Columnists

Jim Rayphand THE only thing I find difficult in my ongoing campaign for the seat of CNMI Delegate to U.S. Congress is talking about me personally. I have an almost visceral reaction to hearing myself even attempting to articulate what a good, competent person I am and some of the good I’ve been abl…

Ambrose M. Bennett JOE Palacios & Thomas Songsong bring out the “Ali in me” and I can easily take-on both, as no Commissioner nor the Director were around when I was doing the research and writing the first draft. The whole problem is the Senate threw away entirely too much of what I wrote, whi…

TROUBLED by the relentless degradation and public denouncement of the CNMI Cannabis Commission, and boastful claims of being the alpha-intellectual business master of cannabis and economics, I step forward to clear the misconception and address the insinuations from my perspective. It is time to co…

Ambrose M. Bennett THE Truth of the matter is “politics-poli-tricks and more politics” WE have to suffer under and a great example is CPA & MPLT. The recent resignation of Mr. Ayuyu is just more proof of the poli-ticks &  poli-tricks at CPA that is run by ex-politicians and it stinks so bad…

Ambrose M. Bennett THE TRUTH is we are seeing MORE Taxes, fewer flights with arrivals continuing to decline WE must ask, if WE ask “are WE better off now than before Covid, the answer will be a resounding NO, as NOTHING has changed FOR the better FOR the People nor FOR the CNMI. The impotence in ou…

BC Cook “WHY is there ever this perverse cruelty in humankind that makes us hurt most those we love best?” The following story is related by the legendary Japanese film director, Akira Kurosawa, creator of such films as “Rashomon” and “Seven Samurai.”  In pre-war Japan he saw the best and worst of …

Jim Rayphand EARLIER this week I was invited to speak (or rather to answer questions) at a forum hosted by and for students at Northern Marianas College to engage with candidates for the CNMI Delegate to U.S. Congress.  On first impression of the young ladies and gentlemen of NMC, I feel compelled …

Ambrose M. Bennett THE ominous phrase “Of, For & By the People” is too often taken for granted, especially when you don’t hear it being said in any shape, form or fashion coming from the ones you depend upon MOST — our LEADERS! The politics of China has prevailed over our economy and our very s…

CUC’s executive director has informed the governor and the CUC board that there is “an urgent and escalating risk that CUC may soon be unable to provide continuous and reliable electrical services to the islands of Saipan and Rota due to circumstances beyond our control.” In other words, engine pro…

BC Cook JIMMY Buffett taught us that sometimes, well-told fiction is better than reality.  Tristan Jones would have agreed.  His own life packed enough interesting material to keep inquisitive grandchildren gathered wide-eyed at his feet for years, yet halfway through his life’s journey he upped th…