It was also in this year when the federal government finally decided to end CNMI control over local immigration policies.
But the federalization law also granted the CNMI a congressional delegate seat, which was won in November by Gregorio C. Sablan, a former two-term House member and executive director of the Commonwealth Election Commission.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has sued the federal government to prevent the implementation of the federalization law in June 2009.
Most challenging
For many lawmakers, this year proved to be the most challenging as they try to find solutions to the growing number of problems facing the islands.
Speaker Arnold I. Palacios, R-Saipan, said the economic problems were compounded by the power crisis that gripped Saipan.
“2008 is definitely the worst year,” he said. “It was very, very challenging. There’s no question about that. But I am glad that we were able to address our power situation through the Aggreko generators.”
Blackouts lasting for more than six hours a day hit Saipan for months this year. Residents and businesses alike complained of the blackouts’ negative impact on their daily operations.
The power situation only got better in September when the 15-megawatt containerized generators of Aggreko from Singapore arrived.
That deal costs the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. $504,000 a month.
Press Secretary Charles Reyes Jr. agreed that 2008 was worse than 2007 which was described as “tough.”
“The power outages that we experienced during the summer were probably the worst. But to the governor’s credit, it was resolved substantially with Aggreko’s entry. It was the most viable and practical solution,” he said.
Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider, R-Saipan, said the challenges faced by the CNMI accumulated due to wrong decisions and mismanagement in the government over the years.
“It’s not entirely [Fitial’s] fault,” he said.
Reyes said Fitial has to deal with the worst situation confronting a CNMI governor in commonwealth history.
“It’s bleak and very gloomy. The global situation is really bad and that’s all affecting us,” he added.
For Rep. Stanley T. Torres, R-Saipan, 2008 is “the year of sufferings.”
Ike Concepcion, a retired assistant manager at the Commonwealth Health Center’s dietary section who now runs his own business, agreed.
He said the cost of living, particularly power, has soared to record highs.
“Power is high. Fuel is high. I hope in 2009 we would have a better economy,” he said.
Tessie Sorza, a contract worker from the Philippines who has been here since 1990, said the economic crunch is affecting everyone.
Sorza, who works at a hotel, said their hours have been cut to 32 per payroll.
“The prices of food have gone up but our hours have been cut so it’s been really difficult to get by,” she said.
Miura fever
The CNMI’s ailing tourism industry got a boost when Japanese businessman Kazuyoshi Miura was arrested on Saipan in February.
He was wanted in Los Angeles for plotting the death of his wife in 1981 in exchange for a huge insurance payout.
While detained here, Miura drew hordes of Japanese and other international media representatives for nearly eight months.
Miura committed suicide at a Los Angeles jail hours after he was extradited last October.
The local tourism industry, which was hit hard by Japan Airlines’s decision to pull out from the Saipan route in late 2005, is now bracing for Northwest Airlines’ suspension of its Osaka flights starting on March 1, 2009.
This year, the CNMI government budget is projected to drop to $148 million — the lowest in over 15 years.
