DEAR sir,
Look to simple and easy ways to save money so the government can make a balanced budget. I am not just complaining but offering suggestions. I have tried to inform others of my opinions but no one listens.
Monitor the fuel consumption of government vehicles.
The operators of government vehicle do not turn off the engines of their vehicle. Workers come to a job site and exit the vehicle with the engine running and the air-con left on. The cost of gasoline and the wear and tear of the engine is a waste of money.
Require that each time a government vehicle is fueled the mileage is recorded. A simple program can show you how many miles are driven. Vehicles today should get 25 to 30 miles per gallon. This process would also show if there is theft of gasoline.
Stop getting every make and model of vehicles.
Purchase vehicles on a fleet basis. You could then get a maintenance agreement at a better (fixed rate). You could also get a first in first out agreement, instead of having government vehicle sitting for months because of maintenance.
Stop renting vehicles.
Locate and determine where each government vehicle is (who it is assigned to). Designate a vehicle from the government inventory for the people who now have rental vehicles. Should the person not like the government vehicle assigned to them then they can use their personal vehicle at their own expense.
Proper use of personnel resources.
Customs and Biosecurity has at this time anywhere from four to six personnel stationed at the post office. Why? They are seldom checking mail, just sitting there doing nothing. If they were in the back inspecting parcels then it would be OK but not just sitting in the lobby talking.
The fire department sends at least three personnel to do inspections of establishments for license renewals. However, only one actually does the inspection while the others sit in the running air-conditioned pick up. The fire engine has only two personnel assigned to it. When a fire is reported then the fire engine and several pick-up trucks must respond as two firemen are insufficient to handle most situations.
Rev and Tax has windows to assist the public. These windows are backed by a partition. While waiting you can hear others talking and laughing. One person is at the window, phones are ringing unanswered, but the talking and laughing continue.
Create a Job Performance Review system. Employees who fail to perform at a standard which serves the public could be reassigned to a different position and if no improvement is made, they could be suspended and or terminated.
Collect the money owed to the government.
DPL has an abysmal record of collecting on leases, especially from special people. Collect what is owed no matter who owes the money.
Rev and Tax has an abysmal record of collecting taxes from special people. They also do not know how much some people owe despite having a new computer system to track delinquent taxpayers.
Stop spending money.
It has been reported that Governor Palacios has approved over-the-cap salaries for two people. They will get $100,000 and $77,000 annual salaries but the positions have been set by the Legislature at $65,175. This ball is in your court Representative Propst. Remember your statement about a balanced budget?
Freeze all salaries from the Governor on down. All branches of government. No pay raises until the government can get totally out of debt.
Every day there are job vacancy notices for government jobs. Like it or not the government may (should) lay off workers, so why hire more workers?
Every day there are notices of bids being requested. The government has no money so why are things being put out to bid?
I understand that some things being put out for bid are federal grant projects, but that fact should be very prominent in the ad. There should also be some input from the people as to how these projects are being done. Beach Road is the major route to Garapan where we hope to have tourists. Why on God’s green earth did they start in CK and go North? There is a grant project ongoing in Garapan at this time so most of Beach Road is a construction zone. The first impression on a visitor is most important and what we are showing is continuous construction, dirt, mud, and mess.
Be realistic with what we have and what we can offer visitors.
For years there has been a voice in the CNMI to have five-star hotels. Honestly, what do we have to attract five-star guests? No malls, attractions falling apart and in dire need of repair, no entertainment, and Managaha costing an arm and a leg just to get to and have birds drop on you all day, just to name a few.
What we need are affordable welcoming hospitable hotels. At this time, we need quantity not quality. We need to get people here to show our island and display our hospitality so they will go home and tell others how nice it is here. Then we can recover the tourist industry.
I went to a hotel in Hawaii for the second time and they gave me a bottle of champagne and a cut pineapple in my room as a thank you for coming again. It cost them nothing but I sure did a lot of free advertising for them. At another hotel in Hawaii they upgraded me from a room looking at the garage to a 23rd floor ocean/diamond head view for using them several times. Here they do nothing. They do not even have a local discount here.
Airline monopoly.
United Airlines is the only U.S. carrier serving the CNMI. It costs as much to fly to Guam as it does to fly from New York to Los Angeles. The Japan market is important to the CNMI but people are sold on the idea that the yen-dollar exchange is keeping the Japanese away. The Japanese are going to Guam so why not here? The flights United is offering is why the Japanese are going to Guam and not coming here. The direct flight leaves Japan about 11 p.m. arriving here at 3 a.m. The flight going from Hanada to Saipan leaves Japan at 9:20 p.m. arriving in Guam at 2 a.m. (the next day). Then wait in Guam airport where everything is closed until 8 a.m. You get to Saipan at 8:45 a.m. Japanese usually take 3-to-5-day vacations. With the flight schedule they lose two days traveling so it makes no sense for them to come to Saipan. I know there is nothing you can do about United Airlines but just maybe the government could try and contact United and see if they would be willing to make the flight schedule more convenient.
Conclusion
I am one of your biggest fans. However, you either forgot or never knew how it is to live pay check to pay check. You stated that a ten-cent increase in beverage container tax is small. It is not small when you have a small income. When you fall in between poverty level and being able to live comfortably then you are just one doctor bill, car repair, or (small tax hike) from ruin. Yes, inflation has hit everyone but please do not forget some of the inflation we have here is government-caused. Each and every fee the government imposes on a retailer is paid by the consumer. Please look at any Economics 101 book and it will tell you to never raise taxes during a recession. We are in an economic doldrum so much worse than a recession.
I have given you a few of the ideas I have off the top of my head. These ideas do not include reducing the number of government employees. I truly believe that one day government employees will need to be reduced, but that is a topic for later.
MICHAEL BLAKELEY
Saipan, CNMI
