Bluer than blue

It appears that many leaders do not understand how to create an investment-friendly environment. The idea to put up a policy to require businesses to hook up to CUC is one of those policies. If there is a business in the very near future who wants to build a resort completely powered by alternative energy, are we to tell that investor to shut up and hook up to CUC? What is happening here? Is that how stupid our leaders are? Who are these bunch of leaders anyway? Are they educated enough to understand the impact of the actions or policies they want to implement? Stupid is the only word I can use to describe the idea at this point and stupid are those who agree to impose such a policy.

On another subject, the sky is blue just as the ocean is here on Rota. Many days, not on the actual schedule of the cargo vessel servicing Rota, the sea is very calm but because it is not the actual schedule for the shipping company, they couldn’t care less if the people of Rota suffer. Anyone should tell me that that is not a fact. I surely hope I am wrong. It has been over three months now that the cargo vessel called port. The governor declared Rota under a significant state of emergency. I do not know what exactly this means and to what extent this will address the problem. The people are not suffering from a lack of food but from very high food prices because everything has to be flown in. Yes, perhaps there is a shortage of some items, those that cannot be airlifted.

What we hope is to address the underlying cause of the problem as this is not only a one time incident but an annual recurring problem. Even with a proper cargo vessel, the existing port infrastructure at times is not ideal for normal operation. I was the operation manager of M/V Celeste, a cargo vessel calling Rota during the ’90s, and found many times the Rota port had a problem. A vessel like M/V Celeste will help but will not solve the underlying problem.

Now, with the present shipping company that last called Rota back on Nov. 18, 2013, I hope they have a sense of corporate responsibility as the entire people of Rota is counting on them to make an effort to call port. I know of countless times or days when the sky was blue, the ocean was perfectly blue with waves at less than a foot or two that any vessel can easily slide into the port but, of course, it is not their schedule and the money involved is not significant. God shine your light on these people. Shine your light on the Rota leaders to open their eyes wider. Everything seems to be blue.

Frank M. Atalig
Sinapalo 1, Rota