THE challenge of the adversities we face is setting the conditions for prosperity which requires “education on the issue and the solutions, a sincere commitment by ALL the stakeholders and not just Democrats, and the fortitude to carry-out the plan.” These are the simple steps the CNMI took when establishing the Tourism Industry as the “base of our economy.” The real challenge now and has always been the “conservative and even lackadaisical approach to governing over the CNMI” when the CNMI needs “progressive thinking and commitment” to change. In fact, the Democrats can’t do any harm to the CNMI but they are trying to make changes to help us find prosperity, however, without the help of ALL the stakeholders (Senate & Governor) in governing it is virtually an impossible task for the Democrats to solely make things better or worse.
The head-rest of George Washington’s “Rising Sun” chair.
File photo
I’m sure the Democrat’s quest is to impose accountability and make improvements over the next two years that will prove beyond any doubt that the Democrats truly need a “complete opportunity to govern over the CNMI” like the Republicans have enjoyed for over twenty years that have been virtually wasted Economic Years that destroyed Tinian’s Casino and erecting what is now a dying Saipan Casino. But all we have gotten for our troubles has been a 10 Million Tip for our Power Bills and a few million that wasn’t budged and in Community Chest Funds and Taxes but there has continue to be one adversity after another with these Republicans and now we are at our rope’s end financially — literally and figuratively speaking.
The need is stronger than ever for us to turn adversity into prosperity and the Democrats are trying to do just that by expanding the Casino Industry base in hopes of stabilizing the Casino Industry with another license for Saipan. And the question I raised in a previous Sunrise Report still remains will the Senate and Governor approve of this all-important NEW Revenue Generating Bill as requested by the Governor. But if they don’t approve the Bill, I think most readers with common sense will know WHY, as Republicans are about helping the People but helping and protecting IPI. But just think if we had another Casino with tourists coming from another country which would surely help to build a better Casino Industry for the CNMI.
In fact, I think the Governor and his crew have done ENOUGH HARM to the CNMI, which is why the Federal AG said he had seen ENOUGH to step-in with the RICO Investigation and do something but another Republican name Trump delayed Justice being LOYAL to Torres over the People. I just wonder when Republicans are going to get it that OUR Governor, just like Trump was to America, is truly the BIGGEST enemy OF the People and the Republican Party as he is literally standing in the way of turning our adversities into prosperity. But there are two saying that I keep holding on-to: “every dog has it’s day & God AIN’T Sleeping” so I feel confident in saying that “time is on OUR side voters and it’s running out for the Governor and the Republican Party” who are literally standing in the way and hell-bent & bound on BLOCKING the Democrats efforts at finding prosperity. So, if anyone does any more harm to the CNMI it will be the Governor and the Republican Party, not Democrats.
It seems Senate President Jude Hofschneider is trying to turn the adversities created by Article XII into prosperity FOR the People and he is right that “Article XII has served its purpose,” which is exactly what the Feds recommended during the Covenant Negotiations. The premises of the Bill is spot-on but the genuine concern Locals should have is the language of the Bill that represents the “tip of the spear of destruction for NMDs” as Locals will finally get their Constitutional Right of “Free Enterprise” to do as they please with THEIR land but what about Government Land, as it seems the Government is going to take more control over the NMD financial resources. This is not an unfamiliar Republican Power Play as we saw this with CHC being turned into a cooperation so the Government could keep the 40 million a year they were putting into the Hospital and with the Retirement Fund that they literally robbed until it was dead and now it seems the 15 Million Republicans have already taken from the NMDs was just the beginning of the end for NMDs to have any real control over THEIR money. I can’t understand for the life of me why the NMDs have continued to allow Republican Political Emissaries to control THEIR money as the NMDs never organized under a single entity to control THEIR own destiny including the “right to elect THEIR Board Members” who are political appointees of the very same Republican Party that has already caused toooooo much harm to our Hospital, the Retirement Fund and now it’s the NMDs — for TRUE. I just hope the Democrats in the House will fix the problems with the Bill like the need for “a perpetual eligibility criterion for NMDs based on DNA & guaranteed full control by only NMDs” because ending Article XII will definitely help to turn some of our adversities into prosperity but it has to be done “RIGHT BY & FOR the People,” not the Republican Party. Can WE the People at least get a Public Hearing this time before another step is taken — duh!
Another challenge to turn adversity into prosperity is the Casino for sure, but the problem is the casino caused soooo much harm to itself even before the pandemic it is hard to have any “good-faith-bargaining” with these investors. I don’t envy the Commonwealth Casino Commission position but I think most of the People in the CNMI, who are the rightful signatories on IPI’s contract, would like to at least be given an opportunity to express how WE the People feel about IPI and their latest revelation to not oppose having the CCC suspend its casino gaming license, admitting to failing to pay the $40 million community benefit fund money in 2018 and 2019 and failing to pay the $15.5 million annual casino license fee by the Aug. 12, 2020, deadline, as required by the Casino License Agreement. We the People could also use that “second Casino License” now that Rep. Tina Sablan proposed EITC as we shouldn’t delay anything that can help the People find prosperity.
IPI already owes the PEOPLE 55.5 million by their own admission and most of the harm done to the Casino was done by IPI and their relationships in scandalous methods to build the Casino/Hotel that even included the Chinese Government. Furthermore, IPI’s parent company just recently admitted collecting 127 Million in China during this pandemic that was rightfully IPI’s Accounts Receivables which tells me the CCC should be asking only ONE question, “WHERE is OUR Money”??? Turning the IPI Dilemma of adversities into prosperity FOR the People is not going to be some kind of “Houdini Trick” as it may take a “miracle in China to fix IPI,” as it’s not the CNMI fault because our Government has already given too many extensions and all kinds of breaks to IPI. It’s time for IPI to “put-up some of the ownership in the Casino/Hotel as collateral or shut-up” and find their OWN way to turn THEIR adversities into prosperity. WE the People have seen enough and have enough challenges already on our hands to fix — for REAL!
To be continued: One People One Direction.
The writer is a 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.
