For TOOOOO long I have witnessed one crime after another focused directly on the tourists who come here to spend money and enjoy themselves. I have tried on several occasions to get MVA to support a “Tourist Act” that will dictate mandatory jail time in addition to the time for the crime committed much like the NY gun law. But the idea is coming from an outsider and we all know that means it won’t happen because of the wall of Social Imperialism that dictates an outsider can’t lead and get credit for ideas in the CNMI for contributing regardless of the merits — sad but true. However, I’m sure common sense people have come to realize outsiders can lead and contribute. Many people I have talked to also recognized that the CNMI needs to send a STRONG & CLEAR message to criminals and to tourists that crimes against tourists will not be tolerated as they are the life’s blood of our economy literally.
We also need every citizen to be vigilant in the effort to stop crimes against tourists and our neighbors. I’m sure many of the crimes against tourists could be solved if local people will step up and help Law Enforcement. But tourists are not one of us if you get my drift — so many people have a tendency to look the other way when they see or know of a local person committing a crime against tourists or the neighbor they don’t know or like.
A Tourist Act will do a great deal to stem the attempts to commit crimes against tourists. There is also technology at our finger tips capable of monitoring all the main tourist sites by remote cameras which are so good now you can see the color of their eyes — cameras are the best countermeasures to comeback crimes and criminal’s and it only takes ONE person to monitor the tourist sites. I personally don’t think we have done enough to protect the people we depend upon the most for money, especially when the crimes continue to happen in the same places which is proof we didn’t take the right steps to stop it.
If we truly want to impress our tourists — let them know they are indeed special and that we do care about their safety by creating a special law to protect them. I don’t have to tell you how much this will add to making a more positive image of the CNMI as a tourist destination. A Tourist Act will surely make it easier for tour agents to sell the CNMI and I’m sure even the governments of our tourists will even be appreciative of this law and show support for their people to visit the CNMI. One people one direction for protecting our tourists or should I say protect our money because the tourists certainly represent money coming to the CNMI and we certainly can’t afford to let the robbers and thieves spoil it for us all.
AMBROSE M. BENNETT
Kagman, Saipan
