Governor Benigno Fitial

Incumbent Benigno R. Fitial has been re-elected as governor in the US-administered Northern Marianas following the counting of absentee votes. Fitial won by a total margin of just 370 votes over rival Heinz Hofschneider after the counting of absentee votes was finished late Monday. The 64-year-old Fitial and his running mate Lieutenant Governor Eloy Inos of the ruling Covenant Party will serve for five years. "I want all the people to get together. I am calling for unity and I am inviting everybody who has ideas to help me move the commonwealth forward to come in and share their ideas," Fitial said after his ... Read Full Story

December 6, 2009 As expected, the DHS will re-publish the regulations for the transitional worker program to comply with the technical rules of the U.S. Administrative Procedures Act. Judge Paul Friedman ruled that the regulations published October 27, 2009 did not comply with the APA because they did not allow for the mandated comment period before publication. From the Marianas Variety : David Gulick, regional area director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, an agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said their department plans to republish in the Federal Register the regulations. “Sometime in next year, we really can’t say when ... Read Full Story

November 7, 2009 I was absolutely stunned to read that Samuel F. McPhetres, an institution at Northern Marianas College, did not have his contract renewed . I am guessing this sent shock waves through the community too. Mr. McPhetres is a respected educator, a well-known writer and political scientist. NMC President Carmen Fernandez is apparently responsible for his non-renewal. The Marianas Variety reports: In an interview, he said he was “not surprised” although he was “very much perplexed about the things that are happening” on campus. NMC students interviewed by this reporter said they were “very upset,” and were demanding an explanation from Fernandez. ... Read Full Story

The US will Saturday take over control of immigration in the Northern Mariana Islands despite protests about the impact on the Pacific territory's economy. The so-called federalisation of immigration will go ahead following a US federal court ruling this week which threw out a bid by the Northern Marianas government to stop the move. Federalisation means the Northern Marianas will become subject to the same immigration laws as the US and administration of the system will be taken over by the US Department of Homeland Security. The move to bring immigration under Washington's control followed reports of labour abuses in the 1990s and heightened ... Read Full Story

The Dec. 3, 2009 edition of Coin Chat Radio leads off with Bob Van Ryzin’s "What’s In the News". Topic of the day is U.S. Rep. Gary Peters’ attempt to persuade the US Mint to strike 2009 American Eagle Proof Gold and Silver coins , which the Mint had previously announced would be canceled for this year. Peters wrote US Mint Director Ed Moy as well as fellow House members seeking to re-instate the 2009 proof coins which have been minted since 1986. With the recent release of the Northern Mariana Islands Quarter , Editorial Director Debbie Bradley takes a few moments to discuss ... Read Full Story