THE TRUTH of the matter is “if WE (the CNMI) didn’t learn the lessons taught by history then WE are DOOMED to make the SAME MISTAKE(s),” and believe me that has happened entirely toooooo many times in the CNMI since my arrival here in 1989, as the-powers-that-be have yet to learn much of anything I’ve been teaching & preaching. Didn’t WE learn from paying the Casino Commissioners on Rota for YEARS when there was NO-CASINO because WE are making the same darn mistake with the Saipan Casino Commissioners who are costing us nearly ½-million a year for NOTHING! While I strongly disagree with Rep. Marissa R. Flores on the Bill to increase taxes on Soft-drinks, I want to commend her and offer my sincere KUDOS for her efforts to try and get the Casino Commissioners to resign keep-it-up! It’s obvious they have messed-up with their governance over the Casino and now they are trying to string this mess out to 2032 — it’s ridiculous!
WE (our leaders and especially the Casino Commission) have overlooked one of the most used methodologies of all time which is to use the KISS Methodology to, “Keep it Simple, Stupid.” Whenever things start to get complicated, WE all know how almost anything can get MESSED-UP and that is exactly what the CC has been doing by making it complicated with their efforts to collect money that IPI does not have when the CC should have been using the KISS Methodology by going after their “stocks for everything owed to the Government & the People.” This simple approach would have even given our Governor a real say in what happens to the monstrosity of a White-Elephant in Garapan and how to expedite completing the project. The CNMI could be selling IPI stocks instead of putting more taxes on the People, as WE are at our very ENDS!
The Governor is also RIGHT about China, as it’s not about banning China but upholding OUR original commitment to the People of the CNMI and the Japanese which was to make the CNMI a tourist destination for Japanese society. The moment we signed that Exclusive Casino Agreement with a Chinese Investor WE signed the “Death Warrant for Japanese Tourists” and to-date there has yet to be any kind of “Formal Apology to the People & Government of Japan.” I even expressed to the Governor the need for the State Department’s help so he could talk directly to the leaders of Japan to convey the CNMI’s apology and to seek the Japanese Government’s support, which would be the TRUE Greatness I mentioned in an earlier Op ed. If the Japanese Government went public on behalf of CNMI Tourism they will return — KISS.
I’m sure our leaders had-to-know that trying to mix Chinese with Japanese is like trying to mix water & oil and now we face the unimaginable task, that could have been avoided had they listened to Ambrose, but they did it anyway. Now WE are face with trying to separate the two while continuing to apply these two powerful variables of our Tourism Industry. The Casino and our Tourism were DOOMED from the start because our leaders failed miserably to learn the age-old history lesson about the Chinese & Japanese. I’m not against the Chinese, I just know the CNMI can only “formally commit to Japan for geopolitical & social TRUE FACTS” if WE expect to grow our tourism base. So, let’s get-with-the-program to bring back the Japanese. These are the facts about China as this is about the BUSINESS of Tourism, no disrespect intended:
The RICO Investigation has already exposed the Chinese Government was part owner in the Employment Agency that was sending illegal workers to the CNMI.
The former Governor and former Rep. Angel Demapan have both been linked in a RICO Investigation involving taking political campaign money from the Chinese Government, which is eventually going to cause a lot of political blow-back for the Chinese Government once the RICO case is tried in Federal Court.
China is considered a “foe and even enemy of America by the U.S. Government.”
The Japanese are considered “A” Tourists while the Chinese are considered as “C” class Tourists for a number of reasons.
The Chinese Government has already said they “are NOT going to allow their citizens to travel to the CNMI due to the gambling in the CNMI. So, WHY are some people still talking about China when their government is now against their citizens even coming here — it’s Ka duku (crazy) for me. I could go on and on with rationales supporting the Governor pivoting to Japan but it should be clear he did have to choose one or the other when it comes to formally pursuing tourists, as it’s a waste of time with China that can only cause more headaches, potholes and economic uncertainty. So please use the KISS methodology more leaders!
One People, One Direction.
Ambrose M. Bennett is an Economist who minored in Sociology, a Political Scientist, a 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.
Ambrose Bennett
