WHILE the NMDs actually have over 100-million in their Treasure-chest, they can’t gain access to these millions because there is NO-listing of WHO are the NMDs. One would think that a listing of NMDs would have been one of the very FIRST-things done when Article XII became Law over four decades ago but to-date WE the People still don’t know who are the NMDs. Even if the Bill by Senator Edith was to become Law, there is no way to tell WHO the NMDs are that will get the Interest Money Compensation, as this is known as “putting the cart in-front of the horse” which we know won’t work. But Tinian & Luta Voters who are ALL NMDs should still literally be “Up-in-arms Protesting against Senator Hofschneider, Cruz and Hocog for trashing Senator Edith’s Bill” — get NEW Senators Luta & Tinian.
For more than a decade “I” and “I-Alone” have been yelling and even pleading on behalf of my children for the NMDs to get organized so they can reap the benefits of the millions at MPLT. But I’m and outsider trying to tell Locals what needs to be done and the out-right ARROGANCE of the Republican Leadership over the past decades have been AGAINST anything that I promoted especially my admonishments that the NMDs need to be organized and implementing accountability over THEIR money. The same thing happened when I tried to help teachers gain their Constitutional Right to Collective Bargaining and they actually changed the CNMI Constitution all because of Ambrose M. Bennett’s efforts to help teachers. Heck still today, our teachers are the only teachers in America who can be FIRED With-Out Cause — a true HORROR story that is still on-going but kept quiet by the Powers-that-BE on the Board of Education!
But there were even two different groups of NMDs at one time that just fell-by-the-way-side over time as neither group got anything accomplished. In fact, and to-date, the Governor has been the ONLY one to gain access to the MPLT money that belongs to the NMDs. I’m sure the NMDs don’t even know if the Governor has paid-back the 15-million of THEIR money, which I doubt — the “Silence-Politics” that I mentioned in my previous op-ed. Heck, if there was a need for a new Homestead FOR NMDs, then WHY didn’t the Governor make a request to MPLT for the funds instead of taking 80-million of OUR money intended to HELP ALL the People in the CNMI! Stop the foolishness-poli-tricking and reprogram that 80-million to extend the Power Bill Subsidy and include a Gas Vouchers for those on Food-stamps — now that would really help the People!
It’s very clear to me that NMDs have been “INDOCTRINATED to literally HATE outsiders getting involved in the business of Locals” but in reality, it has been the “Republican Leaders and the Politically Appointed Board and Secretary of MPLT” who have committed the biggest FRAUD ever committed upon the NMDs in the CNMI’s History. The NMDs actually have over 100-million of THEIR money just sitting and collecting dust & interest that No-NMD can even access nor has the MPLT Board made it possible for NMDs to use or even borrow from the MPLT Funds. No subsidies to help the Poor NMDs on Food-Stamps, No Scholarships for Highly Specialized Training like the repair of our Generators — teachers, attorneys, Engineers etc., No Loans or Grants to promote NMD’s with their Entrepreneurship efforts, but most importantly NO means for even identifying WHO are the NMDs after nearly half-a-century, HELLER NMDs you better WAKE-Up! The MPLT Board is a total horrific joke and embarrassment as representatives of the NMDs as they haven’t done a darn thing to help the NMDs since the conception of MPLT — AMEN!
Get organized NMDs and don’t worry about the fact that Ambrose M. Bennett was the one who pushed for you to be organized because it’s about YOU, the NMDs, and not me. I have offered entirely too many ideas that could have helped the CNMI and the People but the Republican Leadership has literally PLAYED on the prejudices of people to reject the things promoted by none Locals and even none Republicans. Just look at how this Governor continues to act like he doesn’t know I’ve been YELLING for the RFPs to lease the Mariana Resort and La Fiesta — something so simple but it’s clear to me that its ONLY arrogance standing in the way of this progress.
The arrogance, nepotism, favoritism and corruption of these Republicans, especially Governor Torres, has ALREADY been the un-doing of the CNMI socially and economically. Just look at how they literally DESTROYED our Tourism Market with the Chinese and now they are trying to bring the Japanese back — I TOLD THEM SO and they didn’t listen. They sat back and didn’t do anything about the idea I proposed for Sugar Dock and only now after there is virtually nothing left standing of the dock, they want to only build a pavilion for People during Election Season, as if WE the People are stupid enough to believe they really care, as they just want to do enough to get votes. While Rep. Tina Sablan is really trying to “rehabilitate with an improved the entire Dock facility that I hope with have diving platform for our youth. I could go on and on with the failures of these Republicans which is why they must go after over two decades of having complete control, which is why there is no excuse for all of their failures to “protect & serve the People’s Interest in the CNMI”. The CNMI has become “the Torres Cabinet’s Family’s & Friend’s Interest Government” under Governor Torres and his Lt. Governor Arnold” who just turned-a-blind-eye and didn’t say a word and even contributed to the corruption. If you two guys think you are going to get re-elected you have “ANOTHER-Think” coming, as my MaDear would say to me when I messed-up. 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
