THE debate is over; now each voter needs to consider his or her responsibility as CNMI voters: Democrat, Republican or Independent.
It is important to examine who I vote for, and why do I vote for the candidate.
I had a visitor this weekend and was interested to learn her choice of candidate. Without hesitating she answered, “I will vote for my relative.” Having heard her response, I gave her some guidelines below to consider.
Qualities the candidate should possess: educational experience, integrity, leadership, competence, maturity and decision-making ability.
Selection of candidate and reasons for voting:
Let us not be driven by feelings of nepotism, relatives or friends. Remember that voting for the wrong reasons have consequences in administrative failure and poor leadership.
Voting intelligently will result in administrative success in the path following the law and the Constitution in the right directions.
Candidate qualifications: Moral integrity. A person who is honest and has high principles, a highly moral and ethical person. Law abiding: Honorable, clean-living, well-behaved individual. Maturity: Self-sufficient adults able to function properly. Competence in leadership: A person capable of doing things successfully — efficiency and intelligence in making decisions, a skillful and proficient individual. Educational background: Completed high school, college or university, any outstanding recognition or performance.
The gubernatorial candidates are Rep. Tina Sablan, Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Gov. Ralph DLG Torres.
Performance evaluation of the candidate:
It is important for us to evaluate what has happened during the present administration in terms of ethics and moral integrity.
How well has each candidate performed in the fields of qualifications indicated above?
Are there unsatisfactory reports in the fields indicated above?
Who do you think has the cleanest performance records?
As President Kennedy famously once said, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
MARIE CASTRO
A concerned citizen
