Not the first time
UNDER current law, the Independent group led by the Palacios-Apatang tandem is not a “recognized political party.” Hence, they are “not statutorily authorized to submit a recommended list of poll workers” to the Commonwealth Election Commission. But the Independents are now in a coalition with the NMI Democratic Party which is a recognized political party. And as the CEC has pointed out, the Independents are “welcome to coordinate” with the Democrats in submitting the names of their recommended poll workers for the runoff election.
Incidentally, this is not the first time that an Independent gubernatorial slate made it to the runoff. That distinction belongs to the Independent team of Heinz S. Hofschneider and Ray N. Yumul who faced the Republican duo of Eloy S. Inos and Ralph DLG Torres in 2014.
In any case, it is in everyone’s interest that the runoff election next week, like previous CNMI elections, is free and fair. CNMI gubernatorial elections are almost always hard fought, but they are also peaceful and orderly.
In the states, to be sure, election losers claiming election fraud are now common. But here in the CNMI, about 15,000 votes (or less) will be counted in the runoff, and almost all of them will be cast at polling centers in public areas where supporters of the candidates can observe what’s going on. The tabulation of the ballots, moreover, is another public event that will be monitored by the Office of the Public Auditor, the Office of the Attorney General, the media and the candidates’ poll watchers.
In the CNMI, the only valid reason why a candidate lost an election is because his or her opponent received more votes.
Government is an employment agency, not a problem solver
A YOUTH summit was held recently to discuss “local problems and brainstorm solutions affecting our community.” Also in attendance were lawmakers who “listened” to the students’ proposals. The participating students were supposed “to learn more about our government and the issues that affect our Commonwealth.”
That’s great. But in the next summit, the students should also be informed about the actual results of law- and policymaking compared to its objectives. The anti-littering law, for example. How effective is it? What about the curfew law for minors or the law against blighted properties? Students should also be told that years ago, legislators passed a bill to give themselves a pay raise. Result? They took a pay cut.
Imagine that. Lawmakers had an opportunity to increase their own salary, but they ended up getting less. And yet we’re supposed to believe they can “solve” the CNMI’s problems? How? By passing more laws that are either useless or will likely result in new or worse problems?
Next time, the youth summit participants should also learn about their government’s redundant agencies and programs as well the laws and regulations that impose numerous burdens on aspiring entrepreneurs and businesses big or small.
A more informative — and vastly more useful — event involving the youth was conducted on Tuesday by the Bank of Hawai’i. Over 450 students at Wai‘anae High School learned about credit reports and credit scores, protecting their financial identity, budgeting, and financing their college education. Their instructors were bank executives who, unlike most politicians, know what they’re talking about.
Perhaps a similar financial literacy course should be offered to politicians.
