After all, what other industry does Saipan, the Northern Islands or the CNMI, for that matter, have to buttress our ailing hospitality industry and the barely revived agricultural industry? Does anyone have any inkling?
As we all know, our biggest local economy at the moment is public service employment. We do not have a military economy to speak of, like Guam, for instance.
Without a strong and vibrant economy, the quality of life, as we know it and expect, is but an illusion at worse and like a candle in the wind at best. Moreover, without a strong and healthy tax base to support our existing public services and capital infrastructure, the government economy would likely result in fait accompli, if it has not yet, in much the way the World Trade Agreement directly caused the demise of Saipan’s multi-billion-dollar garment industry, once the showcase of capitalistic free market enterprise in America’s most recent addition.
With the demise of the garment industry, thanks to the effort by some in Congress, the immigration takeover by the federalists and the implementation of the federal minimum wage, followed a domino effect, sending the prices of food, medicine, and other essential commodities in a tailspin; causing air freights and shipping rates to skyrocket overnight; mail services and deliveries quadruple in cost instantly; airlifts and seat capacity from major tourist origins to suffer a precipitous downward spiral; fuel costs behaving like a mercury in an almost unstoppable upswing mode; and a slew of spin-off adversities.
Needless to say, after the last garment shutdown, the once thriving garment villages on Saipan turned to shanty, ghetto-like ghost towns overnight! And never to come back, I might add, thanks to union liberals in the U.S. Congress!
True, the people of Saipan had twice voted down casino in the past as an economic option and an alternative industry. That was when Saipan did not really need the extra revenue from commonly perceived social vices like casinos, and besides, the island economy was strong enough to do without casinos in favor of more benign social vices like bingos, cockfights, pokers and golf courses. Fortunately, the local economy thrived then.
Today, the economic landscape is not what it once was and used to be. The lyrics to the economic music have changed, as did its tempo.
Saipan no longer has the garment to contend with, nor the air and shipping capacity advantage taken for granted in times past, much less the capability to engage in volume fuel purchase to lower fuel cost for utilities or vehicles, as it did in the past.
Like Saipan, Tinian also once thumped down on casinos before embracing the gaming industry and moving forward its economy with casino.
So did Rota.
Now both Rota and Tinian have casinos. What was feared about casinos then was just that, fear itself!
In any developing country, such as Saipan, having to contend without readily available natural resources; lacking in population size to engage in a robust large scale commerce; and the technical capacity; and wherewithal for exports that would precipitate a favorable balance of trade, in order to counter the huge demand on imported goods, it is essential, for all of these reasons, to facilitate outside capital infusion to jumpstart the local economy and nurture it, so that it becomes sustainable.
Sadly, the CNMI, at this moment, has lost much of its luster and appeal, and its economy requires nothing short of a life support in order to prod its economic engine back to normalcy. If not casino now, then what alternative do we have in store? Military? Pozzolan mining? Manganese nodule extraction in the Marianas Trench? Hello.
III. RECOMMENDATION
Based on the foregoing analyses and conclusion, the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council respectfully recommends to 17th House of Representative, Committee on Commerce & Tourism, the 17th House of Representatives and the 17th Senate to support passage of this extraordinary measure needed during these extraordinary times. Now.
Of course, it would be disingenuous of the council if we do not respectfully ask for the amendments we feel are essential which comports with the spirit of Article VI in the constitution, specifically over the budget process, procedure and allocation in HB 17-56. We respectfully request that the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council be included in the budget process, procedure, and allocation in the same manner as the Saipan mayor and municipal treasury.
We also ask that a separate budget submission be allowed for the Mayor of Northern Islands, and for the Saipan & Northern Islands Municipal Council to be provided for in the budget allocation on operation and village-level programs, projects and activities.
Furthermore, like the Tinian and Rota municipal councils, we respectfully request that the Mayor of the Northern Islands be allowed to appoint casino commission members in the same manner as the Mayor of Saipan, and have the nominees or appointees subject to confirmation by the Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council.
Not only is this suggested procedure in conformance with current standard practice in Tinian and Rota, but this procedure also expedites resolution of issues that would remain pending otherwise. In other words, it is more convenient and expeditious for a three-member council to work with and resolve issues compared to a 18-member house and 3-member Senate, for a total of 21 delegates to contend with, each with varying priorities, project interests and individual projects, as opposed to strictly addressing quality of life issues holistically within the municipality and the community by the three-member council (e.g., neighborhood watch, village revitalization, etc.).
To this end, we encourage the committee and the 17th legislature to engage in thoughtful and meaningful dialogue and deliberation over House Bill 17-56, and set aside any parochial and provincial inclinations, by supporting passage of this needed economic rescue plan with the amendments enumerated above.
The council stands ready to discuss any or all parts of the analysis contained in the attachment in any public forum. Simply communicate with Ms. Frances Muna at your council office at 664-2700 to make the necessary arrangement.
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