‘It’s not what you know, but whom you know’

I am writing about the Marianas Public Lands Authority in reference to Job Vacancy Announcement No. 05-017. A position for Land Use Investigator for the Tinian MPLA office was announced on Dec. 28, 2005 and closed Jan. 13, 2006. Like many qualified individuals such as I, we submitted our applications and went through the interview process. As of now, I have not heard a response from MPLA regarding the decision as to whether or not I will be hired for the position and why. However, imagine my disbelief to learn that MPLA already had someone in mind to take the job. Reliable sources confirm that the individual hired for the job had submitted an application about two days prior to Dec. 28, 2005. It would seem that some improprieties might have occurred and that certain individuals with authority may have intervened so that this person would take the position and would have the rest of us believe that we had a fair chance at being hired. This is an outrage and the matter should be investigated. Not to appear naïve, but I had thought that we no longer live in a society where it is not whom we know, but rather what we know. MPLA might as well have handed the job to that person on a silver platter without having told anyone about it. Never mind the hiring procedure they should have adhered to in the beginning. The outrage lies in the questionable hiring practices of MPLA. The MPLA has made one of the applicants begin work without having the decency of notifying all applicants of their decision, which is the appropriate hiring practice. I wonder if the person hired as the Land Use Investigator is even qualified. I demand that the appropriate authorities look into this serious matter.

The economy is not doing well and every person seeking a job opportunity in the CNMI should be afforded the right to apply for any vacant position in both the government and private sector without having to face major frustrating and unfair obstacles thrown in their path. MPLA should clean up its act and catch phrases such as “fairness for all” or “clean and open government” shouldn’t continue to be used lightly. I refuse to keep silent about this and it is not about getting the job of Land Use Investigator anymore. It is about every citizen of the CNMI who have been cheated out of their opportunity to seek employment because they were outsmarted by people with “connections.” Lay this matter to rest and investigate the paper trail, which in the end should reveal that the MPLA Job Announce No. 05-017 was all a sham.

I hope that voicing my opinion will not jeopardize the approval of my homestead deed.

Ramona Pangelinan Cabrera-Viches
Carolinas Heights, Tinian