Senate pyrotechnics

At Issue: The call for an audit of public funds by members of the Senate triggers unnecessary fireworks.

Our View: The latest pyrotechnic is a waste of time on senseless posturing that benefits only the media.

Every senator has the right to blow the whistle on suspicious expenditure of hard-earned taxpayers contributions. What Senator Ramon S. Guerrero has asked of the public auditor should have included critical ocular review of the previous leadership of the lower chamber.

If legislators are confident that they have followed the letter of the law on expenditure of public funds under the intended definition of public purpose, then it stands to reason to shove off any fear of alleged illegal spending of taxpayers money. In other words, all must welcome such ocular review.

To politicize such a request, including the ouster of Senator Guerrero from committee membership, is to deny representation of the people of Saipan. While such action may feed and soothe bruised political ego, it still doesn’t change the obvious denial of representation of a larger constituency.

The issues before the Senate, including the Omnibus Economic Reforms Act, require immediate and proactive review by our astute policymakers. As you waste time in non-sensical pyrotechnics in the midst of a severe economic crisis, the more you partake in the actual infliction of economic hardship for our people at the village level. This is wrong and we hope that it isn’t a gamesmanship at work.

The recent decline in revenue generation has forced both chambers to juggle funds to meet the basic needs of essential public services.
The exercise is a difficult task not that there are legitimate differences in the final disposition of the FY 2000 budget, but that it requires tolerance and sober analysis from among policymakers. The flare-up is the least that taxpayers expect from those entrusted with the public trust to focus on measures to allow for positive policies on economic recovery.

Someone once remarked that “The tide waits for no man”. How true, therefore, senators must rise above petty politics so they can review and consider policy matters on a timely basis.
Understandably, we expect pyrotechnics to pop-up every now and then. But please do not turn it into a daily agenda. Leave it for the 4th of July celebration. It’s good kid stuff and they (kids) look forward to it. Si Yuus Maase`!