By (Eipéráng) Gregorie Michael Towai – Independent Researcher, Refaluwasch & CNMI Community Member
FOR decades, too many in the CNMI have internalized a dangerous myth — that if we speak up, we are somehow “biting the hand that feeds us.” That myth has kept us silent while billion-dollar decisions are made about our seabed, our islands, and our future.
But here is the truth: we are not beggars. We are covenant partners. The Covenant with the United States and our CNMI Constitution were written to guarantee self-governance, protection of land and sea, and respect for our culture. Speaking up is not defiance; it is fulfilling the promise of that partnership.
Today, with one day left for comments on the RFI, as deep-sea mining proposals advance, as U.S.–China tensions escalate, and as Tinian becomes a strategic military hub, it is urgent that CNMI natives understand the facts — and confront the myths.
Myths vs. reality — a CNMI FAQ check
MYTH 1: “We shouldn’t speak out — Washington feeds us.”
REALITY: Federal dollars are not charity; the CNMI provides enormous value to the U.S., often far exceeding what we receive:
– 2019 visitors: ~487,000 (pre-pandemic high)
– 2023 visitors: ~215,543 (~46% recovery)
– 2024 visitors: ~228,963 (still far below pre-pandemic)
– Hotel occupancy: ~38% in 2023
U.S. military forward-deployment value: $1–2 billion annually saved in logistics costs
Tourism has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Flights are limited, hotels are struggling, and airlines from key markets (China, Korea, Japan) remain reduced. The CNMI economy is fragile, not thriving, and we are being told to “be grateful” as though our hardships are entirely our own fault.
MYTH 2: “Federal funding means we can’t disagree or say NO.”
REALITY: The Covenant guarantees that the CNMI retains internal self-governance, and our Constitution protects land, marine resources, and cultural identity. Speaking out is not disloyal; it is constitutionally required.
MYTH 3: “Seabed mining will bring jobs and prosperity.”
REALITY: Scientific studies from NOAA and the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative show seabed mining could:
• Destroy fish stocks and coral ecosystems
• Disrupt oceanic carbon storage
• Offer $0 guaranteed revenue to the CNMI under current licensing
• Threaten cultural and economic sustainability for generations
No job is worth poisoning our oceans.
MYTH 4: “The Tinian buildup is temporary and harmless.”
REALITY:
o $409 million already allocated for Tinian divert airfield, fuel farms, and missile defense (2023–2024)
o $1.2 billion+ projected military construction over the next decade
o 3–5 rotational units per year expected by 2026
The U.S. positions the CNMI as a strategic frontline, while our communities absorb the risks. Silence is not loyalty; it is surrender.
MYTH 5: “The CNMI is dependent and powerless.”
REALITY: The CNMI has historically been a victim of U.S. economic policy, globalization, and corruption, not just of our own incapacity:
– Garment factories pulled out en masse after trade liberalization and exploitation of loopholes, leaving thousands unemployed.
– Lobbyists such as Jack Abramoff helped strip local benefits to maximize corporate profits. Casino development by foreign investors like IPI prioritized profits over local welfare.
– Federal policies imported from the U.S. emphasized profit over communal living, disrupting our hospitality-driven, culturally rich, communal identity.
We used to be called “Islas de Ladrones” by Spanish colonizers — but the real thieves today are often policies and interests exported by the U.S., not the people of our islands.
Here are the FACTS:
FACT 1: We are not “biting the hand that feeds us.” We are the hand that has fed U.S. security for decades.
Department of Defense data confirms it:
The Marianas have one of the highest U.S. military enlistment rates per capita in the entire American system.
Our sons and daughters deploy at rates higher than most states. They fight under a Commander-in-Chief we cannot vote for.
That is loyalty without representation — and it’s not what the Covenant promised.
FACT 2: The Covenant never said we must accept unsafe conditions. But WWII contamination is still harming us.
More than 80 years after WWII, the CNMI still deals with:
• Unexploded ordnance turning up during construction
• Contaminated soil and aquifers
• Unsafe drinking water documented in multiple federal reports
• Sky-high cancer, diabetes, and dialysis rates
These are not “complaints.” They are violations of the right to safe living conditions guaranteed under our own Constitution.
Pointing this out is not being ungrateful — it’s holding the U.S. accountable to the deal they signed.
FACT 3: Our economic struggles were shaped by war damage and federal constraints — not laziness.
USDA and DOI data show:
• Over 90% of our food is imported because wartime damage and federal rules crippled local agriculture.
• Prices in the CNMI are far higher than the U.S. average because of shipping rules and import dependency
• These factors fuel diabetes and heart disease rates among the highest in the American family.
This is structural — not cultural. And it violates the Covenant’s promise of “economic self-sufficiency.”
FACT 4: The CNMI is being militarized again — for U.S. benefit, not ours.
With U.S.–China tensions rising, Tinian is seeing:
• New training areas
• Expanded exercises
• Increased military presence
• Strategic buildup similar to pre-1944 conditions
This is not benevolence.
This is geopolitical positioning.
The Covenant requires consultation and respect, not decisions dropped on us from above.
The reality: the CNMI is at a crossroads
Tourism has not fully rebounded. Airlines and hotels struggle. Deep-sea mining looms. Military build-up accelerates. Systemic policies continue to undermine local culture and economy. Yet the Covenant and our Constitution give us legal and moral authority to demand accountability, transparency, and protection.
Speaking up is not ingratitude. It is honoring the Marianas, our ancestors, and the Covenant we signed in good faith.
A call to action
To every Refaluwasch and Chamorro son and daughter of the Marianas:
– Raise your voice.
– Ask hard questions.
– Demand environmental protection.
– Defend constitutional and Covenant rights.
– Hold all stakeholders accountable — federal, corporate, and local.
We are not beggars. We are partners.
The Marianas did not negotiate a Covenant to surrender. We are the hand that has fed U.S. strategy, culture, and economy — and now it is time the U.S. honors its promise.
This is our home.
This is our Covenant. This is our time to stand.
