The Truth is WE need to Reform the CNMI, as citizens WE need to DEMAND an “Era of Constructive Progressivism” as it has been the lack of planning which is a plan for failure compounded by the destructive actions & lack of action that has been slowly killing the CNMI with our Economy & Quality of Life that are in ICU with No Plans to fix! WE even have declared candidates, but only one Republican, whom I don’t trust, has offered a hint of a plan to Fix & Reform the CNMI’s Economy. But WHY is Ambrodamus the only “public outcry” for a real Economic Recovery Plan when it is so obvious since COVID, WE must fix our Economy! WHY are Retirees still silent on OUR 25% and the Legislation to get “COLA” put into law. WHY aren’t NMD’s now demanding for someone to take up their cause “by proposing to offer follow-up legislation” once the Constitution Amendment is passed – it’s called Planning Ahead. And speaking of planning-ahead, there is so much focus on the present budget No One is looking, planning nor doing anything about the next budget to come which I can GUARANTEE is going to be a Political Monster literally consuming politicians in the 2026 Election for FAILING to Plan Ahead, which is what households living by paychecks have to do! So, I ask, WHO really Cares enough to COMPLAIN!
WHY isn’t there any Public Outcry over the Never-ending Austerity, the WASTE of giving “unlimited business & personal taxes away to J&P Holdings for 22 yrs. without any concrete justification. The WASTE with the Cannabis & three different Casino Commissions along with virtually no Governance-System over “E-Gaming” when WE need only one Gaming Commission for ALL Gambling and don’t forget the Bloated Legislature! There are a lot of things our leaders can do “immediately to cut cost and make the CNMI more fiscal responsible but you don’t hear any candidates mentioning none of these issues that need to be REFORMED! I have also noticed that whenever there is a hint of “culture” there is often some form of Public Outcry, but WE the People must STOP being sooooo silent on other issues like the “waste & dysfunctionalities in government” that I just mentioned. No disrespect intended but, WE must continue the very same Public Out Cry to other issues that stopped the salary raise for the Governor’s relative. WE the People have the POWER, but WE must use it ALL the Time, as silence is a form of complicity and why the GOP continue the waste & dysfunctionality in “What They Have Done & In What They Have FAILED To Do!!! No one has ever said nor even tried to prove Ambrodamus was wrong, which means Ambrodamus must have been RIGHT about a lot of things – but WHO really Cares!
Need I reiterate, the CNMI is ideally situated to “intervene in the production of many goods & products – Made in China” to become “Made in U.S.A. Commonwealth”, as the CNMI’s Label as a U.S. Commonwealth has real VALUE. In fact, it was the labeling & unlimited exporting quota that made the Garment Industry work and so successful. If a product is 51% or more Made in the CNMI it can be labeled “Made in the U.S.A Commonwealth”. Ambrodamus even put the “Hemp Industry” in the Cannabis Bill that became Law, as Hemp Products are a “Billion Dollar Industry on the mainland” but WE (our leaders) have yet to do the work to create a “Hemp Industry” because it was Ambrodamus’ idea who was even stopped from developing industry by the
Governor to “avoid reforming the Cannabis Industry & the Development of the Hemp Industry”. The Hemp Industry is a billion-dollar industry that has the potential in the CNMI to manufacture & export a plethora of different products Made in the U.S.A. Commonwealth. FYI, Hemp Fiber is better for use than glass, fiberglass, plastics & metals when it comes to the manufacturing of many products. But our leaders would rather be DESTRUCTIVE to the ideas of Ambrodamus and others, which is why I ask WHO really Cares & wants Progress over complicity in Bigotry. It took over two-decades for the NMD oversight to be addressed because Ambrodamus was the first to yell & complain. The sooner our leaders learn to accept Constructive-Criticism and become CONSTRUCTIVE & OBJECTIVE thinkers & representatives OF & FOR the People the sooner the CNMI will start making progress to pursue real prosperity. The CNMI’s attitude of our leaders will always determine our altitude, so Who Cares with the mind-set to Fix & Reform the CNMI!
On other matters: I was glad to finally see our Delegate go straight to Trump for help when WE all knew Trump was the person she should have been talking to from Day-One! There is even some Good News in the U.S. Congress to consider the CNMI as a location or repair & maintenance of military vessels and I’m sure all eyes are on our Delegate to make sure this new industry is a reality. Now, WE must wait-and-see the results of our Delegate’s work which could be good or worse. Rep. Patrick H. San Nicolas is also RIGHT about assisting Tinian Patients given there is a Referral Program for ALL CNMI patients, which the Tinian & Luta Patients should fall under. Finally, I must THANK Joyce C.H. Tang for her informative explanation of the Retirement Fund status, so Retirees know where they stand. However, it’s just sad that WE, the CNMI, have haters and bigot Trump Die-hearts like Saipan Man who thinks the Settlement Fund is just a “slush fund” proving his disdain for the CNMI’s “Gold Star Employees” who dedicated themselves to a life of Public Service. The People of the CNMI need & deserve BETTER but Which leader(s) really Care beyond sitting? WE, citizens, must also Do Better voting, as WE voted ourselves into this mess and WE must vote ourselves OUT! One People One Direction
Ambrose M. Bennett is an Economist who minored in Sociology, a Political Scientist, a retired teacher & former CNMI Board of Education Member, a James Madison Fellow (U.S. Constitutional Scholar), a Fulbright-Hays – Lifetime Humanities & Religious Scholar who resides in Kagman III in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
