Of fear, frustration, hopelessness

At sunset, we hear the distant echo from the villages similar to faint rings from the bells at the cathedral during rainy days. Sadly, the echo represents the voice of governance plastered with fear, frustration, uncertainty, and helplessness. Is it time to defer to divine providence?

Most folks have seen the huge plummet in local revenues from $256 million a decade or so ago down to $102 million last and this fiscal year, a downward spiral or loss of about $154 million. It isn’t very encouraging and is very unsettling.

We know the cost of utilities will keep increasing and as it spikes upwards, it simultaneously kills more small businesses. This spells far less revenues for the local government. It obviates the dire need for fiscal integrity and a definitive plan to cap spending at every corner. This is where real leadership is put to a test. It includes questions on the disposition of substantive issues such as the following:

1. Do incumbents, Republicans and Covenant, have a thoroughly considered socio-economic recovery plan designed to grow the economy? If so, why hasn’t such plan been implemented since six years ago?

2. If not, then how would you improve the lot of governance when you deftly defer to mañana to “let it be” hoping that some miracle would emerge from the sea of neglect?

3. With a clear record of failure in all corners to improve the economic livelihood of governance, is it right for the people of these isles to repeat with your failed leadership?

4. The economy is disastrously in chaos, if not apocalyptic in all its forms. It has forced an underemployment problem with employees whose work hours have been reduced to 64 hours per pay period. Now, read carefully:

5. This as the cost of utility skyrockets beyond the reach of most people.

6. This as the prices of gasoline and basic commodities have gone meteoric while salaries remain woefully stagnant.

7. This as the cost of health becomes prohibitive for most people Marianas-wide.

What can incumbent failures and new recruits have under their sleeves to articulate these issues? Of course, this assumes that the candidates are serious about going forward with an economic agenda first, and not muddying the waters with a bunch of social issues stuff. Don’t forget, when people are struggling to put food on the table, they don’t give a rat’s ass about social issues. That’s for the misguided elites.

This government failed to produce the required socio-economic plan to use as a guideline to navigate and revive the local economy with rock solid policies subject to refinements. It came out with a tourism plan, but what about long term plans for farming, fishing, eco-tourism, harvesting of natural resources, cottage industry, cattle, piggery, poultry, etc.?

The obvious shortsightedness in planning for the future of these isles has morphed into casino, the sale of public land, and the proposed distribution of MPLT funds. It’s all temporary solutions that will not resolve the long-term financial needs of the NMI. Would you still trust the same exhausted political dinosaurs with the future of your children? Do you wish to prolong fear, frustration and hopelessness?

Quick fixes for long-term issues

Land sale: It isn’t surprising the eleventh hour perceptual answer, to place an initiative to sell public land on the Nov. 6 ballot, a quick fix all the way around. It’s an act of desperation by this administration that stopped remitting employer’s contribution since 2006. Gov. Benigno R. Fitial now has a proposal that would steal land from our children. And he wants the sale of public land to cover his inadequacies in failed leadership. Must we surrender what belongs to posterity?

The governor proposes the sale of public land, specifically those under lease to hotels and golf resorts. Interesting his explanation that firms who buy land under this scheme could only resell the land to the NMI government. This form of sale is quite unique and looks far more problematic than meets the eye. Furthermore, would it be an encouragement to invest if this condition is posted as a requirement?

If I’ve purchased a piece of property, would my subsequent final disposition of land that belongs to me be conditioned upon selling it back to the original owners? After the transaction is consumed, isn’t true that it’s my land, therefore, my final disposition?

Another troubling issue is: How would the valuation of these properties be considered? Would the appraised and market price for the land be premised as though the land is raw land? Will it be appraised with developments now in place? What would be the cumulative figure upon sale? Is it sufficient to pay off the Fund and support its operations down the stretch? Aren’t developed public lands the asset of the local government it could leverage when using bond flotation for its purposes? Quick fixes aren’t lasting solutions but just that-quick fixes!

Distribution of MPLT funds: Then came the latest innovation to spend everything down to the penny, specifically the distribution of MPLT funds, however limited, to the indigenous people, according to proponent Lang Tenorio. Talk about creative financing at the expense of others-national taxpayers-ready for another fiesta-like splurge.

The first question proponents must answer is whether in fact seed funds for this agency originated from within? If so, what’s the source of such seed money? If not, can someone point out its origin? Isn’t it true that such funds came from the backbreaking hard work of U.S. mainland taxpayers appropriated by the U.S. Congress? So where’s the indigenous possession of money that came from national taxpayers?

We can’t constantly be on the hunt for quick fixes, though the la mañana culture goes together with such a scheme. We must bite the bullet so we could buckle down to figuring out the beast: Where do we go from here and how do we remap out the next journey? We’ve done too many ad hoc schemes that we no longer have anything left in our bag of tricks. It brings back the question of leadership and whether we still have people left on the islands who could do what’s right.

There’s also the proposed initiative to pay the indigenous people dividends from lease of public land. A bit shortsighted given the obvious: to engage in unbridled expenditure of funds. We’re talking money that should be saved or invested for that rainy day, so to speak. It’s a sure ticket to perpetuating colossal corruption in government.

Isn’t it our responsibility to ensure that we live within in our means? Why would we detract from what’s purposeful and beneficial to all? The proposal to pay dividends from lease of public land only strengthens and confirms racism and willful discrimination. Why rush into judgment on an issue that requires a long thoughtful process?

John DelRosario Jr. is a former publisher of the Saipan Tribune and a former secretary of the Department of Public Lands.