Unfortunately, it is too late to withdraw the initiatives from the ballot. The ballots have already been printed.
The only other alternative is that voters should exercise caution, and vote “no” to all three of them.
The full text of the amendments has not been published. There is no way to compare what is being proposed to what already exists.
No statement of pros and cons — except a rather weak one on two of the three amendments on the Election Commission Web site — has been provided to the voting public. There has been no debate, no public discussion.
The Constitution is the backbone of the CNMI’s government structure. It should not be amended with so little knowledge about what the changes actually are, why they are necessary and what effect they would have.
The legislative initiatives can always be re-submitted to the voters — at either a special election, or the next general election. Nothing will be lost in the meantime.
The fourth question on the ballot — regarding open government — is not an amendment to the Constitution. It is an amendment to the law. It has been discussed, debated, explained for the past two years — ever since the first attempt to get it on the ballot in 2007. It should need no further explanation. Its intent is clear, its purpose known, and its benefits obvious. It simply extends to the legislative branch the requirement made of the other two branches of government of the Open Government Act.
To make the actions of the Legislature more responsive to the public, voters should vote “yes” to the popular initiative that will be on the ballot.
RUTH L. TIGHE
Tanapag, Saipan
