How not to stay on topic
EARLY this year, the new House leadership, in a self-congratulatory mood, declared that the BOOST hearings conducted by the previous House (which they also led) “were highly successful in exposing corruption and mismanagement.” Several legislative fact-finding hearings “resulted in the discovery of unprecedented levels of corruption and fiscal mismanagement relating to federal funds.” Moreover, relevant documents and recordings had already been forwarded to “several CNMI investigative agencies, including the Office of the Public Auditor and the Office of the Attorney General….” It was also noted that “in response to the facts initially brought to light by the [previous House], the Federal Bureau of Investigations recently executed a subpoena at the Bank of Saipan. The FBI’s seizure of substantial documents has resulted in the suspension of the BOOST program.”
“Given the initiation of several criminal investigations into the BOOST program,” the new House leadership stated, they “would not conduct additional legislative hearings regarding the BOOST Program.” The House JGO Committee “agreed on respecting the process and avoiding conflict with these ongoing criminal investigations.”
In other words, “Mission Accomplished!”
Several months later, however, the House said it was creating a new special panel to look into the BOOST program (again) and other federally funded expenditures of the previous administration.
Why? Because, apparently, “there are many questions that remain unanswered in last year’s investigation.”
We believe these questions should include, Why are you changing the subject?
After (unwittingly) pressing a hot button by proposing several tax and/or fee hike measures that triggered widespread public concern, the House would now rather talk about something else. Like how truly villainous the previous administration was. And don’t forget IPI and gambling! Deplorable, really.
So yes. Let’s focus on the transgressions, alleged or otherwise, of a previous administration that was already kicked out by voters, and whose former chief executive is now facing several charges in a court of law. Let’s also denounce a casino investor that is already being held accountable, through the legal process, by local and federal courts as well as the relevant regulatory agencies.
Let’s talk about those things or anything else for that matter, but not about the most pressing concern requiring our immediate attention, which is the government’s financial condition that is inextricably linked to the islands’ barely breathing economy.
Pointing out problems is way easier — and more fun — than trying to solve them.
How to stay on track
WHILE the House resumes its BOOST/ARPA investigation (a.k.a., “Don’t blame us if the government is broke” probe), perhaps the Senate should conduct its own hearings on something more useful to the public: ways to boost tourist arrivals and improve the economy. Besides lobbying for the implementation of EVS-TAP, what else can the CNMI government do to help MVA tap into already existing tourism markets besides South Korea? What about the islands’ small businesses? What do they think the government should do to help them keep their heads above water?
And what about the CNMI government itself? Where else can it cut its costs without jeopardizing the delivery of critical public services?
The Senate may also want to find out if the administration has finally completed its “reconciliation” of ARPA fund expenditures. How much of the ARPA funds were left by the former administration? Besides the $17 million for BOOST, where did the rest of the funds go? How much was allotted for government personnel in terms of salaries and benefits? The more details provided, the better.
Early this year, we were told by the new administration that the ARPA funds were either “depleted” or “overcommitted.” And yet throughout this year (that is mercifully about to end), we have also learned that ARPA funds are still being spent, mostly on government salaries, for example.
In March, the governor said four — not one or two but four — U.S. inspectors general had offered to review the CNMI government’s expenditure of ARPA and other federal funds. “We don’t want to be accusatory of something that’s not accurate,” he added. He said his administration would soon have the “finalized numbers pertaining to the previous administration’s spending of ARPA monies.” He also said that these issues were now with the AG’s office, “and I’ll leave it at that because they are the law enforcement agency.”
That was nine months ago. Maybe the Senate can ask for an update.
