Instead of explaining why they “need” vehicles and how much taxpayers are paying for these SUV’s and pickups, legislators should have pointed out that every single government entity — departments, divisions, programs, autonomous agencies, the justices, the judges, the mayors, the offices of the governor and lt. governor, etc. — is charging taxpayers for vehicles which are among the lavish perks enjoyed by CNMI public servants. They also get to hire their political supporters and relatives to do basically nothing. They are overpaid. They “work” in air-conditioned offices with free wireless internet connection. They don’t pay for utilities. They travel. The quality of their “work” ranges from dismal to mediocre.
So how long can this bloated government continue wasting public funds?
Small business closures must be at a record high, private sector employees are losing their jobs or enduring hourly reductions, and yet CNMI officials seem oblivious to their excesses in these hard times.
When will the good of the people of the CNMI say “enough”?
Zoning farce
NOT surprisingly, the new zoning administrator has been shown the door after only a year on the job, following on the heels of his predecessor who served for a mere six or so months. The Legislature and Zoning Board do as they please, approving applications and variations they like. Like other CNMI officials, they believe that the law is meant to be amended or ignored.
Recently, for example, the House speaker interceded on behalf of a private developer that couldn’t design a condominium complex with the set-backs required for a project of its size. So the speaker just passed a bill to exempt the project. There is no doubt that the development is important to the commonwealth, but couldn’t it have been done without legislative amendment? If not, why not?
At this stage, in any case, there are many good arguments for getting rid of the zoning legislation and board altogether. When regulation can be applied so arbitrarily and without regard to intent, then it is subject to abuse and misuse and no longer serves the broad public purpose it was designed to achieve.
Right now, Saipan has a zoning law that CNMI officials don’t want to implement, and a Zoning Board that believes its job is to grant exemptions to its friends.
End this expensive farce. Repeal the law, abolish the board and let’s all watch how Saipan completes its transformation into a third world island.
Invasion of the party snatchers
WHAT the acting governor should have said is that the NMI Republican Party in its latest incarnation has nothing to offer the commonwealth. Its newest members were with the Covenant Party and part of the governor’s “think tank.” Technically speaking, there was no “merger.” Covenant operatives have simply infiltrated and taken over the local GOP. Some have returned to the party they left or abandoned. Some are newcomers.
But the end result is that the Covenant Party is now the Republican Party. And both deserve to be booted out of power.
