By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

ABOUT 85 residents attended a public forum organized by an ordinary citizen who “just wants change.”
Moderated by Tina Sablan, author of the “Dear People of the Commonwealth” letter published by the Variety on Jan. 17, the gathering at the Garapan Elementary School cafeteria drew members of the public who voiced their concerns and opinions on the burning issues of the day.
Sablan said these will be compiled, summarized and made available to the public before they are brought to the attention of the CNMI’s elected officials.
Each speaker at the Wednesday-evening forum was given a limited time to talk.
Small groups were formed and one issue was assigned to each group.
At the end of the discussions, each of the groups assigned one of the members to summarize their recommendations.
Mike Hall said he is in favor of reducing the number of lawmakers and executive branch officials, including consultants.
Nick Sablan, a former public works director, expressed disappointment at the size of the CNMI government.
Sablan said “lesser is better,” and that the number of House members should be reduced from 18 to seven.
He said Saipan should not to be divided into four election precincts.
Another resident asked, “Who needs the mayor’s office and the municipal councils?”
Mt. Carmel School principal Galvin Deleon Guerrero said the Public School System and Northern Marianas College “must work together.”
The group that discussed issues regarding the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. expressed disappointment with the increased power rates and stressed the need for accountability among CUC’s officials and personnel.
It was also suggested that business-minded people should run CUC.
Privatization was also suggested “because the government is not doing a good job.”
Nobody said anything positive about poker arcades and casinos.
The group that discussed this issue proposed abolishing all forms of gambling in the CNMI because “it takes away ordinary people’s purchasing power.”
Carlene Reyes-Tenorio said because a lot of locals are leaving the islands, the stay of guest workers should be limited.
“We educate and train local kids, yet do not provide the jobs or pay levels they can make elsewhere, so locals leave and alien workers take the jobs,” she said.
Another group discussed accountability and transparency in the government and proposed a mandatory inventory of expenditures during the transition of one administration to another.
Another group noted that a lot of people in the CNMI are having “difficulty in being consistent” — many people “do good things only in the beginning.”
At the end of the forum, the participants agreed to hold community meetings every two weeks.
A regular forum, Sablan said, will ensure the “progressive discussion” of issues.
“This is going to be a continuing discussion, a continuing investigation of the issues. And I wish to see more people considering the issues that have been raised tonight,” she said.
The ultimate goal, she added, “is to make sure information and views reach the attention of the people who run for office in the coming elections.”