In what direction should we go?

The anticipation of a brighter future for the CNMI as a result of my daily review of the Saipan Tribune and conversations with two longstanding education colleagues, Moses Fejeran and Jose B. Aldan, have compelled me to write. KISS: Keep it simple stupid. The government has a deficit problem. I am the government. Therefore, I am in debt and I don’t like it. How can I fix it? I can’t, but we can.

We, the people of the CNMI, live in the most beautiful place in the world, with the best climate for human habitation anywhere. We are not a rich state like California. Therefore, we must live within our means. That means earn more money and/or cut expenses. The new Governor has promised he will help the CNMI earn more money. I believe him.

I always try to make cutting expenses as painless as possible. Here’s one way the new CNMI Governor can do that. In the short term, i.e., right now, open all Executive Branch offices to our beautiful climate and turn off the air conditioning. This would save money for the government employees because they wouldn’t have to buy sweaters. It would cut government expenses for costly oil to run CUC and altruistically we would stop making Middle Eastern (read Iran and Iraq) oil magnates and dictators rich. Do the same thing with the schools and savings would be even greater. For the teachers who would resist, I ask which would you like more, an air-conditioned room or a raise in pay? I mean, it’s been a long time for you teachers to live on the same salary while prices go up and we could even reward the successful Praxis takers, plus help Jeff Turbitt pay for his master’s program.
In the short term I’m concerned about impressing investors by wearing ties and suits or long-sleeved shirts. Investors are impressed with our climate, but mostly they’re impressed, as I have been, with the traditional friendliness and good nature of our people, traits which our new Governor exemplifies so well. Please, Ben, don’t put on a tie.

In the long term, the CNMI must look to increasing use of solar power. We have the most sunshiny days of any place in the world. The technology is available now that would make it not unreasonable to require that all new homes built in the CNMI be totally self-sufficient using photovoltaic generated electricity. The very rich can run their own local small-scale generators for their castles. This would decrease the obviously overwhelming demand on CUC and take the government off the hook, plus no more complaints and reliance on an outside source for my comfort.

A government deficit means I’m in debt. A debt that I or my children or their children will have to pay. I don’t like it! Do you? Let’s get our act together, folks.

Roger N. Ludwick
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