Go get ‘em
PEOPLE can — and they usually do — complain about many things regarding life in these small remote islands scattered in the Pacific’s typhoon alley, with a small (and shrinking) population, a small (and shrinking) economy and, consequently, a rising cost of living.
As usual, not a lot of us remember any of the old complaints back in the day when the local economy was virtually non-existent and the population was even smaller than it is now. This may be news to many of us, but since the establishment of the Commonwealth 44 years ago, certain aspects of life in the NMI have dramatically if not tremendously improved, and that include, believe it or not, healthcare, sanitation, utility services, public roads, transportation, communications, emergency and disaster response, housing — and education.
Each year, in May and June, hundreds of local students are promoted to middle school and high school, and hundreds more graduate from high school and college. Last month, Tinian’s public high school announced that its valedictorian and salutatorian — brilliant twin sisters — are both headed to Harvard (acceptance rate: 5%). Five years ago, it was the valedictorian of another public school, MHS, who was accepted to “the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world.”
Each year, hundreds of NMI high school students are accepted to their nation’s universities and colleges, and almost all of these young men and women will obtain their degrees and pursue rewarding careers.
Each year in the NMI, the valedictorians and salutatorians will tell their peers that even if they’re from small islands they can think big, and they can achieve bigger successes.
And each year, they do.
To the NMI youth:
We will never tire of saying that we are so very proud of you.
Just don’t get into politics
THE latest facepalm moment on Capital Hill occurred earlier this week when the House public utilities panel met with CUC’s executive director to discuss, among other things, why utility rates are high when oil prices are high.
Yes, lawmakers needed a CUC official to remind the rest of us that power plants run on oil and not water.
Why? Because as the lawmakers themselves have said, their constituents are complaining about their high utility bills. They apparently want their elected officials to “do something.”
To paraphrase Napoleon’s foreign secretary, “A politician who says ‘yes’ means ‘maybe,’ a politician who says ‘maybe’ means ‘no,’ and a politician who says ‘no’ is no politician.”
For his part, CUC’s executive director gently reminded the House politicians that they were discussing what had been discussed several years ago when the local economy was also in a tailspin and oil prices were soaring.
In any case, if politicians want to “solve” the problem of CUC ratepayers who are also registered voters, then the government should subsidize — fully or partially — their utility bills. What’s the funding source?
How about another livestreamed legislative committee hearing or meeting for more discussions?
Or maybe the NMI should have an elected CUC board! Because clearly, having so many elected officials have solved…
What were we talking about again?
