70th Anniversary after WWII

It’s an interesting year marking the 70th anniversary since the end of World War II and the 36th year of so-called self-government. We’ve come a long way, haven’t we, NMI?

The seeming seesaw in political evolution or devolution is itself an interesting journey of humiliating consistency in inconsistency. In the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, we wanted reintegration with Guam because of its $1-an-hour minimum wage. We were salivating, what with ours being $.16 an hour. We were soundly shot down!

Our aspiration was focused strictly on the almighty dollar. It wasn’t cultural, nor do we care about its source. Neither is it based on the principles upon which our country was founded 236 years ago. It was the almighty dollar from A-Z!

Evidently, as of the first of the year, 21 states have raised the minimum wage up to $9.15 an hour. Guam did the same by a dollar or $8.25 an hour. Ours remains at $6.05. Nationwide the average price for gasoline has fallen to $2.41 per gallon. The NMI is stuck in the swamp of economic depression and it can’t afford either adjustment.

We had no clue that support for self-government begins with “we the people.” Remember when first levied a 1 percent income tax in the late ‘60s we burned the chambers of the Congress of Micronesia? Obviously, we weren’t searching for self-government. Perhaps we’ve seen one too many Christmas drops, strengthening the cargo cult mentality. Now we’ve been showered with 10 silvers!

The cost of healthcare would continue to spiral upwards. The millions of dollars spent on medical referral should be invested here to improve healthcare delivery at CHC beyond ambulatory level. It makes sense and the time to begin is now!

If we’re exempt from Obamacare, does it mean we’re also exempt from paying the backbreaking deductible of $500 to $1,000 out-of-pocket expense? Can someone clarify this issue ASAP?

We had a healthy economic boom in the mid-‘80s that crashed and disintegrated when the feds took over control of immigration. Then came the exodus of major Japanese investments and the shutter of the $2.1-billion apparel industry. Nothing by way of anchor investment has come since then. The talk of economic boom from casino is but a grand pipe dream. Or is it more like doom?

Tourism, while it inches upwards in suspect recovery, remains protracted and equally fickle. Our progress is analogous to a candle in the wind easily snuffed by heavy headwinds.

Exploratory efforts are on the way to revive the 902 talks with the federal government. It’s a good move, at least in looking forward to rebuilding the bridge of hope on investments.

The cesspool in our backyard is overflowing. The tectonic plates of fiscal crisis have consistently and persistently rumbled 24/7. Wish we could bifurcate it, you know, pretend it isn’t a problem or ignore it altogether in hopes it resolves itself. Nah! Either we clean it up and move on or sleepwalk in perpetuity to our own detriment. Hope we’re up to the task lest we’d see a lot of very unhappy campers.

Role of CHCH board

The continuing debate on whether the CHCC board should be a “governing” body or limited to a “ceremonial” role isn’t so difficult to resolve. I need not have a master’s degree in health to understand that CHC has tons of significant clinical and administrative issues it needs to resolve with vision and leadership. It’s all common sense!

It should be understood that every board and commission here carries out fiduciary duties fostering accountability in the implementation of policy decisions. The CEO handles implementation of policy and accounts for his/her actions by reporting intermittently to the board. This itself is a measurement of whether missions have been accomplished, failed, or in progress. It forces transparency. Why would some revolt against transparency? Isn’t taxpayers’ money to attain decent healthcare delivery at issue here? So why spout self-serving diatribes that misses the point altogether?

When it comes to CHC, the issue becomes even more complicated given the myriad of health issues requiring diligent attention and resolution. There are policy issues set by the Joint Commission on Hospital Certification and another by CMS. The board wants to ensure these standards are met forthwith and has no desire micro-managing the hospital. Management is in the hands of the CEO whose performance must be subject to review by the board to ensure efficacy. Aren’t we mixing salient issues with personalities?

Transparency is a must where CEOs dispose of duties from behind their desk, not under it. While major strides may have been attained, a lot more needs to be done to make healthcare delivery here reliable, affordable, accountable, and transparent! That isn’t asking for much, is it?