Looking out for number one

In most economies of scale, businessmen at the bottom pray long and hard everyday that the top guns at the peak of the reverse business pyramid remain healthy, financially. This view is widely held for a reason: If the top guy tumbles, they know that they too would suffer from the cascading effects from above. In other words, the big guy would also drag them down with him.

It seems, however, that such view isn’t openly embraced by the indigenous people for ours is the deathly crab syndrome where we drag down anybody and everybody who makes it to the top. Like crabs in a bucket, we drag the guy who’s near the top to make sure he doesn’t exit and break out on his own. We want him down right flat on his face. It’s an ugly indigenous custom that has contributed to our collective failure or demise. This ugly attitude must change for it only belongs to errant adolescents.

Now, as we work to scrap our deathly crab mentality, we must equally retreat to revisit two sectors that we’ve lumped together when in fact they should be treated separately on their own merits. This is the service and manufacturing sectors of the local economy. There’s a tourism sector, construction and other businesses that provide services for both visitors and residents alike.

There’s the manufacturing sector (garment) their finished products exported to global markets twice a week, every week. It’s the only major export that has sustained a viable shipping industry (air and sea). It triggered the establishment of residual businesses who support its operations. It is this industry that employs more than 3,000 people, discounting foreign workers attached to it. It’s a half a billion dollar industry that funnels not less than $30 million in direct revenues to the local coffers.

This is where common sense comes into play: Do we continue imposing strangling regulations against this industry in favor of, i.e., barbershops and beauty salons which inundate these islands? Can they collectively generate $30 million annually in direct revenues that equals the contribution of the garment industry? Common sense tells us that the answer is a big fat NO! And I’m not knocking this sector out. But which is which, gentlemen? More trickles from this troubled service sector who wait all day for customers, any customer, to break even or be able to pay for their utility bills?

If the writing on the wall tells a tale, then it is your fiduciary responsibility to enhance the garment industry’s production level so that it generates more revenues for the local coffers and continue to provide jobs for our people. To do otherwise is to revel in the crab mentality, a syndrome that has become the sole culprit in all our failure to do what is right under the current financial straits of the NMI. Scrap this mentality for it only belongs to dumb crustaceans!

Success must be heralded

One must learn to praise success, i.e., a friend who made it in his chosen profession or business. What he’s opted to brave and blaze through, rain or shine, is in itself an admirable quality. Most of us have chosen to steer clear for fear that we would fail or drive it to the ground, not to mention the challenge of long hours of work that private entrepreneurship entails. Most of us would head for a glass of cold beer, burned meat or raw fish while they take an extra three hours to review that day’s transactions.

Some of our own locals who have done exceedingly well in business include: Juan S. Tenorio (Santiago), Juan T. Guerrero (Pan), Frank C. Cabrera, Tony Flores, Evelyn Sablan (Toys-4-U); Edward (Jun) Flores; Patrick Calvo; Rita and Frances Borja; Conrad Hofschneider; Alfred and Henry Pangelinan, Jess Takai and Candy Castro, surveyors; Jess Q. Guerrero (Ankoi), Tony Camacho, Marianas Printing; Penny Hofschneider (Lollipos); Mike Tenorio (Teno); Jack Manglona; Jesus Sablan (Tedegua); Vince Calvo; Vince Manglona; Diego Mendiola; Fleming of Tinian; Bill Cing; and others whose names I can’t recall at this writing. These relatively young businessmen have worked and walked the extra mile to rake-in what they’ve earned with sheer hard work. I personally herald their success for they are active contributors to the local economy. More power to you friends and may there be brighter days ahead!