A thousand times no
PRESIDENT Harry Truman — so the story goes — believed that his successor, Gen. Ike Eisenhower, would find the presidency “very frustrating. “He’ll sit here,” Truman said, “and he’ll say, ‘Do this! Do that!’ And nothing will happen. Poor Ike — it won’t be a bit like the Army.”
Poor us. Because that’s exactly what most of us believe: that when government says “do this!” “do that!” something will happen. Let’s pass a “strong” anti-littering law to end littering! The law was passed. “Nothing” happened. Littering remained a “grave concern.” So a “much improved” anti-littering law was passed followed by the creation of a team of litter control apprehending officers. “Litterbugs on Saipan need to shape up. There is a fresh batch of newly certified anti-littering watchdogs in the community.” That was what the government said two years ago. Today, there’s still littering at popular beach sites especially during weekends, but “nothing watchdogs.”
So now the government — yes, the very same — wants to be in charge of collecting the garbage all over the island. And it wants you to pay for it. But “it’s not a cost; it’s an investment”? Good grief. Who came up with that claptrap?
Compared to the widespread littering and illegal dumping on Saipan back in the day — including in those years when tourism was booming — the island today is much cleaner. Community volunteers are tirelessly conducting cleanups at beaches and other public areas. Local residents are more than eager to identify and expose illegal dumpers. It is their government that cannot enforce its own anti-littering law. It also can’t pay its vendors on time. (A previous operator of the Marpi Landfill last year said the government had not made payments for nine months. The government then “rewarded” the contractor by terminating its contract.)
As some of us may still remember, the government, whenever it is broke — and it is usually broke — can declare an emergency and withhold the release of public funds earmarked for specific agencies and programs. Ask the Retirement Fund. CHCC. MVA. CUC. And these are considered “essential” agencies.
It is more than likely that the government, which has so many obligations, will run out of money, again. Now its latest rainbows-and-unicorns proposal, the Universal Garbage Collection, will require the hiring of garbage collectors. Be honest. Do you really think this cash-strapped government can or will pay them on time? And what if these unpaid companies refuse to collect our garbage?
With no Collection we’ll be stuck with Universal Garbage.
A better idea
THE governor’s political opponents in the House say it is unfair that taxpayers are paying for the governor’s utility bills at his private residence. This is a concern first raised, as far as we know, in…2008. Thirteen years ago.
But finally, someone among the “concerned” lawmakers will actually “do something” about it. The House minority bloc members say they will propose legislation to “clarify” current applicable law, and impose “reasonable caps on allowable utility charges.” These will include a provision stating “that any utility consumption charges higher than the appropriate cap will be considered as a personal expense and responsibility of the official occupying the residence.” The goal is to “help keep utility charges at a reasonable and fiscally prudent amount, and such guidelines, if enacted, will help control official housing benefits of current and future elected officials of the offices covered by the law.”
The bill should be introduced, referred to committee, discussed in public hearings and reviewed by lawmakers who should then pass it. And the governor should sign it into law.
