He says “talk is cheap but actions are what matters most….” CNMI leaders, says the islands’ top leader, “should be focused on advocating policies and economic incentives that will truly bring about long-term financial stability for our commonwealth.” They should “spend more time working on legislation that provides long-term economic stability for native people instead of working on band aid solutions and back-door granting of U.S. citizenship for nonresident workers.”
If all this hot air sounds familiar, it’s because you first heard it during the 2010 campaign season.
At any rate, part of your congressional delegate’s job is to inform you about federal matters affecting the CNMI. He has been doing that since he was sworn into office. But it was only last year when the governor, who wanted your delegate “punished” for not supporting him in 2009, began accusing Kilili of “credit grabbing.” Recently, Kilili relayed to his constituents the good news about the additional food stamp funding, but the governor said this is “misleading the public.” How? The governor said “talk is cheap” and he, of course, was referring to Kilili, but why? Was it Kilili who promised better times? Did he talk about the peanut butter and shoe factories that would do business here once he was elected governor? Was it Kilili who vowed to “protect” local control over minimum wage and immigration only to lose it? What has the governor done to “advocate policies and economic incentives that will truly bring about long-term financial stability for our commonwealth”? Hiring political supporters, regardless of their qualifications, and awarding questionable sole-sourced contracts to cronies? Who is behind all the “band aid” solutions that have been applied to the CNMI’s already gangrenous condition?
Uncle Ben, sir, you are the governor, not Kilili. You, sir, have been in charge since 2006.
A “backdoor granting of U.S. citizenship for nonresident workers”? Kilili’s bill will allow nonresident parents of U.S. citizen children to apply for long-term residency in the CNMI only. They will remain foreigners and will not be granted U.S. citizenship by Kilili’s proposal. Whether his bill is passed or not, they will be petitioned by their U.S. citizen children eventually.
And this administration accuses Kilili of misleading the public?
Who is the author of the CNMI law that allowed the entry of thousands of nonresidents who have settled and created families here? Who supported Jack Abramoff’s lobbying efforts that infuriated U.S. Democrats and ensured that once they were back in power they would pass federal takeover legislation? Who caused the delay in the implementation of the worker regulations? Who opposed and still opposes the extension of federal immigration law to the islands because it restricts the entry of more nonresident workers? Who is in favor of a return to the “good old days” when private sector wages were low and anyone, even those on food stamps, could hire foreign workers?
Not Kilili, who now has to clean the mess created by the governor and politicians like him.
Last week, I was told that the governor’s “die hard” supporters are “urging” him to run for delegate next year.
Finally, a great — no, an inspired — idea from the RepubliCons.
The congressional delegate is an official elected CNMI-wide, but the governor believes your congressman should defer to his, Uncle Ben’s, wishes, not yours. The governor apparently has other ideas for the delegate’s office. But there is no one else out there, absolutely no one, who can beat Kilili next year. Not former Speaker Palacios, who is, in any case, too intelligent to agree to be the governor’s patsy in the 2012 delegate election. The announcement that Galvin is chairing his Uncle Greg’s Committee to Elect is also a clear indication that John Nekai Babauta, right now, doesn’t want to lose to Kilili, again.
The governor should not disappoint his rah-rah boys and girls. He should challenge Kilili, mano a mano. It’s a win-win for everyone. If Uncle Ben decides to run, he must resign as governor. (See Article VIII, Section 5 of the CNMI Constitution.) Lt. Gov. Eloy Inos, a financial expert, will become the new chief executive and everyone, and I mean everyone, will rally behind him. After six dreary, bitter years, a new governor will mean a fresh start for the commonwealth. And with Governor Fitial on the ballot again, CNMI voters can atone for their dubious decision in the 2009 runoff and finally tell him what they really think of his catastrophic reign.
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