Of the 29 CNMI lawmakers, only Representatives Yumul and Palacios were present. Enormous credit goes to them for making the effort to attend this meeting, to hear what the general public has to say about how their congressman is representing them in Washington, and to be open to working with others to solve the many problems facing the CNMI.
As for those who “snubbed” Kilili’s invitation, perhaps they didn’t want to hear from their constituents because they never do anything anyway.
Most of these lawmakers, moreover, have an agenda that they are committed to and don’t need public input to persuade them to deviate from their current (disastrous) course of action.
Questions for CHC
THERE is a lot of debate over transitioning the Commonwealth Health Center to a public corporation without any discussion of what that would mean to public health delivery in the CNMI. How, for example, does this impact the rate structure? Medical costs at CHC are highly subsidized, and a fairly large percent of the population have no medical insurance coverage. How will a public corporation manage this circumstance differently? Will Rota and Tinian clinics be included immediately in the commonwealth-wide change? How will this impact on hospital operations on Saipan, Rota and Tinian?
And most importantly, how will CHC operate on the $5 million allotted in the FY 2012 budget?
If there is a plan to later subcontract hospital operations to a private entity, then what are the terms of the procurement offer and who wrote the them? Are they structured to attract qualified firms that will deliver quality care?
For a change, candidates for the transition committee and the hospital board must be serious, knowledgeable and responsible. It does begin with this. Whether it will be a dependable autonomous body or yet another rubberstamp entity will be reflected in the composition of the hospital board and the transition committee. This is important to your health.
Finally
THE federal government is about to announce regulations giving guidance to thousands of businesses and nonresident employees in the CNMI.
There is a lot of speculation circulating about what the regulations will do and not do. It is likely, however, that they will not deviate from federal policies applied on the mainland. Many of the islands’ largest private sector employers have already begun to implement a plan that serves their own workforce needs using the worst case scenario, preparing themselves as best they can for full implementation of stringent federal rules that may or may not be crafted with local conditions in mind.
Still, people will be able to plan their futures with more clarity when the regulations are finally published and that should count for something in these dreary times.
A reminder
SCHOOL is back on the agenda for thousands of families in the CNMI. Some private schools are already in session and PSS is organizing to open its doors next week, a relief for many parents, but not for drivers on the road.
Drive with care.
