On the campaign trail

Candidates from all camps were out feeling the pulse of villagers in “house-to-house” visits recently. The old farts (incumbents) are the more pensive bunch. They find it difficult justifying their existence much less re-election, plastered with an abysmal record and persistent failure!

Most young voters have openly declared they want change. You’re talking about 60-plus percent of total voters bolting against incumbents. This opens up opportunities for seasoned and trusted independent candidates for a perfect shot of a seat in the 20th NMI Legislature.

I’m angling for the opportunity to talk to political neophytes. It’s a good time to test their perception, understanding, and depth about policymaking. I’m talking about substantive policy formulation people. Let’s see what’s up your sleeves! Learning to say “biba” isn’t the beginning or the end of serious policymaking. I’m talking policymaking not policing!

Granted, the building and strengthening of strong governance entails a protracted process. The fallacies of a democracy are also part and whole of this process. At any rate, the work requires visionary leadership, integrity and a set of realistic plans. You’d also begin to see why the corrupt and druggy types amongst you must go!

Villagers’ trail
The recent approval of a measure by politicos to rezone the seaside of San Roque Village is a perfect example of the elite joining hands with rich friends to fortify their culture.

It’s a new culture between political lapdogs and rich bosses dancing the waltz so punch drunk of their power as to even trash village-level sentiment against it. It’s the tyranny of the politically powerful against the very people who placed them in office. Dios mihu!

Even at the get-go, is there really sufficient CIP funds earmarked to accommodate major strides in growth in and around the shoreline up north? I know water is problematic up there. Was this issue taken into serious review?

Recalled in the late sixties my partaking in a lawsuit against the TTG in the planned use of Puntan Muchot for a luxury hotel or what’s now the Hyatt Regency. Its historic significance was buried and overwhelmed under tons of talk about revenue generation or economic development.

Nonetheless, it was the historic role it played as the landing ground of fishermen and traders who’d take intermittent rests regrouping before the next trip into the open waters. It was the center of food gathering for local families who’d catch land crabs or pull nets with family members for the next meal. It was our last prime land and venue of familial sustenance. It’s gone!

I remember walking into the same swampland with neighborhood kids catching land crab for dinner. On our return to CK, we’d help families pull in nets to the shore. The family patriarch would share the catch with us as we head home at sunset. It was our historic relationship to the land and sea that investors never saw as significant and an integral part of our way of life. Their message is riddled with condescension and inconsequence.

Yes, it was the prime beaches taken from the indigenous people to build their hotels “my father and I once knew…singing kanaka blues.” Sad the passivity with which we’ve embraced defending what’s ours! Herein we begin to see, in perspective, the essence of Article XII! Or this could well trigger a far more proactive set of voters hence. Yes, we can recapture what’s ours!

Infrastructure vs growth
Growth in neighboring Asian countries depends on how quickly their governments could emplace basic infrastructure like water, power, roads, and sewer system. Their emplacement instantly gravitates new investments that lends to economic growth. It provides the stability to generate both wealth and jobs creation anchored to a master plan of sort.

Here in the NMI, it’s done differently or on an ad hoc basis. We welcome all investments as though basic infrastructure would instantly descend in various targeted areas of growth. Sadly, the Boysis on imperial Capital Hill begin to realize that something’s amiss, big time, too!

As investors begin setting-up shop, the magnitude or size of their plans would eventually come into full view prompting villagers to ask: would there be enough water for everybody’s use? Are there sewer and power systems in place for the expanded need? Would not a rushed judgment result in the displacement of both investment and wellbeing of villagers?

Would it not delay timely wealth and jobs creation? Haven’t we learned due diligence to prevent unbridled growth from retarding the very goal sought from the very beginning?

Minimum wage debate
I’m not particularly enamored by statutory imposition of minimum wage. I’m convinced it should be dictated by the strength of the local economy.

But then in the mid-’80s we attained financial solvency with tons of revenue. We even told the U.S. Congress (and I was there when we declared it) no more grant funds.

Subsequently, control of immigration was denied the NMI in 2008 that ended the $1.2-billion apparel industry. It equally robbed the NMI of its revenue base. Today, we’re bankrupt! I fought against it strictly in the belief of the NMI’s economic freedom. The decision from DC was otherwise!

The crash into the valley of insolvency confirms, time and again, of the fragility of an island economy that is resource-poor since time immemorial. Has the NMI’s elected elite buckled down to think this issue through in order that there’s sustained revenue source for our expanding needs? Why has it conveniently skipped the ominous warning that anything could derail our allegedly “plenty money to go around” claim?

Or is this too difficult for the “solutions driven” team to render initial apprehension for it may bounce them off their comfortable nest?