IN her opening and closing remarks at the Saipan Chamber of Commerce gubernatorial debate on Thursday, Democratic Rep. Christina Marie Elise “Tina” Sablan said voters can either choose the status quo or vote for change.
“When the people of the Marianas voted 50 years ago for the Covenant, we began our journey to fulfill the promise of self-governance, of a closer relationship with the United States, and a decent standard of living for all,” she said in her opening statement. “We emerged from the darkness of war, centuries of colonial occupation, generations of trauma, and we moved into the light of hope for a bright and beautiful future. The founding mothers and fathers of this Commonwealth had big dreams, and we should, too.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, our Commonwealth is at a crossroads,” she added, “and there’s so much at stake in this election. We have an important decision to make about our leadership in government, and the kind of future we want for our Commonwealth. We can choose the status quo. We now have a governor who has been raided by the FBI, impeached by the House, and is facing criminal charges. We have a failed unfinished casino in the heart of Garapan, and an administration that’s run a deficit for six straight years and is still spending money like there’s no tomorrow. We can choose the same old leadership and we will get the same old-school politics, or we can choose to change.”
Sablan said she and her running mate, Rep. Leila Haveia F. C. Staffler, “recognize that the need for change is now, if we are to have hope again for that bright and beautiful future.”
“And when we talk about change, we’re talking about good governance, because you deserve a government that is fair, honest, and fiscally responsible, and leaders that you can trust. That is the good government that the Sablan-Staffler administration will deliver,” she added.
In her closing remarks, she said: “It’s not just about winning in November, and it’s about more than just the next four years. This is about planting seeds for the future we want and the kind of Commonwealth we want to live in.”
She added, “Change is possible in the Marianas. Our problems are solvable. We have so much potential, so much natural and cultural beauty, a wealth of human talent.”
Sablan said thanks to U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan and the Democrats in the U.S. Congress, “we have this unprecedented once-in-a-generation opportunity, more than $2 billion to transform these islands for the better.”
“We can make our Marianas an amazing place,” she added. “We can bring back hope for a future that is healthy, safe, beautiful, and just. We can bring back pride in our home, and make investments in the education and well-being of our people and the critical infrastructure — the water, the wastewater, solid waste, and power that we all need to thrive.”
She said it starts with good governance. “That is the promise of our Covenant. That is the change that is on the ballot in November. Change will come to the Marianas when we vote for it, so please vote… Vote for leaders you can trust, leaders who won’t lie to you or steal from you. Vote for Leila and me, and we will help and work for everyone. Leila and I are number one on the ballot and we humbly ask for your support.”
The other candidates are the Republican tandem of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Senate Floor Leader Vinnie Vinson F. Sablan, and the Independent team of Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang.
The CNMI’s 12th gubernatorial election will be held on Nov. 8.
Tina Sablan
