Ambrose M. Bennett
THE TRUTH of the matter is the Republican Party, especially the delegate candidate are using this China issue to keep the delegate candidate in the news, given the China issue is the only thing she has going. I truly hate to see the citizens of the CNMI being subjected “deflecting & gaslighting this issue” when WE (the Governor) has done all that can be done at this point in time when it comes to China. I can remember the talk about the Casino being the ANSWER and now look but fast forward to today it’s China being the ANSWER when NO ONE in the CNMI has talked to the Chinese Government for any kind of reassurance, which is something I’ve heard the Governor is working on behind the schemes — get it from the horses’ mouth figuratively is true wisdom and prudent FOR the People! No one has even bothered to make sure the Chinese are even going to return in numbers, just yelling China.
The Hotels are only thinking about their bottom line — getting more tourists regardless of HOW! What gets me is they are putting all the financial burden on the Government. But WE (the People) don’t see the Hotel Investors getting together and creating a fund to HELP in advertising in China if they are so afraid and want Chinese Tourists. I’m sure the Governor is not against them doing their own advertisement, just like he is not against Chinese Tourists. If there is one thing, I have learned about the CNMI is the fact that our politicians and even some citizens likes to put it on the government but they never think about it was THEM who elected the WRONG person. Just look at the devastation caused by Ralph that WE will be recovering from for YEARS! Most Political Scientist view election choices as “choosing the lesser of the two evils,” as to often citizens say “I don’t trust none of them.”
But if candidate king-Hinds was so right about China and our airport, why did the CPA Board terminate her is a question every voting citizen should be thinking about given the attacks on the Governor for her short comings. I am only commenting about this election matter because it will be toooo late to mention this after the election and it’s too important to just let-it-go! Rep. Propst is sooooo RIGHT again, as now King-Hinds is trying to “put the cart in front of the horse” figuratively. “It’s mind-boggling’ for me, Rep. Propst and even the Governor & citizens to spend our resources and political capital going after Annex VI and unlimited flights from mainland China” when WE don’t even know if the flights can be filled with Tourists. There’s much more out there than China — HELLER!
The CNMI needs to KNOW first and foremost “WHAT is the Chinese Government going to do,” which is a question the Hotel Association, the Chamber of Commerce nor anyone in the CNMI can answer. Thus, it is WISE & PRUDENT to “wait & see” what is going to happen with China and what their government is going to do about their citizens visiting the CNMI. I keep reiterating what the Chinese Government has already said and I hope Ms. King-Hinds will get it this time as they clearly said in Variety, “no Chinese citizen will be allowed to travel to the CNMI to gamble” and we have gambling everywhere and they are even talking about putting gambling in the Hotels and on Tinian again. This is a bunch of “smoke & mirrors” to put King-Hinds in the spotlight, which is what I don’t like because candidates’ election should be about THEIR merits, not attacking the Governor whom I know is trying to fix the problem with our economy that is going to take time.
I have seen enough of this “gaslighting the China issue” just like they gaslighted the casino and shoved it down our throats. I’m just glad WE have a Governor who is wise enough to know that investing in China is the REAL Gamble, especially when the CNMI can’t control anything and the Chinese Government and the geopolitics with America can change in the blink-of-an-eye for the worse. Why can’t the Hotels and Chamber of Commerce help the cash-strapped Government and do their own advertisement in China through MVA and if the numbers continue to grow without the Chinese Government interfering, then the Annex VI will surely be a genuine and proven option to invest in. But I want to know WHY hasn’t the Hotels & Chamber of Commerce mentioned the Cannabis Tourism Industry, which can bring in tourists from countries everywhere if they know about our industry. WE (the CNMI) need to at least give the Cannabis Tourism Industry a genuine effort especially when we now know marijuana is the SAFEST Vice on the market!
One People, One Direction.
Ambrose M. Bennett is an Economist who minored in Sociology, a Political Scientist, a retired teacher & former CNMI Board of Education Member, a James Madison Fellow (U.S. Constitutional Scholar), a Fulbright-Hays & lifetime Humanities Scholar who resides in Kagman III in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
