IT’S time to “voir dire,” (to speak the truth), which is the terminology used when a jury is asked questions before they are picked to decide someone’s fate. Just as it is important for potential jurist to answer some very hard questions and to speak the truth during voir dire, it is our tern as a people to voir dire. I’m referring to the upcoming visit by the Senate staffers to the CNMI. Not only must we voir dire, we need to speak with “unity” as “one people,” which is why I’m writing this letter. There is an old African-American saying “if not me, then who, if not now then when.”
First and foremost, how do we come together as a people on “what we really want” and “how it will be achieved”? These are the two major questions we as a people need to answer before they arrive. Its great that our leaders and businessmen were received well in Washington but I’m sure the Senate Staffers are not coming to see them but to see US — the PEOPLE. I’m sure our government is smart enough to know that trying to “stage & steer “ their visit is not going to work for two reasons. First of all they aren’t stupid and secondly the truth is going to come out anyway and any politician should know its better coming from the people they serve. It might be good to consider a lottery for citizens and employees in various sectors of the government to be selected for an interview by the staffers to show our intentions are honest and forthright —nothing should be hidden when you voir dire.
But we must first answer the hard questions as a people to assure we do speak with “unity as “one people” and to do that we need some “leadership” bad, quick, fast and in a hurry. The last thing we need is a group staging a protest for the Senate staffers that is in opposition to the desires of the majority. We need a firm and united majority on issues. The rally was a good start but we need our leaders to come up with a “formal position” on the issues that are supported by the people of the CNMI. A decision needs to be made and the people need to be educated and convinced because presently the majority of people in the CNMI are not on the same page when it comes to answering the hard questions. It also appears we are not putting “all the issues” on the table for discussion, consideration or whatever we call it.
This is very well a “once in a life time” visit from the U.S. Senate and we should take full advantage of their visit by putting ALL the concerns of the people for consideration in Washington because its not like they are going to visit us every year. Some of the major questions we need to answer as a people and stick together on are as follows:
• As for the 902 talks mentioned by one of our founding fathers was very valid argument but its far too late. The 902 provision does guarantee the right to “consultation” but it doesn’t guarantee the CNMI anything beyond consultation. There is also the fact that our leaders have gone to Washington and the Senate Staffers are coming here, which I’m afraid has made the 902 Section a moot point.
• H.B. 15-146 on alternative political and economic status is clearly an attempt to “change” the social contact (the Covenant) with the U. S. What is the desire of the people on this bill?
• Federalism — do we or do we not want immigrations and wages to fall under federal jurisdiction for compliance? Do we want complete federalization of our basic needs in education, health and other vital services? There are many people that want the feds to take over and there are many that don’t but it is not clear as to what extent they want or reject federal intervention. More important is the fact that we need to establish a clear majority on these two issues, as they are the primary reasons for the visit by the Senate staffers.
• Representation — do we want representation or not with H.B. 15-146 being propose and consultation is now no longer an issue? What are the pros and cons of representation, which will surely be linked to federal taxes?
• The Senate version of the minimum wage bill offers to pump money into our economy through the business sector. Do the people of the CNMI want this money to go to business or into “social programs” that will have a more direct affect on our present and future quality of life?
These are just a few of the questions, which is why we (the people) need leadership to educate or inform the people on the positive and negative consequences of our decision on the issues and to establish a majority position on these issues. This IS NOT a time for our leaders to be “grandstanding” and playing politics but a time to voir dire. The community also needs to join in by creating signs, posters and banners in their yard to welcome the staffers and show support and appreciation for their visit to consider the CNMI’s “united” position on all the issues — it’s YOUR TURN TO BE HEARD. Its going to be interesting to see how the people and the government will either work together or against each other to handle this visit. I wouldn’t miss it for the world because I’ve been waiting for a long time to see real change and one thing “for show” is that “change is gonna come” for ALL people of the CNMI. One people, One Direction.

AMBROSE M. BENNETT
Kagman, Saipan