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Public ownership of CUC
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Posted on Sep 15 2008
I have just read recent articles offered by both Mr. Pete A. Tenorio and Mr. Gregorio C. Sablan (Kilili) regarding the problem at CUC. Both gentlemen are calling for federal intervention: Mr. Tenorio is appealing for presidential disaster declaration while Mr. Sablan is forcefully requesting for a congressional hearing on the matter. While no one can deny the fact that CUC is in drastic need of rehabilitation due to numerous technical deficiencies, financial difficulties and management inadequacies, these challenges must be resolved by ourselves. This is our own making and we must squarely deal with it ourselves. Passing our problem for someone else to deal with is not the Chamorro and Carolinian way. This is an affront to the integrity and dignity of our people in the Commonwealth. Both gentlemen are impulsively overreacting and their resolution is for federal intervention and congressional oversights. I hope this is not their usual way of solving problems within the CNMI. The people of the Commonwealth are inundated with legislative oversights. Senator Luis Crisostomo has already conducted extensive oversight hearings plus various other legislative hearings. Perhaps we can ask Senator Crisostomo whatever happened to those hearings.
I am of the opinion that public ownership instead of political management of CUC is the most viable alternative to resolving the problem at CUC. One such idea leading to public ownership of CUC was floated by Mr. Juan T. Guerrero (Pan) where the Funds would invest and own CUC. Since power generation is the last publicly run government service, I do not wish to see it taken over by self-interest groups. The government has already given up on another lucrative public service and money-making entity, telecommunication with MTC.
