Reassessing a journey

Once we were young, even bold and reckless in some things we did hardly mindful of what lies ahead. But as we age it brings home a sense of humility, e.g., how fortunate we are getting out of government with a retirement check. Others behind you aren’t so lucky.

Some 3,000 withdrew their retirement and forcibly relocated elsewhere over the last four-five years in search of greener pasture. It included folks from all three inhabited islands.

The NMI owes the retirement program some $789 million in unfunded liability until the last member retires completely. This is how much we owe the system.

I bring this issue up for you to ponder upon. Beyond your job today, is there a guarantee you’d still be actively employed some 20-30 years from now? What if one of you suffers a stroke and turn into a paraplegic? Or what if a fatal cancer hits you or your spouse? Would a single income cover the family needs? The retirement program is history but then where does that leave you in terms of future security?

Think about possibilities beyond what you have today. It’s always good to prepare in advance of actually struggling to stand up in a swirling fiscal sinkhole!

Family business: Beyond regular jobs, is there anything that you and your family could start as a small family business moving forward?

A granduncle and his late wife started the smoke brisket business providing neighborhood stores with warm ready-to-eat brisket. It got too large; almost instantly it had to be aborted. But it was a good business, initially.

My granduncle was already beyond 70 when he started his venture. It was hard collecting firewood for this purpose. Wished, though, that his kids had picked it up. But it seems they wish to stare down opportunities by doing nothing about it.

Don’t give up yet. Take a step back and look at what the community you live in needs like right here and now. Is the idea good enough to hatch into a small family business? Isn’t it a good time to explore and discuss this among siblings? No one would be a millionaire but there would be something to lean on when bad times hit harder than usual. This is the whole idea!

Mistakes: Someone said we make mistakes everyday so why then would we be afraid to make them? Go ahead and make mistakes. Return and refine decisions you’ve made even with mistakes. It takes going through the entire nine yards to know you could do it with or without a mistake! Magoo admonishes, “Go ahead and mistake!”

The struggle to do better is a hallmark of successful people. It’s what defines them or their ability to make something better for their fellow man. They could easily sit on the deck of the boat and work on their projects with lots of fun. It’s because the term struggle defines them! It’s part and whole of their everyday existence and living! A struggle is fun!

Land and other fiscal debacle
Land claimants are owed money by the millions of dollars. The debt is about $80 million to $100 million. Could we meet this obligation anywhere within the realm of reality given the unsteady fiscal posture of the NMI in the near-term?

The current arrangement is to secure a negotiated agreement between land claimant and the Department of Public Land. This information is sent to the Legislature for settlement via an appropriation. The Legislature identifies the source of funds then appropriates it for final settlement of land claims. Is there a chance the Legislature could identify funds for this purpose realistically?

The system in place may be a functional one in the mid-’80s when the NMI had tons of money to spare. Not today! We can’t even fork out $30-plus million to settle debts with CUC. Furthermore, there’s nothing but massive debts ahead!

Imagine the clogged fiscal arteries as other big-ticket items join the parade for timely payment, e.g., PSS and CHC. It would take forever to resolve this issue. Worse, we’ve got the young folks hooked on debts in the millions of dollars hailing from, yes, negligence!

The only way out is to simply earmark interest earned by MPLT of some $2.5 million per year with a sunset provision that it reverts to normalcy upon completion of clearing all outstanding land compensation issues. Otherwise, we’d be singing the same refrain for the next 70 years!

Difficult: The hardest issue on land compensation is a request by the family for some portion of what’s owed them to handle medical issues with loved ones. I end up saying “no” because the arrangement or set of rules doesn’t allow for piecemeal payment nor does it allow for compassion in life-and-death situations.

I understand where the families were coming from, having dealt with long-term illness with a loved one for more than eight long years. Yes, I understand what happens beyond hospitals in Honolulu. It was never a vacation but a search for a hospital with a “good backup system” to handle issues after major surgery or procedures.

Indeed, there are other equally serious issues affecting our people but one dominant concern fills my day 24/7: health. It’s on a steady roll of deterioration. This sector of the local government needs tons of money and special attention to develop it so it focuses on real healthcare issues of our people. I feel for doctors, nurses and ancillary staff who take the extra mile to make do with what we have at CHC. It’s a fine hospital considering what the medical staff had to endure daily. Help out where you can volunteer!