I AM probably the closest thing to a “watch-dog agency” in the CNMI and being an Economist, I couldn’t help but to take interest in the recent disclosed “Recovery Plan” that is temporary and not one for the future as claimed. The Governor is gaslighting more than anything, as it aims to revive NMI Tourism and it may develop a “spark” for our economic engine to turn-over but it is NOT a plan to keep our Economic Engine running. I commend and do believe the Taskforce who did their very best to come up with something but there was also another article on “Infrastructure and Recovery Office needing technical professionals” that asserted the need for “Professionals” to help us which is why I see as an Economist that the Recovery Plan falls short from the lack of genuine and objective Economic Planning because there wasn’t a real Economist involved in the plan — it’s a “Rush-order” and not the Taskforce fault. It is a plan just not so much for YOU as it is gaslighting the issue like it’s a real plan that will get us started but if you noticed there was nothing about CONTINUED Tourism, which is what WE the People (YOU) want and NEED!
This is not about blaming the Taskforce as WE the People can’t get nor expect “Lay-individuals” to come up with a plan that requires professionals of the highest-order. There are some good things in the plan but it is not a properly structured plan that will lead to a continued growth and development of our Economy, just something to get tourists here for the short-term, because when the Federal Funding runs out the plan and everything put into it will come to an end and I will share the reasons WHY! This plan is just throwing money at the airlines and the small South Korean tourist market that has NEVER been able to fully support our economic needs. Gaslighting South Korea as our primary market was NOT a good idea.
I want to know WHY and HOW has it been deemed that “South Korea is our primary Tourist market” as how this was determined seems more like “deductible reasoning” given the fact that WE have lost the Chinese Market that was supposed to have been our primary Tourism Market. I will say it is a good guess or even a statistical fact that South Korea may be the largest Tourist Market still remaining. But if I said it once, I have said it a hundred times in more ways than one over the past THREE decades that the CNMI must EXPAND our Tourism base if we are to compete with the rest of the world and have a robust economy. It is now more critical than EVER that WE “REHABILITATE the CNMI to its ORIGINAL and former Economic state of Japan being our PRIMARY Tourism Market.” Take some of that money and “invest in the CNMI’s efforts to bring back the Japanese and start by begging and HELPING Kan Pacific with a subsidy to take back the Mariana Resort” to insure long term Tourism Stability and Growth. The Japanese are our BEST chance to create a “continued returning tourist market” given Japan’s history and tourist sites in the CNMI, which is the sound ideology that started our Tourism in the first place, duh!
The CNMI should also be “targeting EVERY Tourist Market possible with the Recovery Plan and not just one country. I commend the idea for the Tourist Bucks but it should apply to ALL Tourists regardless of their origin. If Tour Agents can offer virtual cash to be spent in the CNMI, it will be a big incentive for all Tourists and the Tour Agents to do the work in getting the Airlines to support the new desired travel traffic. WE should NOT be paying Airlines because if tourists can get that kind of money, which may almost cover the hotel cost, they will find and use the airline that will get them here. Create the demand and supply will automatically follow — it’s basic Economics 101 on Supply & Demand. We are only advertising in S. Korea when we should be advertising in other countries and even on the mainland, but especially in Japan. The CNMI needs to be doing everything possible to bring back the REAL and original Tourist Base that built our Tourism Industry — the Japanese. The plan should definitely include getting Japanese Investors to return given the Chinese are virtually DONE & GONE, especially if we are depending on the casino to bring them back because the Chinese Government won’t let their citizens come here to gamble anymore — let’s get REAL and face REALITY!
I truly condemn the sole targeting of one country with what amounts to paying tourists to come and paying the airlines to deliver them. This is built on “pay-to-play for S. Korea” that should be pushing “PAID-to-PLAY for ALL tourists” with the “Tourists BUCKS” that will put dollars into the businesses of the CNMI. But the multi-million dollars question for YOU as a citizens should be “WHERE are the Local Bucks that will go to the People in subsidies with housing, power, childcare, healthcare, food & transportation”? There were over 1,800 rejected applications for Federal Unemployment aid as there are many locals who still need real help in these areas and the Federal support is not enough. Some are even missing out because the CNMI didn’t have an “un-employment program” as they weren’t working when the pandemic hit and are not eligible that number over two thousand. But YOU are not even mentioned in ANY Plan as Republicans ONLY think about Big Business first and foremost which is evident with the Tourist Bucks to help businesses but what happened to the Local Bucks to help supplement Locals with their cost-of-living TAYA — absolutely (NOTHING)!
WE the People (YOU) are only getting subsidies help in BUCKS-FOR-the-PEOPLE from the Feds when it’s really the fiduciary duty of OUR Government. If not for the Feds I hate to think how bad it would be in the CNMI which speaks volumes about the need to change our government. It’s truly time to change our complete Government come Decision Day 2022. Citizens are already in an “UPROAR” over the fact that Governor Torres is going to give South Koreans from 500 to 1,500 to visit the CNMI but NOTHING for Locals. If the Governor’s alleged criminal activities that Republicans refused to prosecute which have already been exposed along with this deal to give South Koreans money doesn’t wake-up voters to get rid of Republicans then I don’t know what will as WE the People may need a real miracle to overcome the autocracy of tyranny that WE are under. It’s not just about reopening it’s also about YOU!
It may be a “cost-effective plan” for using the FREE Federal Funds but it is not a good plan for continued revenue generating from Tourism as the CNMI will be “spinning-our-wheels” going nowhere once the Federal Funds run out and we can’t pay tourists and airlines anymore — right back where we started, should sound familiar to YOU. I can even understand the initial $7,610,400 to airlines but it should be based on the “merit of ANY airline to bring Tourists,” not Governor Torres’ chosen few. Competition BREEDS Quality and if airlines have to compete, we get a bigger BANG for our bucks, DUH!
As for the need for more professionals, I offered PSS and Republicans a real plan to train all the professionals we need using the same researched & proven methodology used by Mexico, which is why the U.S. Dept. of Ed. sent me to Mexico in the first place to find answers about the origin of things in the CNMI’s and to find things that could HELP the CNMI. I also started promoting the need for a “Repatriation Program” when the Feds started pressing the CNMI over the CWs to bring back locals, especially professionals, that fell on deaf ears but now the “not-until-U-have-to” Government is being FORCED to bring them back or get more CWs at the professional level. Needless to say Republicans didn’t listen which is why WE the People can’t take care of ourselves and still needing professionals from other places that we could have developed for ourselves. I’m still trying to get the Chamber of Commerce to allow me the opportunity to present the Program as WE the People still have a Federal Mandate to replace as many CWs as possible. I am so tired of this “picnic table social & economic planning” by the Governor.
Another Republican Casino mess-up: The Casino Commission can forget about getting any more money than the 2 million you’re getting because you guys didn’t do a good job in the first place and WE the People don’t even have a casino in operation, as your functions are now virtually useless, DUH! WE the People just need a Collection Agency for the 57 million now owed in Community Chest, OUR Share of the Equity in the Casino/Hotel and the taxes owed.
To be continued: One People One Direction.
The writer is an Economist, retired teacher, former CNMI Board of Education Member, James Madison Fellow (U.S. Constitutional Scholar), a Fulbright-Hays & Humanities Scholar who resides in Kagman III.
The head-rest of George Washington’s “Rising Sun” chair.
