That was before we had TV or even a radio station. We got our news from KUAM, on Guam. That was even before we had a public high school on Saipan! At the time, I taught history, geography, and general science to seventh and eighth grade students at Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood School. The first public high school graduates in the Northern Mariana Islands, was from Hopwood, in 1965.
I was among the first group of teachers recruited from the U.S. under a program started by President John F. Kennedy. This TT-wide program was termed the Accelerated Elementary School Construction Program. Predating the arrival of the Peace Corps in Micronesia, its purpose was to construct elementary schools throughout Micronesia and to fill some of those new classrooms with stateside teachers to teach side by side with local teachers, and to provide them with ongoing training. Prior to coming to Saipan, I was a teacher in Miami, Florida. I applied for this teaching position in the TTPI through the U.S. Department of Interior.
At age 25, I arrived on Saipan in July of 1963 with 13 other stateside teachers. My goal at that time was to see some of the world and return to the mainland. Landing a job on Saipan gave me an opportunity to do so. One other factor led to my decision to accept a teaching position on Saipan. During the Battle of Saipan, my favorite uncle served on a U.S. Navy destroyer escort off the shores of Saipan. His return at the end of WWII was the first time I heard the word “Saipan.”
When I got here, I spoke no indigenous languages and most of my students, who were the sons and daughters of farmers and fishermen, did not speak English. Teaching science with no local teacher by my side, to non-English speakers was very challenging and could be frustrating. However, whenever I saw the light of recognition in a student’s eyes, I was motivated to keep on teaching.
Having reached the age of 70 and having lived here for decades, I continue to try to learn, interpret, and inform. It’s what I do. I am a retiree who receives benefits from the NMI Retirement Fund, which was established in 1980 by the CNMI Legislature and governor. At that time, I had been an educator on Saipan for 15 years and had no retirement plan. I am grateful to the CNMI for establishing a retirement plan for me and other CNMI government employees.
Our local newspapers are filled with articles related to my retirement income. The articles try to inform retirees, as well as the general public (many of whom have a stake in the health of this Retirement Fund), about the actions of the major players in the struggle to keep the fund from collapsing. These key players are the NMIRF board of trustees and management; the Commonwealth Retirees Association board of directors; the CNMI executive branch; the CNMI Legislature; the CNMI courts; and the local federal court.
Judge Govendo’s ruling, which awarded the NMIRF some $263 million resulting from years of inadequate payment into the Fund, is a just one. I also consider Judge Munson’s postponement of federal court action, which allows Judge Govendo’s court established negotiators more time to complete their task, to be fair and just.
I think there is a need for retirees and the public to better understand the case filed in the local federal court concerning the NMIRF. As I understand it, this court case seeks the following resolutions: 1) enforcement of the federal court’s rulings through federal marshals, at no cost to the CNMI; 2) full and timely collection of the $263 million judgment for the NMIRF; 3) compensation to retirees for any proven violations of CNMI or U.S. laws; 4) determination as to whether the NMIRF managers and board of trustees, past and present, have been fiscally responsible as required by law; and 5) determination as to whether these same past and present managers of the NMIRF and its board, the CNMI executive leadership, and CNMI legislators may be personally liable.
I am a member of CRA, and I agree with Zaldy Dandan’s editorial stating that CRA should not have a voting member on the NMIRF board. I do not agree with some of the statements, which have been made to local papers by members of the CRA board of directors.
CRA is a new organization, whose directors are trying their best to act in the interests of a very diverse group of people —the CNMI government retirees. However, I fault our CRA board of directors for not yet setting up a means by which all, or at least many, retirees can participate in CRA board decisions before they’re released to the local media.
Public statements from individual CRA directors have expressed views that purportedly reflect those of its membership, but which may not. The general public should understand that, at present, individual CRA directors are at times speaking for themselves only. They have not received input from the general membership, and it is unclear whether their statements are based on decisions made with the approval of the entire board of directors or are only their individual opinions. Most importantly, they DO NOT speak for all retirees. My hope is that all future public statements from CRA will be made by the board chair only; will clearly indicate the basis on which such statements were formulated; and by whom.
I hope this letter has provided greater understanding of this issue. What do you think?
ROGER N. LUDWICK
Sadog Tasi, Saipan
