We were told in great detail when fuel would run out, and how much was needed to pay for the next delivery. All of the news looked grim indeed.
Friday’s papers reported that 20 percent of the amount due had been found somewhere, and provided, but that the rest still hung in the balance.
Saturday’s paper offered no new information. The weekend came and passed. And not a word in Monday’s papers.
What kind of nonsense is this? Who’s trying to threaten, blackmail, whom? The public is thrown into a panic — I know I certainly was — I depend on power to run my oxygen concentrator, which I need 24/7 — and I can imagine lots of other people were too. And for what purpose?
Obviously, the needed money was found somewhere. The vendor agreed to deliver the fuel. CUC is still operating.
There aren’t even scheduled blackouts being announced. So what was the point?
In the meantime, to make the whole issue look even sillier, the same papers that announced the imminent power outage announced the opening of Liberation Day festivities. How much fuel does that consume? If there really were a fuel shortage, why couldn’t that have been postponed for a week, or however long it took to get the bills paid, and power back on?
Even more egregious, the paper also reported that the Rota delegation had just appropriated $402,000 to its gaming commission, when it was reported that Rota only had fuel enough for another week.
The story of the boy who cried “wolf” once too often is legendary. How can we believe that CUC is really short of fuel? That the CNMI is really short of funds to pay vendors? That there really will be blackouts?
Where’s the integrity? The accountability? The truth?
RUTH L. TIGHE
Tanapag, Saipan
