s well connected maybe that’s the reason why the Governor appointed or nominated him, because he has the talent to contribute to the CNMI? If he’s a successful, a businessman as we imagine that he is, then my goodness he could make a good board member of the Marianas Visitors Authority. And hope that by his contribution we can have a successful board member in an operation on the Marianas Visitors Authority Board. I’d like to end debate. President J.M. Mendiola: Okay, end debate. Senate Clerk. The roll called on the motion to adopt SCR 15-22. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola no yes yes yes (absent) yes yes yes yes President J.M. Mendiola: Seven members voting yes and one member voting no, SCR 15-22 is hereby passed. Special Conference Committee Reports? None? Resolution Calendar, Floor Leader? Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, we have one more report. President J.M. Mendiola: One standing committee report? Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I move for the adoption of SCR 15-23 from the Committee on Education and Youth Affairs reporting on Senate Bill 15-08. Senator Hocog: Second. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion to adopt SCR 15-23 has been seconded. Discussion? Ready? Senate Clerk. The roll called on the motion to adopt SCR 15-23. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola yes yes yes yes (absent) 16 FINAL Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola yes yes yes yes President J.M. Mendiola: All eight members voting yes, SCR 15-23 is hereby passed. Special Conference Committee Reports? Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President a short recess. President J.M. Mendiola: Short recess. The Senate recessed at 2:04 p.m. RECESS The Senate reconvened at 2:07 p.m. President J.M. Mendiola: Back to our preliminary session. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, Resolution calendar. President J.M. Mendiola: Resolution Calendar. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President. The Chair recognized Floor Leader Reyes. Floor Leader Reyes: Thank you Mr. President. I move for the adoption of SJR 15-05. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion on the floor to adopt SJR 15-05 has been seconded. The motion was seconded by several members. President J.M. Mendiola: Discussion? Any discussion on 15-05? Several members voiced “ready.” President J.M. Mendiola: Ready? Senate Clerk. The roll called on the motion to adopt SJR 15-05. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola yes yes yes abstain (absent) yes yes yes yes 17 FINAL President J.M. Mendiola: Seven members voting yes and one abstain, SJR 15-05 is hereby passed. Floor Leader? Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I move for the adoption of SR 15-10. Senator Hofschneider: Second. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion to adopt 15-10 has been seconded. Discussion? Senator Crisostimo: Mr. President. The Chair recognized Senator Crisostimo. Senator Crisostimo: Just to ask you again my colleagues, I know that this is one of the resolution that don’t really come up and really --- renaming I think one of our major streets or road in Saipan. I want to thank you in advance for giving me the opportunity to introduce and hopefully vote for this resolution. I’m sure that the man that we’re voting for will thank us too. Enao ha’, si yu’us ma’ase’. President J.M. Mendiola: Thank you Senator Crisostimo. Anymore discussion on SR 15-10? Senator Manglona: Mr. President. The Chair recognized Senator Manglona. Senator Manglona: I just want to clarify the street name to be called Bishop Tomas Aguon Camacho or should we shorten that up? Should this be a public law, do we take this legally to mean the whole full name be written? If not, then at least just for the record, I would like to state that in putting up the actual sign that it doesn’t have to be the complete name so that it would be easier for motorists or I guess tourists to identify the road, that’s all. Maybe you should point that out. Floor Leader Reyes: Short recess. President J.M. Mendiola: Short recess. The Senate recessed at 2:10 p.m. RECESS The Senate reconvened at 2:13 p.m. President J.M. Mendiola: We’re still on SR 15-10. The Chair recognized Senator Manglona. 18 FINAL Senator Manglona: I would like to make a floor amendment and basically to authorize the legal counsel to make the appropriate revision or language so that the end result would be that the actual street naming, name would be Chalan Bishop Camacho, so to make the appropriate motion I so move. The motion was seconded by several members. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion to do the change on, the name change on SR 15-10 as stated by Senator Manglona has been seconded. Those in favor say “aye.” All members voiced “aye.” President J.M. Mendiola: Those not in favor say “nay.” Motion passed. We’re still discussing 15-10 as amended. Ready? Several members voiced “ready.” President J.M. Mendiola: Can we have those in favor say “aye.” All members voiced “aye.” President J.M. Mendiola: Those not in favor say “nay.” Motion passed. 15-10 is hereby adopted. Floor Leader? Floor Leader Reyes: Thank you, Mr. President. President J.M. Mendiola: First Reading. The Chair recognized Senator Manglona. Senator Manglona: I believe we have one more standing committee report. I don’t know if it’s an oversight but this is the committee on R&D by Senator Pangelinan. Senator Pangelinan: No, I had that recalled. I haven’t even read it yet. Senator Manglona: Oh, okay. President J.M. Mendiola: So we go down to final reading. Floor Leader Reyes: Final Reading. President J.M. Mendiola: Floor Leader. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I move for the suspension of all pertinent rules in order to allow us to pass the bills that are on calendar under first and final reading. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion to suspend all pertinent rules so that we can adopt our or entertain the bills that are placed on final calendar. Any second to that motion? 19 FINAL Senator San Nicolas: Second. President J.M. Mendiola: It has been seconded. Those in favor say “aye.” Several members voiced “aye.” President J.M. Mendiola: Those not in favor say “nay.” Motion passed. Floor Leader? Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I move for the passage on final reading HB 15-18, HD1. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion on the floor to pass HB 15-18, HD1. Any second to that motion? Several members seconded the motion. President J.M. Mendiola: Discussion? The Chair recognized Senator Crisostimo. Senator Crisostimo: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I know that this legislation bring a concern to myself and I know other colleagues as well. When we have an industry going and we’re going to change the rule in the middle of the game, it’s like you have a tax and then you change to increase the tax. If this legislation is right then of course it’ll yield the government. But if it’s wrong, of course the industry will fall. And I feel that these legislation should at least be given a week, one more week is all I ask you my colleagues. I went to Tony this week and asked him if I can come up with an amendment recommending to fine tune this industry. And I want to tell you that this industry, the poker industry, if it’s a lucrative industry then we need greater enforcement. How do we correct it? We correct it by fine tuning the legislation and I wanted to ask my colleagues, if we can amend this and say that all poker operators are at least fifty percent resident and descent of the Northern Marianas or U.S. citizens, so that the CNMI is protected from outsiders that come in and do business and fail to pay their taxes because we will then have residents in that business that will become equally responsible on whatever taxes or fees imposed. That is the problem that we encounter in Saipan, the fly by night operators. And even if we call up finance and ask them, the current operators are maintaining. But the fees ought to be audited already. But the new people, the fly by night is what they call them. They open, they try their luck and then just close and run away. So these are the kind of things that we should fine tune this legislation and I ask you my colleagues if you can give me that opportunity. If not, then I will try and make some amendments and I hope you support those amendments. One of my amendments actually is I wanted to earmark because before we earmarked twentyfive percent of this to JTPA, Job Training Program in the old days when --- my recollection, when they opened the poker industry under Public Law 13-11. Twenty-five percent was earmarked to JTPA, Job Training Program. Ten percent was earmarked for the retirement --- I meant for MVA and then the rest went to the retirement account to help the retirement. Today, we’re coming up with this legislation and of course we would collect, we would collect their fees immediately and that’s fine, but I feel that if we did collect those fees then maybe we can mandate some to benefit those agencies that are hurting. And I’ll like to say that maybe we should give CUC ten percent because if they have an emergency on both the delegation as well as the general funding. If Saipan fail, if the CUC fail tomorrow, Rota is going to be affected, Tinian is going to be affected, because Saipan really bares the fruit of the taxes that are paid. So I must say that if this money comes in, the Governor is going to put it in his pocket and spend it all. But comes twelve months, no renewal until those twelve months come. So what I’m trying to get at is he might use all the funding and down the line, twelve months you know, we don’t have any more money. So I want 20 FINAL to make sure that we earmark some of these because now it goes to the general fund and we jointly appropriate it. CUC is in trouble, retirement needs help, other agency. I want to ask my colleagues if I can make an amendment and put at least ten percent ha’ guato --- to the Northern Marianas College; ten percent to the scholarship that is not available or re-programmable because the kids --- these people, it’s like the garment industry for so many years --- so many years now they’re going out. We forgot that we should have trained our college students to be factory supervisor, factory managers you know, production loan managers --- and they will overtake that industry. That’s all. That’s all I feel so, by putting these funds back from the poker to the college directly, to the scholarship directly --- even Senator Reyes puts his pension to the scholarship. So I want you guys to know na why don’t we do that? Follow that step and do that to assure that our kids will not be discriminated in furthering their education. I ask you that my colleagues. I’m sorry that Tony, counsel Tony wasn’t able to come up with those amendments. According to him, he said that he’s very busy preparing for this session and you know I come last on the line. Lao enao ha’, if you can give me a week colleagues I appreciate it very much and I won’t ask you guys for anything, just a week. After that week, we’ll fine tune this just a little bit and clear it. What I’m trying to say is yangen I operator nai manbaba naoperator pa’go nai, then those operators, get rid of them and bring in new operators. But the good operators are suffering because we have bad ones that come in and just fly by night --- runaway. So it’s hurting us. Yangen para ta tanum I simiya-ta, we’re going to plant our seed, we should plant it for our kids you know, our people, Northern Marianas descent. That’s why they elect us to be their representative here you know. If we’re going to open casino in Tinian, we should give it to Tinian to operate it or the Northern Marianas descent of Tinian to have the exclusive management so generations to come will be protected. That’s all I’m asking. Why are we going to open legislation and close legislation? Not for you guys but for somebody else. Twelve thousand dollars. Not one of us. Achuk ha’ u retired si mom or dad, he can’t buy one because if their pension is less than twenty thousand --- can’t even open a location. I want our kids, generations to come to participate in this thing. That’s all I ask. If we could give them some participation, I would love you guys dearly because we gave them, we gave them that prebilehu -- gave them that privilege na ta reserve na man machocho’cho’ hit para hita! Otherwise, who else are we -- why are we opening casinos for outsiders? We should open casinos for Tinian descent. What do you think colleagues? Would you agree on that? We keep opening businesses nai. It’s like the garment, we’re bringing garment but none of the locals has participation in the garment. The Dynasty, the first time that they came in they said, okay, I’m going to run the casino and everything you know, they turn back to Saipan and ask I want to waive all my poker machines. So we gave them that waiver. In return, they promised the people of Tinian na we will give you guys exclusive suppliers of vegetables you know, and whatever you know. You will farm for, you’ll be our suppliers today. They produce, no more for the local! So are we going to keep forgetting and keep making this outside, large corporation overtake our kids and our generations to come? I just ask you, very simple, didide’ ha’. Komo --- we come up with something maybe we can, we can re-regulate maybe the poker, we say only old establishment, five bucks an hour or four bucks an hour. Why pay $3.05 and bring outsiders? Make our locals participate. I’ll be glad to work for one of the establishments eight hours a day as a part-time job, ya u fan previlige nai I taotao-ta. We’ll make our people privilege. That’s all I ask. It’s hard. We see our kids, everywhere you go uncertainty on their face. They’re not sure of their tomorrow. They’re not sure if they’re going to take eight hours or sixteen hours down the line. Pues I feel na, if you’re going to take eight hours from them, fine, but make them operate the most lucrative business. Make them operate the poker. Make them operate the casino and let our people be privileged. That’s all I’m asking. Thank you Mr. President. President J.M. Mendiola: Still discussing 15-18. The Chair recognized Senator Pangelinan. 21 FINAL Senator Pangelinan: Thank you Mr. President. I just wanted to clarify that the two hundred thousand that is being made available under this bill, if it would be available only on the first year of collection of the license. If it’s for enforcement, what are really the expenses that will be covered under these two-hundred thousand? I think it’s important also that we clarify because if current employees are going to be utilized for this enforcement, that means that maybe the two hundred thousand will be used for cars, for fuel and other administrative costs that would be needed. But what if the two hundred thousand is exhausted; we might come back again to the same problem of enforcement because there’s no money. So I want to make that notation for clarification purposes. I also wanted to make a comment that I agree with this bill because maybe the feasibility of the poker industry is becoming not viable, if owners cannot afford to make a one time payment license to operate for one year. And that is really the whole point of this, is that we don’t want to create a false economy here. The Chair recognized Floor Leader Reyes. Floor Leader Reyes: Thank you Mr. President. Members, first of all, I don’t mind to just allow Senator Crisostimo to make his amendment on allowing only U.S. citizens, it’s apparently, who knows, probably unconstitutional. But I’m going to warn him instead of letting him go ahead and do that. You need to check whether there’s a constitutional question on allowing or insisting that only U.S. citizens be allowed to get involved in this particular type of business. Secondly, the earmarking of money, I know that you are trying to impress the students here. That’s good. But when we talk about earmarking funds out of this when we know that this government is already planning to reduce certain number of hours from government employees because they’re searching for revenue resource to try and this is not raising up revenue. This is collecting what the government is supposed to get in the very first place. But instead of earmarking this to impress the students nai, fight when the budget comes in so that colleague, like I do, I go there and fight to make sure that they get funding. Do that, because then you’ll be doing the right thing. As far as your statement that we should allow young generations of our children to participate in this kind of business, I don’t think so. I think maybe we should even go ahead and close this kind of business down, but man ginacha’ induktu nai. It’s too late. It’s already making contribution into the general fund. And to try and close this now and stop the operation of poker machines is too late, because it’s going to hurt just like the garment industry. For the longest time everybody is fighting the garment industry, saying let’s increase the user fee and let’s make these people pay. Let’s charge one dollar for every shirt, the garments produce. We keep telling them the garment industry is dying, but nobody is listening. So now that they’re leaving, everybody is scrambling to try and help them because you know why? We are addressing crisis situation. Here, we have what is supposedly a revenue that should have been collected. It was a mistake in the first place to try and sectionalize this into quarterly installment. But because we felt at that time that the economy was so bad, it was so bad that in order to maintain the operation of this business, we need to allow them that breathing space so that they can have opportunity to pay it on installment. Instead, what’s happening? Some of them pays, if they have a hundred machines, fifty machines gets a license, the other fifty does not. And you know what? As long as the inspector comes in to check, those machines disappear. We’re losing revenues because we’re not insisting that any machine that’s registered in the CNMI should be able to pay the entire amount of fees that they are supposed to pay to get the permit to operate that. It’s a bad business. It’s very bad for our community because it makes problems to the family and it’s not a secret. Everybody knows that. The Bishop has been talking about it. Everybody has been talking about it. When campaign comes, we say we’re going to move poker out of the village, we never do. And now, all this government is asking and you’re right Senator Crisostimo, we need to act to correct this problem. This is the bill that’s going to correct the problem. This is it. We heard too much from those operators that are operating poker machine telling us that you know, of course they’re not going to tell us that they can afford to go ahead and pay. But if they cannot, Senator Pangelinan is right. If they cannot afford to pay the 22 FINAL machines that they operate, then it’s not a viable business. Then they are one of those things you call fly by night or fly by day, I don’t know what the term is. That if you’re a legitimate businessman and they are committed to running a business here, they’re going to end up paying the whole thing anyway. Come December, if you start your business in January by December they should be able to pay the whole thing. So why don’t we allow them to pay in the beginning and just rig the benefit of the fees up to December? But for us to go back again and you know we have public hearing after public hearing on this, we get the same, excuse the impression, we get the same BS from these people. Over and over and over again till we’re blue in the face listening to something like this. It’s time that we have to correct it and you’re right. We need to correct this and this is the bill to correct it. So if there are no other members to offer any comment or discussion on this, I would like to move to end debate. Senator Manglona: If I may? The Chair recognized Senator Manglona. Senator Manglona: Senator Pangelinan, ayu I two hundred thousand, I think this is annually no? President J.M. Mendiola: Yea. I was just going to call a short recess so the legal counsel can explain that to us if I may please? Short recess. The Senate recessed at 2:32 p.m. RECESS The Senate reconvened at 2:48 p.m. President J.M. Mendiola: Back to our session. We’re still discussing HB 15-18, HD1. Senator Hofschneider: Mr. President. The Chair recognized Senator Hofschneider. Senator Hofschneider: On the findings on line four, losing approximately seven million, is there an actual document or any reports to this spect because they can come up with number then lami’ they’re doing okay in the enforcement. You know? You get what I’m saying? President J.M. Mendiola: I’m not sure where did they get this figure, but I think this is estimated by the Department of Finance from the committee who is reviewing this. Senator Hofschneider: So that means on top of the sixteen million, there should be sixteen plus seven? President J.M. Mendiola: Most likely like that. I think this came about if again we go back to the quarterly payment. What they do is if you have forty license, forty machines, you pay only twenty for the first quarter then that counts the other twenty but when they go back and check some of them, they found that maybe twenty-five are running and then at the end of the quarter they close down. They went to another facility open up again. So they’re getting away from paying the quarterly. If you look at it, on an annual basis they get away with some of the quarters that they claim that they don’t pay. This bill is actually to address…you know as in any business license, alcohol tobacco license, you pay on an annual basis. You go to open a 23 FINAL hotel, they don’t give you quarterly license. They give you an annual license that’s renewable every year. Except that this is the only industry or business in the CNMI that pays quarterly. As far as seven million, the committee report is right here that’s attached to the bill itself. Senator Hofschneider: Mr. President, ya esti I seven million dollars? Komeke ilek-hu, yanggen annual esti siempre ta realisa twenty-three million dollars? Ya hafa ya guaha tai guihe? Is that a guarantee? And what stops lokkue’ nu ayu I tai guihe for example ha apasi I taotao for one year pues guaha I don’t know because I’m not a poker expert or as far as fees are concern nai. Lao hafa ya guaha papet-hu didide’, malingu esta I taotao siempre guihe no nu I inapasi-ña for that year? Floor Leader Reyes: Non-refundable. President J.M. Mendiola: Non-refundable. Floor Leader Reyes: According to this bill. President J.M. Mendiola: Statistically, it’s been reported that the number of poker machine going up but the winnings going down. The number of poker license in the CNMI has gone up but the tax payment and fees payment has gone down. So it depends on if you aggregate out to a year, the number has gone up throughout the year. Your winning taxes have gone down. The fees have gone down. Senator Hofschneider: So it should correlate with the… President J.M. Mendiola: It should always correlate. Senator Crisostimo: Not necessarily. Because people now they don’t have as much money to max it. When you max that, we need the high jackpot. You get your jackpot a hundred thousand if you don’t max that. The only time that you can win your thousand is if you max that. Because if you don’t max it, you cannot. You can’t beat it. So a lot of people now, when they go and use it they don’t max it. President J.M. Mendiola: I think what they did is there used to be, they have the winnings other than royal being untaxed. So the legislature went back and taxed any winnings even doubling up to over a thousand dollars then you get taxed. But even that effect is good. So there’s no increase in winning fee at all. Even when they post that thousand dollars winning to ------thousand dollars hasn’t gone up. The winning, instead of going up it has gone down. That’s just the statistics that I was reading. Discussion on 15-18, HD1? The Chair recognized Floor Leader Reyes. Floor Leader Reyes: Just on the amendment. Did Senator make an amendment? President J.M. Mendiola: No. No amendment. Senator Pangelinan: But just for clarification, if the legal counsel says that, it’s understood that it should be annually then we don’t have to make that amendment. Amendment means that this will go back to the House, right? President J.M. Mendiola: Yes. Senator Pangelinan: For the simple amendment. 24 FINAL President J.M. Mendiola: Yes. President J.M. Mendiola: I think the…they’re in recess. The legal counsel has stated that this is based on the way it’s written. It’s annually imposed. Senator Pangelinan: Then that’s fine. President J.M. Mendiola: Discussion? Senator Crisostimo: I want to make a motion. The Chair recognized Senator Crisostimo. Senator Crisostimo: I just want to make a motion Mr. President and colleagues. If we can go on a short recess so I can find out where can I put that amendment from the legal counsel? Floor Leader Reyes: Recommendation, Mr. President, before we go on short recess. Why don’t Senator Crisostimo tell us what concern he has so that maybe we can agree on the recess. Senator Crisostimo: Okay anyway, there’s just two amendments that I want to put here. Number one, that at least similar to Senator Pangelinan, I want to if the fees are collected on an annual basis. Ten percent of the piece will go directly to the college, another ten percent of the piece will go to CUC, another ten percent of the piece will go directly to the retirement, and five percent will go to JTPA or whatever that training program fall. Please. When they pass this legislation 3-11, as I said earlier, ten percent was going to MVA, twenty-five was going to JTPA and the rest went to the retirement. So if this is one of the lucrative business, we should earmark and advancely give the college that. President J.M. Mendiola: Senator Crisostimo. Floor Leader Reyes: Give him the recess. President J.M. Mendiola: Let’s have a short recess. The Senate recessed at 2:57 p.m. RECESS The Senate reconvened at 3:05 p.m. President J.M. Mendiola: Okay. We’re back to our session. Senator Crisostimo, you have the floor. Senator Crisostimo: Thank you Senate President and colleagues. My amendment again is on the second page right after line five, I meant line one, Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary of the funds collected after the deduction about two hundred thousand, I would insert ten percent to Northern Marianas College, another ten percent to --- comma, ten percent to retirement to repay the government debt after repaying ten percent off outright, and finally, five percent to Job Training Program, JTPA. That will be in the motion and also more for the legal counsel to fix, if any, and implement the above intent to be corrected --- to further correct so that it’ll be in line with my original intent. That’ll be my motion. 25 FINAL President J.M. Mendiola: Okay. Motion on the floor to amend section one as stated by Senator Crisostimo. Any second to that motion? Senator Hocog: Second. President J.M. Mendiola: Second. Discussion? Floor Leader Reyes: Discussion Mr. President. The Chair recognized Floor Leader Reyes. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I am pleased to know that Senator Crisostimo thinks about the college because education in general, because at one time when we were discussing the budget cutbacks, there was a proposal for us to exempt PSS from any budget cut. It was Senator Crisostimo who insisted that we should include PSS to cut their budget. Now he’s talking about increasing the budget of college. When are we going to hear again Senator Crisostimo come back and say and tell us that we also should include the college, in the budget cut? You know, this irrational thinking and inconsistent position is very disturbing. You know we have just passed a budget on the apprenticeship on NMC that we appropriated more money into it. What is wrong with that particular legislation? We know that’s it’s going to be signed into law because the House have passed that, we passed it and I’m sure that the weekly meeting with the Governor reinforced us that he’s going to sign that into law. And then here we come completely different from what this government is insisting on putting so that we can begin to make ends meet in your budget. The reason why we’re requesting this, the two hundred thousand is a special issue because we need enforcement. In order for this to work we need enforcement. But this government needs the money in order to make ends meet. The Governor not too long ago insists that in order to end this fiscal year without any red mark is to try and cut down as much as possible and he suggested sixteen hours of government employees hours to be cut. It was this leadership during those weekly meetings that convinced the governor to reduce that down to eight hours because every one is suffering. Everybody is suffering. PSS is suffering. Every single department have to take share responsibility in making this government work because if this government go bankrupt, everybody go bankrupt. NMC close down, PSS close down, everybody close down. That’s why we’re trying to find a way as rational minds to try and make sure that this government’s general fund is going to accommodate everybody including NMC. And again I reiterate to Senator Crisostimo, when the budget comes before us fight for NMC because that’s where it counts. Earmarking funds in this particular case is something that is not desirable at this point in time because of our fiscal responsibility to make sure that this government maintains a flow in the water. It started to sink. And if the government sinks, all the arms of the government, and NMC is government, is going to sink. It’s going to sink the ship. Everybody on board that ship is going to sink down and die. So it’s useless to try to make one leap on top of the boat and the boat is going to sink. No matter how much desire we have to keep that person floating because it’s our choice. We want to save this guy. We all voted to save this guy on the ship when the ship goes down. This guy has no choice but to go down. This is the reality. So we want to invite Senator Crisostimo to come to reality. We welcome you to come to reality Senator Crisostimo so that we can all work together in keeping this ship afloat. When we start to regain our control of the ship and we start to float better and we’re in no danger to sink, then we can start thinking, where do we allocate these funds? And I believe in my heart that the economy is reliant on the education of our children. I believe that because I practice it. But if we’re going to have that authority that contributes to the sinking of this ship, we’re going to die. We’re going to close down this government and who’s going to be responsible for this? It’s this kind of, out of respect Senator Crisostimo, I’m not going to make this description on record, but it’s this kind of 26 FINAL amendment that causes this government to go down. We need to really now work together. Forget that Benigno Fitial is a Covenant. Forget that the majority of the House is Covenant. Forget that the Senate is controlled by Covenant Leadership. Let’s work with him. Let’s try to make this work. Let’s try to work together and keep this government afloat because if we don’t, we’re all going to die. And it’s useless to vote and kid one person because it’s our choice to stay alive. Because when the ship sinks it’s not going to float. President J.M. Mendiola: Okay. Can we have just a short recess? Change of tape. Senator Pangelinan: I’m a little confused with the earmarking because the way I look at the figures here based on the committee report, it appears that that we have already earmarked the figures because it’s the same. So are we getting fourteen million or why is it fifty fifty? President J.M. Mendiola: What is this fourteen again? Senator Pangelinan: I guess, I’m reading it wrong. What goes into the general funds is equal to what goes into the local law. President J.M. Mendiola: No, no. Each Senatorial District has their own local law, so… Senator Pangelinan: No, no, no. But the figures. Seven million three fifty-six is third Senatorial District that goes to the general fund. The third Senatorial District that goes into the respective local laws. We might be encountering a figure problem here. The Chair recognized Floor Leader Reyes. Floor Leader Reyes: The Poker Licensing Fee now is twelve thousand for Saipan. Six thousand of that goes to the general fund. Half of that is general fund. Half of that goes to the Delegation. So that’s why the total of all the collection made under Saipan, half of that is earmarked to the Delegation because it’s a Delegation law that I hope have passed that. President J.M. Mendiola: If I may Senator Pangelinan, if you look at the second Senatorial District the amount is not the same and that is because six thousand to the general fund again three thousand to…am I correct? Two thousand to the local funds so the issue is not the same. Okay. We’re still discussing the amendment of Senator Crisostimo. Any other discussion? Are we ready? Senate Clerk, can you roll call on the vote? The roll called on the motion to adopt amendment on HB 15-18, HD1 made by Senator Crisostimo. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola yes no yes yes (absent) abstain no no no 27 FINAL President J.M. Mendiola: Three members voting yes, four members voting no, one abstain, amendment failed. We’re back to the main motion. Ready? Senate Clerk. The roll called on the motion to pass HB 15-18, HD1. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola no yes yes yes (absent) yes yes yes yes President J.M. Mendiola: Seven members voting yes, one no, HB 15-18, HD1 is hereby passed. Floor Leader? Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I move for the passage on first and final reading of HB 15-26, HS1. Senator Crisostimo: Second. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion to pass 15-26, HS1 and has been seconded. Discussion? The Chair recognized Senator Pangelinan. Senator Pangelinan: Mr. President, I would just like to ask the legal counsel to explain the aggregate because I think we might be defeating the whole intention of this bill. This bill will extend the cumulative accountability of small accounts to $500 instead of $100. Floor Leader Reyes: Short recess. President J.M. Mendiola: Can we have a short recess? The Senate recessed at 3:20 p.m. RECESS The Senate reconvened at 3:31 p.m. President J.M. Mendiola: We’re back into session. We’re still discussing 15-26. Several members voiced “ready.” President J.M. Mendiola: Ready? Senate Clerk. The roll called on the motion to pass HB 15-26, HS1. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona abstain yes yes yes 28 FINAL Senator Felix T. Mendiola Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola (absent) yes yes yes yes President J.M. Mendiola: Seven voting yes, one abstain, HB 15-26, HS1 is hereby passed. Floor Leader? Can we entertain just one more bill because some of the members are going back by four thirty? Floor Leader Reyes: Short recess. President J.M. Mendiola: Okay. Short recess. The Senate recessed at 3:33 p.m. RECESS The Senate reconvened at 3:34 p.m. President J.M. Mendiola: We’re back in session. Floor Leader? Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I move for the passage of HB 15-28 and I’m ready. The motion was seconded by several members. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion to pass 15-28 has been seconded. Discussion? The Chair recognized Senator Manglona. Senator Manglona: Basically, this bill will allow us to maintain the present ballot system that was used in the last election where you don’t have to align the Governor and the Washington Rep. and the Senators in one column. What it does is that it maximizes the usage of the ballot spacing so that you don’t have to have parties on the backside and the reason is because it’s easier to read the ballot. So what this does is actually allow you to do that rather than do the party line straight up and down. President J.M. Mendiola: And I think if I may, because of the significant improvement on the last election result on the void ballots, the Board of Election found that this type of ballot is very effective as compared to the previous one. Any other discussion? Several members voiced “ready.” President J.M. Mendiola: Ready? Senate Clerk. The roll called on the motion to pass HB 15-28. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola yes yes yes yes (absent) 29 FINAL Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola yes yes yes yes President J.M. Mendiola: All eight members voting yes, HB 15-28 is hereby passed. Everybody without any objection to… Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President. President J.M. Mendiola: Go ahead Floor Leader. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, I know you asked for only one. Can we do this one for the Northern Marianas College? President J.M. Mendiola: Go ahead. Floor Leader Reyes: It’s a very non-controversial bill. This is for the apprenticeship. I move for the passage of HB 15-27, HD1 final reading. The motion was seconded by several members. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion to adopt HB 15-27, HD1 to pass. HB 15-27, HD1 has been seconded. Discussion? Senator Pangelinan: Wait Mr. President. The Chair recognized Senator Pangelinan. Senator Pangelinan: You know I see so many bills that require reporting and the reason for the mandate report is so that we can make sound decision based on data and recommendations. It’s a dynamic process. And I see again here that we require reporting. I would just like, even though I’m going to vote on this bill, I would just like my colleagues that next time when you require a report, include a provision that the money would be witheld until that report is completed for that year. And that’s the only way for us to make better decision whether the funding of the program is achieving its goal. President J.M. Mendiola: I totally agree with you Senator Pangelinan, especially programs such as this be required to continuing such programs. Any other discussion? The Chair recognized Senator Hofschneider. Senator Hofschneider: I just wanted to, in line with Senator Frica, Senator Pangelinan was saying and I agree with her totally. However, since we are here to entertain their request for budget or anything and maybe that will be also the appropriate time for us to request that data and to see if it’s really introducing what they’re telling on this law. So I agree with you na debi di hu guaha report back and then we’ll do that when we entertain their… Senator Pangelinan: But we have not passed the budget for college. 30 FINAL President J.M. Mendiola: We’re going to pass it. Senator Hofschneider: Well, see? We can’t touch this Mr. President. President J.M. Mendiola: Thank you Senator Hofschneider. Ready? Several members voiced “ready.” President J.M. Mendiola: Senate Clerk. The roll called on the motion to pass HB 15-27, HD1. Senator Luis P. Crisostimo Senator Paterno S. Hocog Senator Jude U. Hofschneider Senator Paul A. Manglona Senator Felix T. Mendiola Senator Maria Frica T. Pangelinan Senator Pete P. Reyes Senator Henry H. San Nicolas President Joseph M. Mendiola yes yes yes yes (absent) yes yes yes yes President J.M. Mendiola: HB 15-27, HD1 is hereby passed. Petitions, memorials and miscellaneous communications? As I stated earlier, the Administrator of NMC Rota has requested our audience and with the indulgence of the members, can we have her speak on behalf of her…and for the record thank you too Mrs. Ogo for giving us the opportunity to use your facility. Mrs. Severina A. Ogo: Thank you Mr. President and good afternoon members of this legislative body. Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President, let me make a motion to… President J.M. Mendiola: Go ahead Floor Leader. There’s a motion to resolve as a whole. The motion has been seconded by several members. President J.M. Mendiola: It has been seconded. Those in favor say “aye.” Several members voiced “aye.” President J.M. Mendiola: Okay. Mrs. Severina A. Ogo: Thank you Mr. President. Good afternoon to this legislative body. As you all know, we’re always happy, excited and foremost, it’s a very educational experience for myself and my staff and my students to be sitting in here listening to how our government operates. And I wish to encourage you to continue giving us this opportunity as we move forward in the years ahead. As I listened this afternoon, I want to express a sincere appreciation on behalf the president, the staff and management, and our students for coming to a decision in confirming our new Board of Regent as it is very critical. There are a lot of critical issues that is before NMC and we direly need those individuals, new Board of Regents, to begin their fiduciary duty as we all know who they are based on their education and work experiences and no doubt, we wholeheartedly support them as well here from Rota Campus. And I’m sure my colleague Jim 31 FINAL Whetting from Tinian Campus staff is garning their support. This afternoon, I also want to thank although it was not passed; I want to thank Senator Luis Crisostimo for his support of the college. I realized that as CNMI as a whole, there’s a lot of need from different agency, different area. But as we prioritize our needs, please we do not feel bad about it because enforcement is very important too and we take that very positively. Thank you Senator Crisostimo. Now one thing that I would like to point across regarding the budget cuts that our Governor Benigno Fitial is affect CNMI wide. We are soliciting for you consideration to refrain such action that will reduce the current NMC budget that barely enough to finance our employee salary, our programs and operation. If the proposed budget cut of about one point five million dollars should be made, our great concern here in Rota and I’m pretty sure as well as in Tinian, is the closure of both campuses. Is this what we want to happen? It makes me cry. Sorry. But it makes me cry because I’m really concerned about our fifty students who are faced with financial situations and that their parents are not ready to absorb that situation. Where will they go and what will they do? And this is not only for Rota even for Tinian and also our students in Saipan. Is this what we’re going to allow to happen? I challenge you and I challenge myself to work together to find a resolution because if we don’t have an educated community, which we direly need, then we cannot lead our CNMI. So please think about that. NMC will be forced to cut the programs, the lead instructors and sports staff. The staff here, they have families. The staff in Tinian and some in Saipan, what are they going to do? That’s almost two hundred people. These are negative factors that will actually ruin our college and if we don’t have an accredited college what are we here for? What is NMC going to be? It is because we are accredited. That’s what it makes it worth so that our students can graduate and take their degree, take their credits and go to other colleges and can be accepted. But if it’s not accredited it’s useless. I was hoping that we can, we can all work together. Call upon us because we have a lot of talents. If you need our talents call our local talents to help you, help you brainstorm because that’s important. We are your backbones for resources, mental resources. I encourage you to do that. I’m sure that working together we can find solutions to our financial dilemmas just not disrupting our educational process if possible. Thank you for the opportunity and give you my faith. I choose you to take it very personally as it does not look at time, does not look at hardship but giving all the best that I can be to help our children, our young people. Even us here on Rota, there are a lot of students, there are a lot people, young people that do not have the proper education. A lot of people in Tinian and a lot in Saipan. We should all care together that they do not walk the surface of this planet without necessary education. We want then to be self-reliant only through proper training and education so they can get a good job and be able to take care of themselves and their family if that can happen. And that’s why education is very important. Thank you and I’m sorry for…it takes me to cry. Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: Thank you Severina. Severina, I think the House just passed a House Resolution urging the Governor not to spare NMC in the budget in the budget cut. The Speaker and I wrote to the Governor about a month ago with the same position that NMC should be considered in their budget. However, I’ve told the Board and the President when they come to the office, we strongly support NMC. But I think NMC if they look into themselves and show us some kind of savings either stream line service or anything, it makes it better. We feel better because the other agencies are getting cut and if NMC is not going to get cut and they’re not doing anything then it’s really negatively impact on other agencies. So we asked the Board and the President when they came to my office and the Speaker is that we will write a letter to the Governor, which we did and at the same time we asked them to find some way in realizing savings. I understand that the budget you have right now is not even enough to maximize your operation or your programs. But because of times of very financial difficulty, I believe the management and the Board can do something to show some kind of savings so other programs can be continued. So we did write a letter to the Governor as a joint letter between myself and the Speaker, like I said the House Resolution was passed and if we need maybe we’ll come up with another Senate Resolution to urge the Governor to do that in our next session. But I don’t think anybody in this Chamber does not support NMC. It’s one thing from the Senate 32 FINAL members I can vouch for them that we considered NMC as part of the educational system and when we call PSS an educational institution, NMC becomes the education institution here too. I just like to assure you that all members of the Senate are in support of that and we should work together to make sure that you guys survive. Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: Senator Reyes do you have any comment? Floor Leader Reyes: Yeah. Mr. President just to let you know, actually the President said everything I wanted to say but in addition to that, as you know the Governor has been looking at ways to try without having to terminate employees, because ultimately that’s what’s going to happen. That’s why the discussion on a weekly basis for the leadership of both the House and the Senate get together with the Administration to combine all the minds together to try and avoid having to displace any employee of the government. That’s why the issue on sixteen hour cut came out because it was decided by many of the leaders that rather than terminating employees, we cut down. Because as long as they are employed they bring food to the table, you know. We managed as I said earlier during the session to convince the Governor to cut down the sixteen hours to just eight hours. And that’s why we’re looking everywhere to find and dig under the ground, to look under the rock to find money so that we can keep this government floating. And it’s true that our focus is keeping, trying to prevent any type of cuts to PSS and to NMC because when you say PSS, PSS is talking about education. When we talk about NMC we talk about education. So it’s synonymous, NMC and PSS to me are synonymous. And we’re in support of the resolution that the House passed. That’s why when the time comes to address the budget, that’s the time. Severina let me tell you this, this is the kind of appeal that I want to hear and I’m not going to speak to the members to tell us to keep the budget that you have right now because you’re going to work within that budget. I know that they are suggestions and there are feel good legislations. It only makes you feel good but has no meaningful effect. You know what we’re trying to do here is that we have already the budget, you are appealing to the members to keep your budget because you want to work within that budget. And I’m in full support of that. This is the kind of expression that we should be making. Every single member of this legislation, I think there’s no doubt in my mind as the President indicated that no one member of the Senate disagree with that position. I am a very strong advocate of education and let me go on record saying that the reason why is because I don’t have the education that is required of people in this kind of position anymore. I have to struggle my way up to where we are now, where I am now using everything within my ability just to be able to be a contributing member of this body. So because of that I push as much as I can to assist and support education. So be assured that and I’m going to speak for myself, I will support and ask the Governor not to include NMC and PSS in the budget cut. Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: Thank you again Severina. Anymore comment? If none then can we go back to our regular session. I guess we’re on adjournment. Motion for adjournment? Floor Leader Reyes: Mr. President I move to adjourn subject to your call. The motion to adjourn has been seconded by several members. President J.M. Mendiola: Motion to adjourn has been seconded. Those in favor say “aye.” All members voiced “aye.” President J.M. Mendiola: The session is hereby adjourned. 33 FINAL Floor Leader Reyes: One announcement Mr. President. The Chair recognized Senator Hocog. Senator Hocog: For those that are staying back, Senator Paul and I are very happy to join us over at my house tonight for dinner. And if you’re still staying back again, we have the San Isidro Fiesta which is located also at my resident. If you’re staying back for the fiesta please do come on Saturday night. Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: Thank you Senator Hocog and Senator Manglona for the invitation. We’ll see you tonight. Floor Leader Reyes: There’s just one for Severina. You know I know that it’s always a burden for the Bureau to be calling up asking you to make this room available for us, but we would appreciate if you will still consider hosting the session of the Senate in Rota. Mrs. Severina A. Ogo: Thank you Mr. Vice-President. Like I said, it’s always exciting, interesting and educational but I cannot promise everybody that we will always have this kind of room; but we can entertain you wherever room available. Like you said because of the budget cut right now, I have one air conditioning requires seven thousand dollars. So one room is not functional. But given ample time of information for scheduling, we may be able to fit you in into the different rooms and also for the opportunity of our students to sit down and learn about the process of governmental process. And as always we’ll be happy to set it up for you. Thank you. President J.M. Mendiola: Thank you again Severina. And we’ll look forward. We’ll give you proper notice ahead of time. Thank you. The Senate adjourned at 3:56 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Verilynn Hocog, Deputy Clerk, Rota The Senate Reviewed by, Eric M. Lister/B.J. Attao Senate Legislative Assistant 34