Editorials

When good news is not good enough GOOD news for CUC’s customers. The FAC rate remains the same for December. More good news. The CNMI’s power rates are the lowest among the U.S.-affiliated islands of the Pacific. The public’s reaction? Mostly disbelief that these facts could be considered good news…

A modest request THE governor is right. The U.S. government should continue funding the annual economic reports prepared by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The cost should be insignificant for the feds — not even a drop in the federal bucket. In FYs 2022 and 2023 alone, according to NewsNation, th…

‘As long as the demand is there’ LISTENING to some of the lawmakers’ recent comments regarding meth addiction in the community reminded us…of some of the lawmakers’ comments in the 1990s when the CNMI was dealing with a full-blown meth epidemic. Those were the days when people were holding beach pa…

An investment proposal worth considering AS in most issues involving economics, there seems to be a misunderstanding about Micronesian Air Connection Services’ QC application, which, if approved, would entitle them to tax breaks for 25 years. Some believe that the CNMI government should not “lose” …

Nothing else but the economy THE delegate candidate who repeatedly hammered away at the need to revive the tourism-based economy won an upset victory against the nominee of what could possibly be the most economically oblivious administration in CNMI history. Many voters have moved beyond blaming t…

Effective leaders don’t pass blame; they take responsibility REGARDING the master concession operator agreement between DPL and Marianas Global Inc., the governor said “no company in its right mind” would have signed it. Setting aside the fact that it is impolitic on the part of the CNMI’s highest …

Beg, baby, beg! BACK in the day, local leaders pushed for self-government under the American flag so they could, among other things, pursue economic development. “The Marianas wanted and expected to be economically self-sufficient,” as Howard Willens and Deanne Siemer noted in their superb 2002 boo…

Move along, nothing to see here SOME retirees are once again calling for the replacement of the NMI Settlement Fund trustee. Once again, they are saying that the trustee should be “from here,” supposedly to reduce “expenses.” The point of appointing the current trustee, who is from Guam, is precise…

Where the money is THE governor says “this is the right time” to tax construction activities because, well, there are several happening right now. This reminds us of “Slick” Willie Sutton’s response when asked why he robbed banks. “Because,” he said, “that’s where the money is.” Now many of us may …

The government stiffs CUC, again AS a 2017 OPA report would put it, CUC was mandated to operate as an independent, businesslike corporation, but is continually subjected to political interference by the Legislature and/or whoever the governor is. It is highly doubtful that an independent, businessl…