The only excuse I ever got was that it would be unfair to local people to make a law especially for tourists, which is ridiculous because I’m sure every local wants our tourists to be safe and to have an enjoyable time without fear of being a victim of criminals. Common sense should tell most people that we MUST protect the tourists or our economy is going to suffer.
Tourists literally represent the very “life-blood” of our economy and we should do all we can to protect tourists because the CNMI literally bleeds every time a tourist is victimized — meaning we are dying a slow death. Each time a tourist is victimized it makes the entire tourist industry suffer from the consequences. I want to commend the Mariana Country Club General Manager Gloria C. Cavanagh for speaking up and asking for more protection for our tourists, especially when I read in the same newspaper of a tourist complaining about being brutalized. I must pose the question to our law makers “who really cares enough to sponsor a Tourists Act” because we MUST show tourists we care and a law for tourists would do a lot establish this perception because now it looks like we don’t care — just bring us your money. No one can deny that we must do something given the number of crimes against tourists.
There are all kinds of examples of special laws targeted at certain behavior and certainly a Tourists Act would easily fit into this category. There are many states that have Gun Laws that apply additional time whenever a gun is used in a crime. The CNMI could certainly place a mandatory five years to run consecutive to the criminal time, which would certainly do a great deal to deter crimes against tourists. Presently, the Laws and Legislation are only driven in the interest of local people who only represent 27% of the population-a sad fact. But I can assure our present and future law makers that our Tourists Industry and our economy will be doomed over time from the adverse effects of our present laws if we don’t fix these archaic laws. Furthermore, the CNMI Government is supposed to be for ALL people in the CNMI not just locals. CNMI laws MUST become more reflective in supporting equality, free enterprise, the rights and safety of ALL people living in the CNMI and especially those visiting the CNMI to bring us money literally, duh! You decide leaders — Legislation and better Protection (or) a slow Death to Tourism.
I also previously mentioned the ability of technology to install remote cameras at all critical tourists’ locations that can be monitored from a single post. The sad part is we can do it almost for free because I know there are Federal Grants available to help the CNMI with getting this type of equipment, the only question is who and when will someone do the necessary homework to get it done — if you need my help with writing the grant give me a call. The CNMI shouldn’t wait until we get a black-eye in the international news for crimes against tourists before we try to do something.
The leader(s) who takes the lead on this will certainly be leading because doing nothing and playing the denial game won’t work. Our leaders tried the denial game for years with the alien labor complaints and their lies were eventually exposed in the Halls of Congress on the national stage. Do we really want to continue doing NOTHING to improve protection for tourists!!! One people, one direction for a Tourists’ Act to protect tourists and to preserve the integrity of our Tourist Industry before it’s too late.
AMBROSE M. BENNETT
Kagman, Saipan
