At that time, the governor, with a former CUC official as his running mate, claimed he understood the problem, but nearly a year into his own administration blackouts became more frequent and the CNMI’s power cost grew to become one of the, if not the, nation’s highest.
Aggreko, arguably, might be one of the very few sound decisions made by this administration. But the company is now packing amid rising fuel prices and with the typhoon season not yet past us. Can we really trust CUC to keep the lights on — even after Election Day? And why can’t CUC disclose Aggreko’s fuel costs the CNMI paid for?
Another crisis in the making
PUBLIC Health officials say they are now receiving proposals from the private sector that will “enhance” public services. But this is as definitive and useful to the general public as one legislator conducting a customer service survey for the hospital. Departing physicians have written letters to the editor informing the people of the serious conditions at the hospital. The record shows that hiring on a lower level continues unabated, but the positions for radiology, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, nursing and key medical specialties remain vacant. Apparently, administration officials are choosing political hires over badly needed medical personnel. This puts people’s life at risk.
And more and more, the administration and hospital officials are relying on medical referrals, upping the cost of medical delivery even as the hospital’s reputation crashes.
Meanwhile, the remaining physicians, nurses and technical personnel struggle to deliver good care in a harsh and unforgiving work environment. There is little support from management and there are fewer and fewer supplies as vendors wait for payments. This is not a situation that will be improved with a healthcare survey or with letters to the public auditor as some legislators have suggested.
Except for allowing private clinics to move into the hospital, the administration seems to have no plan to address CHC’s mounting problems. To turn CHC into a facility leased to private clinics — is that the ultimate goal? Who will be responsible for public health then? What happens to the department’s budget? Will the CNMI still need a public health secretary?
CHC’s management, clearly, is a dismal failure and this open invitation to private clinics is an admission of the government’s inability to deliver urgently needed public services.
The useless in pursuit of the senseless
THE Saipan municipal council members have announced plans for a memorial for themselves and past leaders like themselves. This expenditure of funds for such a project in today’s economic climate should be discouraged.
And while we’re at it, funds appropriated many years ago to the Saipan mayor’s office for an animal shelter should be given to non-profit organizations like PAWS and private citizens who have dedicated themselves to this issue for years without any help from the government. Guam did just that and improved conditions for the island’s animals.
