They seemed inseparable. Both think alike, talk alike, and behave alike, no wonder they support each other. That is why Governor Torres always acknowledged the President deeds ever if he doesn’t deserve the credit.
“He is very grateful for President Donald Trump for always being there for the CNMI providing financial help” so says Governor Torres. At this pandemonium moment, anyone who extends a helping hand to ease the pain and suffering of our people, no matter who it is, we should be internally grateful. The sad irony of the Governor’s statement is that by Tuesday, election day, Donald Trump, the impeached President, will be evicted from the While House and simultaneously indicted for a series of criminal offenses committed while in office. He will also find himself embroil in unprecedented civil litigations that could potentially put his businesses in bankruptcy court. As for our Governor, a close friend of mine from the other side told me, his days are numbered. If that is true, it has to do with his blatant disregard to the rule of law and dereliction to ethical compliance. Is it remotely likely that two Republican Governors be criminally charged and leave office in disgrace in a span of less than 10 years? Quite frankly, majority of our people are just exhausted with all the fault pretenses the Torres administration has led us through the years, including his deep shadow involvement in the casino corruption fiasco. Imagine the arrogance of IPI to continuedly defy the decisions of Federal Court.
The 21st Legislature
When the 21st Legislature convenes in January 2021, the new legislature will be faced with the stark reality that the CNMI coffers are dry and the government is broke. As a Commonwealth in political union with the United States through the Covenant, there are several very practical, local and federal, options the legislature can immediately do to mitigate the disastrous mismanagement of our economy. Here are some of those ideas:
1) Get rid of the irredeemable cause of the problem.
2) Sanction a realistic economic recovery plan that is targeted and focus on our people’s needs and the islands’ actual potential and limitations.
3) Collaborate with Congressman Kilili to identify critical services and programs that can be included into Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s massive economic stimulus initiatives for the next Congress. At least for the year 2021 we will be 100% dependent on federal financial assistance because the CNMI is broke.
4) Redesign our approach to tourism in how we market and welcome tourists to our islands, by accentuating the natural wonders of our physical attributes and cultural uniqueness. Most importantly modernize our tourists and historical sites and install sanitary facilities and pave roads. Our focal point in marketing our destination is our people and environment. This can be achieved by establishing, first time ever, theme park approach at the Marpi site and legislatively designate it as the Tourist Epicenter of the CNMI. When managed well hundreds of jobs for our people can be created by building Integrated tourist related developments by trustworthy, scrupulous and thoroughly vetted private investors. The former Kant Pacific facilities must be part of such development. To enhance the attractiveness of the plan, make the Investment Incentive Act of 2000 (Qualifying Certificate) and the Free Trade Zone FTZ applicable.
5) Remove in the Planning and Budgeting Act, the Governor’s 25% reprograming authority and have him submit to the legislature any request for reprograming of public funds. Immediately suspend his current 100% reprograming authority under the recently passed budget law. But legislatively mandate the Public Auditor to commence a thorough audit of his reprograming and expenditure of funds activities and report the findings to the people of the CNMI.
6) For more than 10 years now, and through the Antiquities Act of 1906, President Bush proclaimed 95.216 square miles of submerged lands and water around the Mariana Islands as the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument MTMNM and promised economic benefits for the people of the CNMI. This coming legislature must, and properly so, proactively asserts our claim of economic benefit as a result of the unilateral taking of our resources. These large squire miles of submerged lands and water within the Marianas Trench has ecological, historical, cultural and archaeological significance especially to the scientific community.
7) Legislatively design agricultural and fishing programs (must be certified to operate) that would focus on capturing the 20% food stamp expenditure requirement for local products in these two categories.
8) Use the “as provided by law” approach to leveraging land rights in Article 11, Section 1 in our Constitution for economic potentials.
9) Seriously consider a tax amnesty law for those businesses who have pending tax liabilities and in arrears.
10) Health statistics indicated high amount of diabetes in our local population. Our lifestyle may be a contributing factor in the problem and the high increase in foreign product consumptions, especially with products we do not know its label content because it is written in language we can’t read. To protect the health of our consumers a “Consumer Product Labeling Law” must be pass and sign into law. Though Public Law 11-40 the Pure Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1998 is in effect it does not include labeling of product mandate.
11) Section 6(d) of Article 11 in our Constitution provides that interest accrued on the trust (MPLT) shall transfer to the general revenues of the Commonwealth for appropriation by the legislature. It is incumbent upon the legislature to seriously consider a more sustainable source of funding to underwrite the costs of the Medical Referral Program. Perhaps this source could be earmarked for such purpose.
12) The way this administration uses its disposition authority of public lands which appears to be exploitative for seemingly obvious reason, the legislature needs to consider a more prudent way of protecting public lands and who should be entrusted to maximize its economic and cultural imperatives. Article 11, Section 3 management and disposition of public lands must be transferred to the Trustees of the Marianas Public Land Trust. So long as Secretary of Public Lands is the sole authority to receive all proceeds from public land leases, the ability of the TRUST to grow exponentially for the expressed interest of its beneficiaries is grossly inhibited because not 100% of the proceeds amount collected is remitted to the TRUST.
13) CUC is a self-revenue generating entity and must be designed and managed profitably to secure its viability and solvency. Turning it into a public corporation and have it managed by a reputable management team has the greater chance for success. Appropriate legislative action must be considered after serious review before its transformation. CUC must also be legally authorized to consider expanding its service to include Information Technology capability.
14) Doing business in the CNMI is a privilege and a representation of the integrity of the people. It is time that leaders take this matter very seriously. The Business License under the Department of Finance must be established as a separate entity to include the Commonwealth Development Authority. Expand its licensing and enforcement authority. Business that is not compatible with our values and does not respect our community is not worth having. Issuing business license for the sake of the economy is fundamentally inconsistent to promoting our cultural values. Business must be protected and allowed to prosper and thrive but not at the expense of destroying our way of lives and traditions.
15) Accessing the NAP/Food Stamp program is not a deeming choice and should never be the case. However, perpetual reliance on the program for those individuals who can be employed but no employment opportunity, should be channel to engage in the “From Garden to Plate” initiative for subsistence living. Recipients of the NAP program are required to register with the Labor Department for their employment prospect and engaging in the “From Garden to Plate” program should meet that requirement. Legislation for such initiative must be introduced in the next legislature. For this program to be successful there must be an agency designated to implement and provide technical assistance to the participants and CREES is the most appropriate entity for such undertaking.
16) CREES is currently doing assessment on the viability of Fish Farm within our waters. With technology and more data available to determine practicality and economic viability funding can be federally justified for such program.
17) Adopt in the House Rules for the 21st legislature, a provision requiring the Speaker of the House to give the State of the Legislature address.
18) Introduce comprehensive legislation addressing how our submerged land resources within our exclusive waters, can be exploited for economic potentials. Congressman Kilili’s involvement in this proposed legislation is extremely critical.
19) The administration of the Qualifying Certificate deserves critical review by the legislature to make certain that the tax abatement benefits a company receives has a proportionate reciprocal effect.
Democratic Party candidates do have concrete plan for their two-year term. Let’s give them the chance to preform and see the difference between the 32 years of Republican dominance of our government and the two years Democrats will have to prove themselves to voters. Please cast your vote for Democratic Party candidates.
