Over a hundred thousand dollars was spent on Kastiyu. Deer and fruit bats were flown in from Rota. Helicopters were used to look for goats in Aguiguan. Thousands of dollars was spent for feed. Thousands of dollars was spent on purchasing the ready made igloo. Let’s not forget the cost of operations such as gas and staffing. Months later, most of the animals are gone.
We’ve all joked about Kastiyu and how most of the animals ended becoming chesa. Who doesn’t like kelaguen binadu or ayuyu? But, is the joke really funny when someone who is seriously sick cannot get medical supplemental assistance because there isn’t enough funding? Is it really funny when your kid who’s away at college is stressed out because scholarship funding is reduced? Is it really funny when school is out for three months and our kids have nothing to do because we can’t afford youth programs? Is it really funny when the joke’s on us?
Did you really think that charging tourists a couple of dollars for admission fee was going to pay for maintenance? It was a bad idea because we couldn’t afford it then and we can’t afford it now.
Yes, they did that too!
JUANIS B. KING JR.
Marpo Heights II, Tinian
