Mufi Hannemann told reporters during a break in yesterday’s Economic Restoration Summit that making it difficult for foreign travelers to travel to the CNMI will also make it harder for the local tourism industry to reach out to its markets.
Hannemann said there has to be “an understanding” between the local and federal governments when it comes to immigration issues.
The CNMI is now under federal immigration law.
“That is a local issue,” Hannemann said. “I think however you slice the pie, if you make it difficult for foreigners to travel, it is increasingly difficult for you to reach the market.”
Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos who attended the summit, said: “We can learn a lot from Mufi.”
In his opening remarks, Inos said diversification is a key to a sustainable economy for the CNMI.
He was referring to the four primary industries marked as potential growth industries —agriculture, aquaculture, call/data centers, and educational tourism that were the subjects of yesterday’s summit.
The current summit, which ends today, is an “inclusive” approach to economic planning, he said.
The first one held two years ago, he added, involved members of the community, the government, and the business sector, who came together and identified alternate sustainable industries.
“As we begin this second summit, we will build upon the four industries that we have identified to be viable in growth and sustainability. The identification of these industries is a good first step, but we must now be able to identify the feasibility of these industries given the variety of unique dynamics which impact our economic health,” he said.
Inos also said there needs to be adequate infrastructure to develop these industries.
“We would need to look at adequate irrigation systems, available farm land to sustain an export market, and what crops provide maximum dollar value for our farmers. This is why it is important that we effectively plan for the maturation of an industry if we hope to make one that is viable for our economy,” he said.
No quick fix
While the CNMI contends with a number of dynamics that have an impact on its ability to effectively rebound, Inos said. “we must bear in mind that there is no quick fix.”
The economy, he said, is “more than money coming into the islands.” It’s about the ability to create local employment and develop a strong infrastructure to ensure that industries can thrive, he added.
He said it is also about responsible planning and favorable economic policies that would attract sound investments.
Inos said the CNMI economy, which was once dependent on apparel manufacturing and tourism, now only has one economic leg to stand on: tourism.
He noted that while CNMI once enjoyed a more prosperous economy, “we did not invest in our infrastructure as we should have. We did not diversify our economic drivers as we should have. Nor did we spend as frugally as we should have to ensure the long-term success of our economy.”
“We now have the opportunity to plan for success and we ask that the community engage in this process as we all have a stake in our islands future,” he said.
