WHILE the Governor’s Economic Taskforce has created and even cemented “partnerships with the Public & Private Sectors” the Economic outcomes and improvements in the quality of life have been miniscule to say the least. I actually had to read the Governor’s Opinion Letter twice to make sure I “WAS NOT hearing the bottom line which is an improvement in our Economic Posture and the quality of life but needless to say, that WAS NOT in the Governor’s letter. The Governor just “deflected the real issue of rebuilding our economy to partnerships while gaslighting the relationships between the Government, Businesses and the General Public. There was TAYA on Economic Expansion, TAYA on a REAL Economic Plan for Growth and TAYA on what improvements the People got or can expect to see in their quality of life. But this is Election Season so a message, press release or letter was DUE on our Economy and that was the best the Governor could do — a letter to the editor, LOL!!! At least he didn’t promise “Prosperity” this time even though he has already violated the Constitution THREE-TIMES as there has NOT been a Constitutionally Mandated Commonwealth Address since he told the Prosperity-LIE, HELLER Voters and don’t believe the Governor’s hype!
This is the same Economic Taskforce that supported the “Deer Hunting & Torres Family Vacation” that most of us with common sense know was a total Rip-off of OUR money! This is the same Economic Taskforce that could only come up with “two-bubbles” that could literally burst at any moment as the South Korean Bubble has yet to yield the “return tourists” needed to drive our Tourism Industry. Now it’s the Japanese Bubble after the Republicans ran them away, which is tenuous (fragile or questionable) at the very best, especially if the work is not done to “impress & convince” the Japanese that the CNMI is very serious about their return. The Korean and Japanese Bubbles are just something to “open-the-door” but it does not guarantee how many Korean or Japanese will walk through that door figuratively.
The Casino also still looms larger than life in Garapan that clearly reflects it’s Chinese, while the IH Group is not showing a lot of promise given the fiasco over the alleged false advertisement of a 20 Story Hotel/Casino on Luta. More importantly, I have been reading everything associated with the Casino and the Agreement they are working on and I still haven’t read or heard a single word about the Community Chess Fund that is OWED to the People to the tune of 57-million and soon to be 77-million. Just think what 57-million could do for the Quality of life, especially the poor but as usual, the PEOPLE are dead-last on the business agenda of Republicans who care MORE about Big Business.
I do want to thank Ms. Maria Castor for reminding me that, even the Republicans on the mainland don’t care about the People in the CNMI and THANKS to Kilili who worked extremely hard to help the People and the CNMI. FYI readers: The AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN SAVES THE MARIANAS but the Votes were: House Democrats 220, Republicans 0 and Senate Democrats 50, Republicans 0. As for College affordable for all: Democrats 219 Republicans 0, which PROVES that WE the People of the CNMI mean absolutely ZERO to Republicans on the mainland, unlike what the Governor wanted us to think in his Photo Ops with Trump. Yet, the Democrats (the People’s Party) have been busy working on the mainland to HELP the People in the CNMI and our own CNMI Democrat Party has been in a constant up-hill battle just to keep the Governor and most of these Republicans HONEST & HONORABLE to their oath, which is why it is SOOOO important that Democrats control the Executive Office, the House and the Senate if WE the People are to fix our Economy and put an end to the “irresponsible, reckless and even corrupt Government.”
If the Governor’s Economic Council was worth their title, they wouldn’t be asking so much for ideas from the Public and more importantly WHY hasn’t the Governor capitalized on the Economic potential of having an Amelia Earhart Monument that would attract Tourists from all over the world, especially when it won’t cost the CNMI a single penny. Heck, there are hectors of wasted space at some tourist sites and even an entire mountain that only has one tourist site at the top. But WE know why the Governor won’t get behind the Earhart Monument even though it will add value to our Tourism Industry because HE won’t get the credit that is due to Ms. Castro nor can he gain any Political Real Estate — selfish gains & aggrandizement.
For me being a REAL Economist with a Degree, I believe the People of the CNMI have been experiencing an Economic Taskforce from HELL figuratively given that the CNMI is virtually right back where we started when the decision was made over three decades ago to make Tourism our primary Economic Engine. Heck, this Taskforce hasn’t done a single thing to promote our Cannabis Tourism Industry proving what I wrote about “the Republicans using Legalization just to get elected” and now they don’t know what to do about either of the two industries. We’ve had three “420 Anniversaries” to just come and go with TAYA Cannabis Tourism being promoted when 420 is recognized and celebrated by Marijuana Smokers throughout the entire world. Just think what a 420 Celebration might do for our Tourism Industry, as the CNMI is the only island in the Pacific where it is legal for recreational use. It’s truly pathetic in how they have failed so miserably with the Economic Development and promoting of the Cannabis & Hemp Industries that Republicans don’t even want to talk about for this election.
The Republicans seem to think, “get investors and they will do the work” but in reality, WE the CNMI must create the “infrastructure and climate for Economic Growth & Prosperity” that is not going to happen with the present Economic Taskforce. To make it worse, the Governor continues to “piece-meal” his efforts in helping the people while the People continue to barely make it from day to day, as pay-check to pay-check is quickly becoming no longer an option given inflation has hit the CNMI twice-as-hard as it hit the mainland while salaries & fix-incomes remain the same. We the People have gotten less than 20% of the half-billion in Stimulus Funds when we need a PERMANENT Subsidy for our Power Bills until inflation is diminished and we needed it YESTERDAY!!! So PLEASE collect OUR 57-million soon to be 77-million from IPI for our Power Bills every month, which means the IH Group is going to need to invest far more than 150-million to fix-it for IPI.
Our Economy depends upon how we vote, especially when Torres was BOASTING about HIS relationship with Trump but now, WE can see he was following “Trump’s Play-book” with the Legislature, the Economy and OUR money. It’s not just about “YOUR ROOSTER” but about EVERYONE living in the CNMI and WE the People need the RIGHT Team with the RIGHT Stuff to fully control our government come 2023 or WE the People will be RIGHT Back with the same old Republican-mentality that got us into this Economic Mess. The Democrats are now poised to clean-up the Republican Mess created by Trump by “closing tax-loopholes and improving America’s economy” while the Democrats in the CNMI are working hard “to create real Fiscal Responsibility FOR the People and Economic Stability”. I must respectfully ask, WHEN will American voters, including those in the CNMI will come to the realization that Republicans are MORE FOR Big Business, NOT the People! It’s really simple — vote Democrat especially if you are poor and you truly want change and improvements in our Economy and your quality of life.
To be continued: One People One Direction for NEW & BETTER Leaders!
The writer 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 & Humanities Scholar who resides in Kagman III.
Ambrose M. Bennett
