ARE we seeing the light at the end of a tunnel?
Let’s take a close look around us today. Are we getting any better or getting worse each day? Do not answer this question. Drive around the island and get the answer first hand. Factories are closing one at the time. And there will never be new ones coming in. It is very costly and tedious to hire employees from off-island.
Our economy will never recover for the next 20 years. Small businesses are closing down because they cannot keep up with rising cost and charges of every thing we have on island. Is the government doing something about this? Your guess is as good as mine. We may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel but what’s after the tunnel? Does anybody know? I will tell you at the end of this letter.
Government of the people by the few, for friends, supporters, and, I almost forgot, family members.
That is our democratic system of government. Otherwise how can you justify the 5,600 employees working for a government of a small island with a small population like ours? We lay off five people through the front door and hire six through the back door. We keep hearing layoffs, furloughs but the government keeps getting bigger. Do we really need government that is so big that it is stinking Capital Hill? What do we really need?
We need a small government easy to manage with a few reliable people. We need a government of the people by the people and for the people. This government needs to reduce its size by about 50 percent. The United States government is not going to give us more money than what they have been giving us annually because they know that if they give us more money, we will hire more friends, supporters and relatives since election is coming up in November.
What can we do, if there is something that can be done to save our government?
Let’s take a look at the following.
Public Works
Does the government really need heavy equipment that is so expensive to maintain to do road projects?
Can we contract all the work that Public Works is doing to local contractors so that we can only pay them when they do the work?
Government vehicles
Do we really need lots of expensive luxury vehicles to do the job? Can a small car do the job or just a phone call? We see new vehicles with government license plates every day. These vehicles have been seen shopping after working hours and weekends. I thought the government was going to get rid of some of its vehicles These are locally funded vehicles.
Labor and Immigration
Many people are working for Labor and Immigration and we still have a lot of illegal aliens roaming on island, moonlighting. I heard that if you pay between $1,500 and $2,000 to some kind of labor connection, you can bring your family to Saipan even though they don’t have employers. Who is pocketing this money?
I have seen so many times Immigration employees wearing shirts or jackets with IMMIGRATION DEPORTATION printed on the back looking for illegal aliens. Do we want to apprehend them or show that we are the MAN?
CHC
Can we privatize some offices at CHC, like public health and dialysis?
Education
Can we reduce the employees at PSS, like maintenance and supporting staff?
Corrections
Can inmates start paying for their meals and room? It’s not the government’s fault that they are in jail so they should pay for all the luxuries being provided by the government.
Police
The motor vehicle office should be privatized.
Police and police cars should only be used for police-related activities.
The rest of the government’s personnel should also be reduced to avoid duplication of work. I hope the governor will act on this within 30 days. In order for him to save the government from gong any further toward the dark days of the CNMI, he must act now.
Legislature
Do you have hope for the Legislature? If you do, then answer this question. How come we are still in a mess? How come the government is broke? The previous administration? That’s an old song. You knew that there was problem and you said you were going to fix it. What are you doing up there with $150,000 a year?
My fellow citizens, the governor in his State of the Commonwealth Address stated that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. My friends, we may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s gong to take us 20 years to drive out of the tunnel and right after the tunnel is a rough road followed by a broken bridge.
Changes can be made by you as voters. If you are tired of driving in a tunnel for the next 20 years, do something about it. The future of these islands is in your hands. You don’t have to drive in the tunnel. Voting for the same people to represent you in the Legislature is worse than not voting at all.
I cannot drive for 20 years in the tunnel. My hair is already white; they will be reflecting too much light in the tunnel and may cause confusion as to what light is at the end of a 20-year-long tunnel.
Just a thought: If we have a small government, we don’t have to rent buildings for office space

JOHANNES NGIRAIBUUCH
Chalan Kiya, Saipan