Editorials

Politicians say the darndest things WE want to believe that the governor’s (hefty) funding requests to the feds are not the basis of his proposed budget and its revenue projections — both of which this administration seems to believe are immune from the deepening local economic malaise. To hear the…

Do as they say, not as they do NOT too long ago, an administration official lashed out at CPA for — of all things — hiring a lobbyist, which was described as a “costly engagement,” the funding for which could have been “better spent” on more worthwhile expenses. Recently, we learned that the govern…

Worst ‘economic strategy’ ever TOURISM arrivals are so dismal that even MVA — which is tasked to improve tourism numbers — doesn’t want to talk about them. Not too long ago, the governor sounded gung-ho about the “new markets” that MVA could “tap into,” while ignoring the concerns of the local busi…

Advice to youth senators BEFORE anything else, you must find out how this government obtains the funding for its operations, programs and personnel. You will realize that the government does not “generate revenues.” It gets them by taking other people’s money through taxes and fees. (As for federal…

Budget questions SOMEONE in the Legislature should ask the administration why it believes its proposed budget for FY 2026 adds up. Actually, it is the Legislature’s job to do so. The government missed its first-quarter revenue projection by $2.7 million. Visitor arrivals and hotel occupancy rates a…

For starters THE governor’s cover letter for his FY 2026 budget submission gives us the impression that there are two sets of CNMI realities: one for this administration, and the other for the rest of us. The administration wants to frame the issue entirely as one of “narratives.” As if the persist…

Deal or no deal IN his recent letter to the CNMI delegate, the governor stated that “establishing the CNMI as a regional hub for health and education in the Pacific should remain a priority.” This proposal was part of the 2001 platform of the local Republican Party, which swept that year’s election…

Consequences cannot be avoided THE main problem with the governor’s “pivot” policy is not its intent, however dubious its premise is. (It seemed as though the conclusion was decided first, and then the rationale was constructed around it.) No. The core issue is the lack of corresponding action to c…

The here and now NOT only are arrivals down, but they continue to drop. Why? Because the CNMI, which once had three viable tourism markets, now relies solely on South Korea, which is facing economic and political uncertainty. We are also competing with other less expensive and/or more well-known de…

Take it easy NO one among the China hawks is saying — not yet anyway — that Chinese tourists should not be allowed to visit the CNMI. What they demand is for these tourists to get a U.S. visa like their compatriots who want to visit the States or Guam. To be sure, the U.S. government has legitimate…