IT was YOU Governor who PROMISED Retirees a Bonus and not the Legislature but YOU chose to blame the Democrats instead of explaining what really went wrong with YOUR decision. YOU should know Governor that “the buck stops at YOUR desk” and not in the Legislature which tells me you continue to think WE the People are stupid. YOU and other previous Governors have given out a Bonus to Retirees without the pre-approval of the Legislature because it is already a matter of Law.
What were YOU thinking Governor when you made a promise that YOU were not able to deliver upon? It really doesn’t make any sense to us-regular-folks in the-cheap seats and your explanation in the news was more of an assassination of the House than an explanation of what went wrong. How can YOU in good conscious try to blame the Democrats for YOUR failure to deliver and even attack Rep. Edwin Propst for educating the People on the reality of what “YOU FAILED TO DO”! If Reprogramming authority was really needed by the Governor this alleged fact was NOT explained clearly to the Legislature nor to Retirees so the fault still lies with YOU Governor for making a promise and not making sure it became a reality.
Instead, YOU chose to run off to places unknown with no clear explanation of what needs to be done, which caused the Retiree Bonus to become a “Political-football.” YOU are the reason politics entered the arena Governor because of YOUR poor leadership on the issue. What are people supposed to think when YOU made the promise but your explanation is putting the burden to deliver on the Democrats which was not “fair” nor even appropriate. Furthermore, there is no need to create a new business as the obligations to Retirees are already a matter of Law and the Settlement Fund is already an old established business.
For me, WE the People are now getting a bunch of “double-talk” from YOU Governor and the Secretary of Finance trying to rationalize the mistake YOU made Governor that I believe was done on purpose. This is not the first time for the Governor to issue a Bonus/cost of living increase to Retirees and there is NO Excuse for the Governor unless he wants to declare he made a mistake which WE the People know he will never do as he has yet to apologize for all the LIES YOU have already told us-folks-in-the-cheap-seats Governor.
But more importantly, voters need to know that previously Retirees were getting “a cost-of-living increase” that was calculated based on the rise in the prices and the cost of living which is why the last Retiree Bonus was 1,275 & change. But the Republicans in the Legislature change the wording from “a cost-of-living increase to bonus” which allowed them to manipulate how much Retirees would get. I hope the Democrats will change the Language in the Law back to “a cost-of-living increase” so Retirees can get what they need and are actually due. WHY are retirees only getting 500 dollars when every Retiree with common sense KNOWS this amount should be a lot MORE given the rise in the cost of living and it has been 3 Years since the last disbursement for Retirees to get a supplement to their “FIXED-Income.” There was no calculation done on how much Retirees should get or are owed and YOU Governor didn’t mention how much Retirees are OWED but I pray the Democrats in the House will address “what is truly owed to Retirees given nothing was paid to Retirees in 2019 and 2020.
It’s clear YOU Governor just made up a number for 2021, to give Retirees instead of even trying to address the past-due amounts OWED to Retirees. I guess YOU think WE-Retirees are forgetful and even stupid and can’t keep track of what is really owed. When are YOU going to give Retirees a full explanation on what is really owed to Retirees and establish a plan to pay Retirees all the “back-pay WE are due”? YOU need to stop playing your “poli-tricks” and start performing your “political-duty to Retirees” as no one is really believing the poor rationalization that YOU and YOUR Secretary of Finance are offering Retirees. FIX the Law to give Retirees their “cost-of-living increase and tell Retirees exactly how much is really owed” so WE can hold YOU accountable Governor for what is really due to Retirees. One people One Direction.
The writer is an Economist, Political Scientist, retired teacher, former CNMI Board of Education Member, James Madison Fellow (U.S. Constitutional Scholar), a Fulbright-Hays & Humanities Scholar who resides in Kagman III.
Ambrose M. Bennett
