Reunification raises lots of questions

Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan (Ind-MP) admits to being surprised as everyone else when Gov. Benigno R. Fitial said that he and Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo are working on plans to reunify the Marianas.

Fitial, in a public hearing on Friday, told the House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs that he and his counterpart from Guam have vowed to work together in reunifying the two U.S. insular areas.

“Most of us were surprised to learn that Governor Fitial is working with Governor Calvo on plans to put the Mariana Islands under one government. This certainly raises a lot of questions,” said Sablan in an email to the Saipan Tribune.

The two-term CNMI delegate to U.S. Congress said he is certainly baffled by Fitial’s seemingly out-of-the-blue pronouncement on a sensitive issue like reunification.

“What happens to the Covenant that the people of the Northern Mariana Islands negotiated with the United States and that has served us well for a generation? And when do the two Republican governors plan to include the public and other local leaders in their private talks?” he asked.

Not much thought

Personally, Sablan said, he hasn’t given reunification that much thought, preferring instead to focus on what he can do right now to improve the lives of the people of the Commonwealth.

“Getting food stamp benefits up to the national level and making sure the 500 people who are waitlisted get help is one of the things we need to do right now,” he said.

The delegate said this week the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, of which he is a member, is having a hearing on federal nutrition programs.

“I will be making the case for including the Northern Marianas in the national food stamp program. And I will continue to encourage Governor Fitial to commit the CNMI to being in the national program, instead of holding on to the underfunded, ‘food stamps lite’ deal that the CNMI negotiates every year with the Agriculture Department. Even under the block grant arrangement we presently have, I will work hard to see an increase in the amount the Commonwealth receives for the fiscal year 2012 beginning in October, 2011,” he said.

Sablan said it is unfair that people in the CNMI continue to get an average of $88 a month, while food stamp recipients in Guam get an average of $218.

“It certainly isn’t right that we have families that need food stamps, families that are hungry, who can’t get help, because the program the Commonwealth government has been negotiating is so unfair,” he said.

Sablan added that improving the food stamp program is good for business in the Commonwealth.

“If we get into the national program, we’re going to put another $12 to $24 million into our local economy. Given the continuing decline in GDP, which was announced last week, we need to be working to put more money into the hands of consumers to spend locally,” he said.

The delegate said increasing consumption will also mean more goods being shipped to the CNMI and increasing the volume of goods could help lower shipping costs to the islands.

“So, again, speculating about reunification is not how I want to spend my time right now. I am going to stay focused on more pressing matters to help our people today,” said Sablan.

Residual effect from military buildup?

Acting governor Eloy S. Inos, meanwhile, said he doesn’t see the CNMI benefiting from the U.S. military buildup in Guam if it does reunify with the U.S. territory.

“You’ve got the economies of scale issue and that can play a factor. But that all depends on how you look at the U.S. military buildup. A lot of it is concentrated in Guam and I don’t know if that will change if, in fact, Guam and the Northern Marianas will be politically united,” he said. “The military economy is a site-specific effort and right now the economics is the same. We support Guam based on economic needs and vice versa. I don’t know if a unified Marianas would necessarily allow for that advantage.”

Inos said what’s clear is that the debate about CNMI-Guam reunification is still in its formative stage

“It’s an issue of plurality and majority. I hope we don’t look at it that way but maybe look at it from the point of what’s best for the CNMI and Guam if that issue would move forward. We should all look at synergy and it’s kind of awkward we call ourselves up here Northern Marianas and then kind of just like leave Guam out. This whole idea of Guam and the CNMI should be discussed more throughout the community—both Guam and Saipan. But again it’s something that’s on the table. Both here and at the Legislature and the Guam legislature,” he said.