Babauta: Time to bring back trust in govt

Former governor Juan N. Babauta and former education commissioner Dr. Rita A. Sablan file their candidacies for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, before Commonwealth Election Commission staff. (Ferdie De La Torre)

Former governor Juan N. Babauta said that restoring people’s trust in government is one of the reasons why he and Dr. Rita A. Sablan decided to seek the Commonwealth’s two highest positions in government.

“People are driven by many forces and reasons to seek public office. To some, the desire to serve is of the highest order,” said Babauta in last Saturday’s Democratic Party of the Northern Marianas’ 2018 convention at Grandvrio Hotel’s Fiesta Room.

Babauta is running for the third time with Sablan, a former CNMI Education commissioner, as his running mate. He was elected as the sixth governor and served from 2002 to 2006 but lost in his re-election bid to the Covenant Party’s Benigno R. Fitial.

“It is a calling to serve for the greater good over self. Dr. Sablan and I recognize this but we also recognize that the desire to serve must come from the heart,” added Babauta, who also ran for the CNMI delegate post against Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) in 2010.

Babauta said the events in the CNMI the last four years were the driving force behind their decision. “To many in the CNMI, the last four years have once again cast a sinister vibe of government. …It is not a government at its best. It has eroded the public confidence and cast a dark cloud over the integrity of many who are supposed to be in positions of trust. It is reminiscent of events that took place here in the CNMI not too long ago.”

He said that workers have been exploited or even die at worksite with no one being held responsible, while they are also being unjustly compensated. “Workers are being silenced by flying them out in the CNMI in the middle of the night.”

Babauta said a large portion of the CNMI remain at poverty level or below. “…Wealth is in the hands of the few. This is not the CNMI that we envisioned when we became U.S. citizens in 1986.”

“Our kids and future generations will inevitably ask all of us ‘did you something about it?’ We don’t want them to tell us that we were complicit and that we were silent and that we did not do something about it. We want to do something about it.”

He said that a lot of people want change every time he and Dr. Sablan visit the homes of common people. “Every where we went, we hear ‘we want change.’ So, on Nov. 6, the independents and Democrats ask you to make that change a reality.”

“…So we can move our Commonwealth forward to a better and more prosperous future,” said Babauta, who also ran in 2014 against eventual winner, Eloy S. Inos.

Babauta added that making the government more transparent is also their purpose.

In an alternate world
He also mentioned that problems—like 740 families on the wait list for housing assistance and 672 people on Saipan who are homeless—continue to exist.

“We have become tenants rather than landlords in own land. The Salvation Army feeds people who are hungry and, according to their figures, that number is growing. Somebody up there on Mt. Olympus think that they are living in the land of Alice in Wonderland.”

“Our graduates cannot find meaningful good-paying jobs. Prices of goods are out of reach of the common people. The government owes [the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.] between $45 million to $50 million. Yet when Tan Maria and Tun Jose miss paying their $35 CUC bill they get disconnected and charged $100 for reconnection.”

He also cited that airlines have pulled out of the CNMI; crime and domestic violence are rising; the inmates at the Corrections sued the government for neglect, and healthcare is a big problem. “Health insurance deductibles are so high that the sick can not afford to pay even the deductible or the entire bill. Forty-five percent of people in the CNMI are uninsured.”

“There’s $16 million of uncompensated care at the [Commonwealth Health Center]. These are poor people who are going to the hospital getting care, walking out not being able to pay for the healthcare they received.”

Vision for the CNMI
Babauta envisions universal healthcare, protecting the environment, helping young entrepreneurs, and keeping education a centerpiece of economic development, and respecting ancient sites.

“These are some that we envision when we become part of the U.S. in 1986. We can talk about many other things but today, I just want to thank the Democrats of NMI for endorsing the Babauta-Sablan ticket and the rest of our partners.”

He said that the Babauta-Sablan ticket salute the leadership of Democratic Party of the NMI chair Dan Quitugua and the Central Committee.

Delegate Sablan—who is seeking a sixth term as NMI delegate—former governor Dr. Carlos S. Camacho—the CNMI’s first chief executive—former lieutenant governor Jesus Borja—who served under former governor Froilan Tenorio from 1994 to 1998—and former senators H.R. Guerrero and David Cing also endorsed the Babauta-Sablan ticket.

Glenn Manglona (Precinct 1) and Peter Muna (Precinct 5) are the only official candidates by the local Democratic Party, but it is also endorsing the candidacies of former Labor secretary Edith Deleon Guerrero, and former House Speaker Heinz Hofschneider (Senate), Rep. Edwin K. Propst, Samantha Birmingham-Babauta, Franklin Babauta (Precinct 1), and former representative Tina Sablan (Precinct 2).