PW&T Solicits Bids From Interested Contractors For Dabooch Building COLONIA, Yap (PW&T/Media Division) — The Department of Public Works & Transportation (PW&T) has issued a document regarding a community center building repair project, which it is trying to bid out to all the qualified contractors on island and abroad. In the statement, PW&T will receive sealed bids until 1:00 PM, local time, on June 24, 2014 for furnishing of all labor, materials, and equipment necessary to complete the project under the Contract entitled “Dabooch Community Center Building Repair Project.” All bids shall be placed in an opaque envelop addressed to: The Contracting Officer, Department of Public Works & Transportation, P.O. Box 327, Colonia, Yap FM 96943, and be labeled “Bid for Dabooch Community Center Building Repair Project” and shall incorporate the name and address of the bidder on the outside of the envelop. There will be NO Bid Bond and Performance Bond for this project. Proposals received will be publicly opened and read by the Contracting Officer at the PW&T – C&EM Division Office at 2:00 PM on June 24, 2014. A pre-bid conference will be held at the Contracts and Engineering Division Office, on May 22, 2014 at 9:30 AM. Attendance is highly recommended. Copies of the Bid Documents may be obtained only from the Contracting Officer, Yap State Department of Public Works & Transportation, upon a non-refundable payment of US $25.00. Make checks payable to Yap State Finance, Yap State Government. YSC Thankful For MicroGames Sponsors ABAY, Yap (Media Division) — The Yap Sports Council in a statement expressed sentiment and gratitude for the sponsors who have generously contributed towards sending the Yap State Teams to the 2014 Micronesian Games which will be hosted by the FSM State of Pohnpei during the month of July. These are the following sponsors; 1. The FSM National Fisheries Corporation for its sponsorship of the Men’s Basketball Team 2. The Mulalap & Mulalap Law Office, Moylan’s Insurance, EMI Enterprises, Quality Catch, Diving Seagull Inc, and JG Creations from the Big Island of Hawaii for their kind contributions towards the Micronesian Games and the Yap Youth Games 3. Lubuw Falanruw and the folks at Digital Mediums from O’ahu, Hawaii for a complete set of canoe paddles, and 4. The 7-D Bar crew for providing the venue and the Yap Fishing Authority for donating ice for the Micronesian Games fundraising event. The Yap Sport Council thanks these very generous sponsors for this year’s State Teams and continues to solicit aid for both the Micronesian Games and the Yap Youth Games. For additional information, please contact the YSC office at 350-5212 or [email protected] during regular working hours. Yap Campus Awards Students for Spring 2014 TORAAQ, Yap (COM-FSM News, May 19, 2014) — Yap Campus gathered on Thursday, May 8, 2014 at its monthly All-Campus Meeting to recognize and award outstanding students. Special recognition in the form of certificates and prizes were given to students in three categories: Outstanding Academic Performance, Most Improved, and Perfect Attendance. Forty students were recognized for Outstanding Academic Performance in one or more of their classes. Among those 40 students, four in particular received special commendations for outstanding performances in all their courses for Spring 2014: Vivina Tinmad, Reiko Azuma, Lisamarie Yagruw and Svahn Tured. It should be noted that during the Fall 2014 awards ceremony, Vivina Tinmad and Reiko Azuma also received awards in the same category. These students typify the ideal student and serve as role models for the rest of the student body. While over 20 students had perfect attendance in one or more classes, Cyrus Emaenglik and Reiko Azuma received awards for perfect attendance in all their classes as full-time students for Spring 2014. Finally, thirty students were recognized for earning Most Improved status in one or more of their classes. The college staff and faculty extend their congratulations to all these students for their outstanding efforts during Spring 2014. Revised College Mission Statement Approved PALIKIR, FSM (COM-FSM News, May 19, 2014) — The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) approved the revision of the College’s mission statement. The changes were in compliance with Standard I.A and was not changed significantly regarding intended the student population and purpose. As result it did not require formal substantive change approval in the end. Revised Mission Statement: The College of Micronesia-FSM is a learner-centered institution of higher education that is committed to the success of the Federated States of Micronesia by providing academic, career and technical educational programs characterized by continuous improvement and best practices. Vacant Secretarial Position in RMI’s Cabinet Filled MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Oceania TV News, May 19, 2014) — A vacant secretarial position in the Republic of the Marshall Islands’ cabinet has finally been filled after more than a year of vacancy. This past Thursday, RMI’s Public Service Commission confirmed Julia Alfred as the nation’s new permanent Secretary of Health reports the Marshall Islands Journal. Alfred’s appointment for this position was previously announced by Health Minister Phillip Muller. In appointing Alfred, Muller emphasized the need for the Ministry of Health to meet the expectations of the public. He further stated Alfred’s quote “long-awaited appointment” was critical to take on the reforms and changes at the Ministry. According to the Journal, Alfred previously applied for the Secretarial position when it was first advertised over a year ago. But the Public Service Commission deferred and made an appointment with long-time assistant Secretary Russell Edwards. Edwards was placed as an Acting Secretary until earlier this year when Chief Secretary Casten Nemra was named interim Secretary. CNMI Govt. Sued Over Casino Law SAIPAN, CNMI (Radio New Zealand International, May 20, 2014) — A second lawsuit over the Saipan casino law has been filed in a Northern Marianas court. An activist Glen Hunter filed the suit in the Superior Court against the Governor Eloy Inos, the Senate President Ralph Torres, and several others for allegedly violating the Open Government Act in the passage of the law. Mr Hunters is seeking a judgment declaring that violations of the act rendered the casino law null and void. He is also seeking an injunction preventing the governor, the Lottery Commission, and the CNMI government from taking any more acts which would support the law. Last Wednesday, another lawsuit was filed questioning the constitutionality of the two month old law. U.S. Already Has Spent Hundreds Of Millions On Guam Buildup HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Pacific Daily News/PIR, May 20, 2104) — The federal government and the military already have invested hundreds of millions of dollars outside the fence to help Guam prepare for the pending military buildup, including bridge and road improvements, renovations at the commercial port and an upgraded wastewater treatment plant. The relocation of U.S. Marines from Okinawa, Japan, to Guam also will boost the government of Guams tax revenue by at least $37 million a year, not including corporate and gross receipts taxes that also are expected to increase, according to defense officials. Thats enough revenue to more than double the size of Guams current police force, which now operates with a $28 million annual budget. We Are Guahan, a grassroots organization that opposed an earlier proposal to build a military firing range complex near the remnants of an ancient Chamorro village called Pågat, has started a campaign against the revised buildup plan, arguing the military is not paying to help Guam. While the military has shifted its preferred firing range complex site entirely to federal property, at the Northwest Field area within Andersen Air Force Base, We Are Guahan, in a recent video on YouTube, claims that the Department of Defense is providing no money to mitigate the social impacts of the buildup. For every social impact created on Guam as a result of the buildup, there should be mitigation that directly addresses the impact, said attorney Leevin Camacho, of We Are Guahan. The Joint Guam Program Office, which handles buildup issues within the Defense Department, released a rebuttal to the We Are Guahan video campaign. GovGuam will make an additional $37 million per year on Section 30 funds as a result of the approximately 5,000 Marines who will move to Guam, according to the JGPO statement. Section 30 is from military service members income tax payments. Its remitted to GovGuam in a lump sum near the end of each year. At its peak, during 2021, GovGuam will make $62 million in Section 30 funds, stated Maj. Darren Alvarez, deputy director of the Joint Guam Program Office-Forward. When other taxes are factored in, Guam should see an additional $86 million in revenue at the height of the buildup, he said. Camacho said Section 30 tax money from the Marines shouldnt be seen as mitigation for the social impacts. I dont really look at that as being DOD providing funding for mitigation, Camacho said. If the buildup adversely impacts public schools, the local firefighting force, the local hospital and other social service functions or entities, the Defense Department should pay for the impact of the buildup on those specific service providers, Camacho said. We Are Guahans assertion that the Defense Department pays nothing for the social impacts is inaccurate, according to the governors office. But the organization also raises valid issues, according to the governors office, such as stewardship of the environment and preservation of and respect for Guams culture. However, we believe we can champion all those issues even through and beyond the military buildup. One does not cancel the other out, governors spokesman Troy Torres said. We think the clear majority of Guamanians share this view with us. The clear majority supports the buildup, wants it to happen, believes it will be great for Guam, and does not believe that supporting it is surrendering our heritage as Chamorros or our responsibilities as Guamanian citizens. As it stands, more than $292 million worth of federally funded projects in the community to help with the buildup have been completed or approved, documents show. The Port Authority of Guam in 2010 received $50 million from the Defense Department, and it has started to used that money to upgrade its facilities in anticipation of increased cargo flow. The improvements to the Routes 8, 10 and 16 tri-intersection and the nearly complete reconstruction of Marine Corps Drive between Routes 4 and 8, are part of the network of road projects being paid for by the U.S. government to support Guams capability to become a bigger military host, documents show. Congress also has authorized $106 million for Guam Waterworks Authority, mostly for wastewater plant upgrades. There also is $12 million for a cultural repository and $13 million for a public health lab, in anticipation of population growth related to the buildup. Those projects are just the beginning, according to the governors office, which Gov. Eddie Calvo said will push for more. We have every opportunity to get on the negotiating table with the Navy and DOD for funding other impacts, said governors spokesman Torres.
Posted on: Tue, 20 May 2014 15:25:04 +0000
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