THE TRUTH of the matter is our Governor has “chosen wisely” for us and WE-as-a-People, need to get on board and start moving forward as “one people headed in the same direction” and stop figuratively looking in the rearview mirror at China. We don’t hear Kilili promoting this EVS-TAP stuff because it is an attempt to circumvent our-fathers-in-Washington, especially when the EVS-TAP was recommended by Trump the Administration that supported China — duh! I don’t have to tell readers the fact that Trumpism was involved which spells TROUBLE! Jude has poli-tricked the entire legislature preying on their desperation to do something desperately-stupid even taking us backwards to 2019 Trump-GOP stuff. But that ship has sailed as all the variables for getting tourists from China have changed drastically and there is still the fact that Japanese are not coming if the CNMI is to be a Chinese tourist’s destination. Jude is doing what he does best, Poli-trick People!
Cause & Effect is a REAL phenomenon that is taught in Elementary, Junior High & High School because of the reality & power of this phenomenon that is prevalent in so many ways of our lives. Those who are crying China don’t get-it and are only thinking about and seeing dollar signs but there is a saying of wisdom that you often hear people say in the Ghetto and even when playing dominoes, as “all money AIN’T good money.” The adverse effects by the Feds possibly being angered at us for putting our eggs in China’s basket does NOT justify the potential damage to our control of Visa Tourist, as the Feds may even say NO MORE tourists from China, as Jude could be getting us in trouble.
There are three kinds of people when it comes to our economy, those who make things happen, those who fight against things happening and those who just watch things happening. WE need more people, especially in government & business sector making things happen, as the CNMI must change in a lot of different ways if WE are to find any resemblance of prosperity. The business community comes together when they are losing money but if they would put half the energy they put into pleading for China into things and promotions like “special hotel packages in Japan, having the Governor deciare a Japan Day or Week” and other things in Japan that can entice the Japanese to come as the potential for their return can grow exponentially — real synergy. But the Hotels & Businesses are NOT doing any promotions in Japan thinking that opening the door for Chinese will solve their problem — lazy & the cheap-way-out. To put it simple, too many have gotten lazy thinking Investors and the Chinese will just come and save us without us doing any work. Heck, as bad as WE need NEW attractions, no one is working on the “Theme Park I suggested for the CNMI to become a regional destination.” But we have those even trying to stop things like the Amelia Earhart Monument which appeals to world travelers who number in the millions- backwards.
The reality is WE must start thinking outside the traditional box of our Tourism and start doing the WORK, as WE should have learned by now to do our Homework. If WE were all on the same page there would be promotions in Japan, as there are millions of people in Japan who CAN afford to come to the CNMI but WE are busy seeking China and doing NOTHING NEW to entice the Japanese — it’s pathetic from my perspective! Why is the business sector crying like children wanting the Governor to fix THEIR problem when they should have seen this day coming as they should be acting like adults and DOING the work to change things for the better — control their destiny! The reality is WE must go “back-to-the-basics” to rebuild our Tourism Industry that started with Japan — it’s just that simple duh!
Kudos to Corrections Commissioner Anthony Torres for thinking out-side-the-box to make things better for the CNMI and Guam and to Rep. Propst for weighing-in to support this new approach — synergy. It was far more convincing coming from a lawmaker like Rep. Propst that WE the People should support this new approach as the new reality is this is the kind of forward out-side-the-box thinking that WE need to get-out of this hole Ralph & Crew dug for us all. We (government & private sector) need to do all we can to execute the plan and goals of the Governor, as fighting among ourselves is not the solution. Stop thinking back on China and start moving forward with the NEW program, as I will reiterate, the Governor has chosen wisely with Japan and it’s time for everyone who wants the CNMI to be successful become a “team-player.”
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
