WHAT have the municipal councils in the CNMI contributed to the well-being of the indigenous people of these islands that will merit their empowerment?
If Mr. Ambrose Bennett’s assertions would be the established principles about “local governance,” he ought to begin telling us what these principles are. But the more that he makes generalizations on the concept of governing, the more questions he invites to the curious observer.
What is a “state-level” government? Are you saying that the members of the Senate and House of Representatives are state officials and their constitutional powers are not local? If these elected representatives are not local government, what is? Or, if the municipal councils were to be abolished, would there be local government?
Mr. Bennett, produce concrete justifications for the work of the municipal councils and list all their accomplishments that are good for the CNMI.
Stop telling us that the “glass is half-full” or that a woman is “pretty.” If you tell us that the water in the glass holds 30 ounces and the glass can hold a volume of three liters, then we can see the specificity of your statements.
This is not about budget cuts. This is about no money, and when you rob Paul to pay Peter that is not helping the situation at all. Each business unit or bureaucratic entity in the government organization should justify its existence and show to the people that its contribution is indispensable.
The burden of proof is on the municipal councils. Hence, voters should settle this issue.
Mr. Bennett stated that the municipal councils should be empowered since it would be able to create sources for new revenues. What is he saying here? It will be interesting to find out what revenues could be created from sources that we do not know today. Taxes on real estate, maybe? What about finding avenues to cut costs? Is this also important for the municipal councils?
Lastly, Mr. Bennett mentions “setbacks in the development” of the CNMI. What does he mean? Is he talking about “political development,” or “social development,” or “economic development,” or “human development.”
What is it?
Gunner Myrdal expounded on this term in his three-volume book, “Asian Drama,” and wrote over 1,800 pages on the subject only to conclude that the term is indeterminate.
Now, Mr. Bennett is suggesting that eliminating the municipal councils will be a setback to the development of the CNMI.
Mr. Bennett will be rewarded if he explains why so we could understand his point of view.
By the way, it will be good for Mr. Bennett to demonstrate that if the municipal councils in our government are unavoidable, why should the state government be anxious to hand over some of the local challenges to the municipal councils? Is the state government in a state of anxiety? I would like to find out more about this.

FRANCISCO R. AGULTO
Chalan Kanoa, Saipan