‘Politricking’ failures

I don’t think there is a single voter who can say “we the people haven’t been tricked by these Republicans” over the past two decades and that applies multiple times to the present Torres administration. The funny part for me is they are still running the same old “politricking” plays that have kept them in power, treating those naive enough to believe their gaslighting shows they are putting on is real. But we the people and even businesses have literally been taxed with no end in sight when the CNMI needed and still does need new revenue sources. Now businesses are closing down from the high and impractical fees are being doubled at a time when it should be obvious we are still in a pandemic recovery mode with virtually no external input from tourism. I keep telling the powers-that-be the CNMI needs new, different and better tourist attractions if we are truly committed to a tourism industry. But instead of working to create these new attractions, the governor just continues with the gaslighting of his “politricking” ideas that have gotten us nowhere fast, like deer hunting in the N. Islands.

We have already spent millions on a gaslighting Tourism Bubble idea that was for one country when it should have been for all tourists as the CNMI must expand our tourism base—something we teach high schoolers about the dangers and pitfalls of “one-crop economies.” But given that the governor can’t come up with a viable reopening plan, here is the very simple solution to reopening our economy. I hope the House will even consider invoking something like this through a “reopening resolution for the people” to document proof for voters that they are trying but the governor isn’t listening:

1.There is nothing wrong with giving spending vouchers to tourists but they should be for all tourists.

2. Stop paying airlines and allow the tourism demand to stimulate the supply of air-travel to the CNMI.

3. Require all tourists to show proof of vaccination that is verified in their country of origin before boarding a flight to the CNMI that is also authenticated once arriving

4. Start a fully open tourism industry promotion in all the possible tourists market countries on how the CNMI is COVID-free with legal cannabis!

5. Start the work to build or bring new tourist attractions for the CNMI like the search for a theme park investor, which will make the CNMI the premiere tourist destination for all of Micronesia. Build back better!

6. Start immediate reasonable promotions in Japan to lease the Mariana Resort to a Japanese investor to begin the process of bringing back our real primary tourist market that these “polictricking” Republicans want you to just forget and give up on.

7. We have two malls that need to be revived and we are even paying a yearly lease on La Fiesta. Either put a stage area and a roof over the Garapan mall or reopen the street and look for investors to reopen La Fiesta with a reasonable lease.

8. Find a viable use of the Inos Peace Park for tourists that hasn’t been used for anything as it could be a “free public smoking zone” to promote our cannabis tourism.

9. Tie the Tagaman into an international bike race (e.g., Tour de Marianas)” on Rota, Tinian, and Saipan.

10. Build a stage and permanent structures for the Thursday night market.

11. Sell the casino hotel and& refer to the other things I mentioned in my previous letters.

Ambrose M. Bennett
Kagman III, Saipan