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How many more must die?
The recent headline of another drowning gave rise to this letter and what I’m sure is the concern of many over the phenomenon of tourists dying, with no end in sight. It is understandable that tourists will eventually get hurt or even drown but it is the frequency of these deaths that is so alarming. So the question is, how many must die before the CNMI takes it serious enough to do something to put a stop to it! I’m sure one of the main reason for the delay in doing something that will surly curtail if not totally end these deaths is the fact that they are not hitting home (local families), so these deaths are kind of forgotten about with the next news cycle.
But I can’t help but wonder just how many must die at the same tourist sites for the same reason before we put a stop to it. The buck actually stops with the Executive Branch and Legislature, who are ultimately responsible to protect and serve everyone living in and visiting our great Commonwealth. If we just leave things like they are, the numbers are only going to grow with time and the increase of arrivals, so to do nothing is only going exacerbate the challenge! Our leaders need to come up with some solutions even if it takes creating a new law but something needs to be done now and not later, which will surely be too late for some unexpected tourist. We must do more to protect and serve the people who are literally the fuel for economy—our tourists.
Ambrose M. Bennett
Kagman, Saipan
