Columnists

The following is the text of the inaugural address delivered by the CNMI’s new governor on Jan. 9, 2023 at the multi-purpose center in Susupe, Saipan. IT is fitting that I take my oath of office today in what we used to celebrate as Commonwealth Day. In 1978, exactly 45 years ago, on this very grou…

AS a teacher, I have had the pleasure and the weighty responsibility of offering advice to thousands of young people over the years.  What classes should I take?  Should I work a side job or focus on my studies?  As students grow closer to their professors, the questions grow more private, more pro…

THIS is an open letter on behalf of my friend, the late Justice Pedro M. Atalig probate matter, concerning the published probate decision because I experienced a mirrored miscarriage of justice as Mrs. Nelida Atalig. The late Justice Pedro M. Atalig’s estate, after 17 years in probate, is fin…

The following is the text of the author’s statement on the floor during the 22nd House’s final session on Jan. 5, 2023, on the report of preliminary findings and recommendations by the Joint Committee (Ways and Means and Judiciary & Governmental Operations). I CONCUR wholeheartedly with t…

LAST week, the Wall Street Journal published a front-page report titled, “Officials Boost Firms —And Own Interests”; and, no, it wasn’t about the CNMI’s BOOST program. According to the Journal: “In 2021, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. deliberated over whether to tap Microsoft Corp. as its prim…

AS we begin this new year, it is natural to look ahead and envision what kind of year 2023 will be, what changes it will usher in, and how we as residents will see progress for our home. Often people ask the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers for thoughts on the future of the Marianas and how …

MY family settled on this island 20 years ago. I was only a teen when I first came to the CNMI but now, I have a daughter who is 5 years old. What’s great about this island is even though time has passed, the people and culture stay the same. My daughter, Kimmy Kim, lived in 5 different citie…

EVEN after such a long time, we constantly find remains of missing servicemen, downed planes and sunken ships from the Second World War.  The islands and waters of the Pacific are littered with the detritus of that conflict.  I recall a story from Saipan where a man went on a smoke break and, just …

AS we mark the end of 2022, the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers looks back on a year of growing partnerships, greater community involvement, and a reinvigorated motivation to unlock the next chapter for the Marianas economy in this post-pandemic period for our world and our islands. Looking…

THROUGHOUT all these so many years, well-meaning government officials, politicians and other concerned citizens have been making plans or designing policies that they say will help “expand” the workforce. Meanwhile, their intended “beneficiaries” continue to make their own plans and their own decis…