Columnists

IN June 1982, Marianas Variety published a report from the South Pacific Commission (now known as the Pacific Community) stating that “some of the Pacific Islands are now being used as staging posts by small ships and aircraft to facilitate the movement of illegal drugs.” In the same month, a Varie…

FATHER’S Day is an extraordinary occasion with a special place in our hearts. This memorable day allows us to express our gratitude and pay tribute to the unsung heroes who have significantly shaped our lives and provided unconditional love and support. While Mother’s Day often takes th…

WHEN I moved to Saipan 15 years ago, Taeko Castro was one of the first people I met.  It is no exaggeration to say I could not have survived without her.  She taught me so much about islanders and life on Saipan and even about myself.  She was an extraordinary woman with an island-sized heart.  Tae…

IN his inaugural address over 41 years ago, the CNMI’s second governor vowed to, among other things, improve the islands’ health services and education system. He also said that the CNMI “cannot rely forever on the assistance from the federal government. Such an attitude of dependence can only resu…

NO two words fill us with more fear and disgust than human trafficking.  Human trafficking includes many different crimes, each loathsome to our senses: child pornography, forced prostitution, slavery.  There are others but let us focus on these. According to the United Nations Protocol to Prevent,…

DR. Seuss, the author of “The Lorax,” an anti-greed screed, also wrote “Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose.” In a recent American Institute for Economic Research article, economics teacher Bruce Rottman said Thidwich is about the politics of niceness and its perils. This, in turn, reminded me of the f…

SAIPAN is a true treasure trove of natural beauty and historical significance in the Northern Mariana Islands. The island’s breathtaking scenery, crystal-clear waters, and gently swaying palm trees are a stunning backdrop for its annual Flame Tree Arts Festival. This lively and vibrant celebr…

iGaming Business (https://igamingbusiness.com/) has kindly granted permission to reprint this article. OVER the past decade, Imperial Pacific International’s Saipan casino project has gashed a path of destruction across the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands, specks of U.S. Pacific territory…

AS far as training programs go, the Work Experience Training and On-the-Job Training programs through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation under the governor’s office are about as straightforward as they come. The only mystery for me is why more eligible persons with disabilities and employers a…

A FEW years ago we ran a series of columns on human trafficking, which included a list of warning signs to help identify a trafficking situation.  Recent events have proved that modern slavery is thriving in the Pacific so we thought we would revisit the subject.  What follows is a portion of the p…