Approve Azmar’s permit application

I am a 12th grade Language Arts teacher at Marianas High School and have had my students follow the Pagan pozzolan issue because I believe that it is going to be a good long-term source of revenue for our government, and therefore, the Public School System.

Honestly speaking, I have followed it personally because Don Farrell is involved in it. When Don was the chairman of the elected Board of Education, I watched him turn the CNMI’s educational system topsy-turvy when the BOE was sued for supposedly purposely pursuing a policy of discrimination against nonresident teachers on contract to the PSS. To solve the problem permanently, the BOE under his leadership chose not to request an exemption from the law that denies the government the opportunity to hire nonresident workers. Thus, to insure that there was no problem about the dual wage system that existed between off-island hires and local hires, the BOE reached a consensus to sufficiently increase the salary scale of all teachers necessary to eliminate housing allowances for off-island hires.

As a result of the salary increase and the improved working conditions at PSS, many of our youth have chosen to pursue a degree in education. As a result of Don’s commitment to the BOE, all teachers at PSS are U.S. citizens with U.S. degrees and the great majority of them are local hires.

So when Don told me about the Pagan thing and his involvement with Azmar, I followed the issue carefully. I knew that if Don had something to do with it, there was going to be a lot of action and probably a good outcome.

When I read that Azmar had offered to spend $3.45 million over three years just to relocate the people who were displaced from their homes by the eruption of Pagan, I was amazed. $3.45 million for the handful of people who might qualify for relocation? Whoa, that’s a pretty high per capita investment. The PSS could sure use that kind of money right now!

Of course, I know that PSS will get some of the revenues that go into the general fund for redistribution. But still, $3.45 million for a handful?

Now I read that some of the people who were displaced don’t think that is enough. They are trying to stop Azmar from receiving the permit. That would deprive all the rest of us who live in the Marianas from getting anything. For crying out loud, that last guy with a permit was given how many years and he produced nothing. Why not give Azmar the two-year permit they are asking for and let them prove their worth. That would be better than spending another two years with nothing.

If the Pagan people don’t want the $3.45 million, PSS could sure use it. We need musical instruments for bands at all the high schools. We need art rooms with the proper supplies to teach appreciation of art, and find those students who have a talent. We need woodshops, metal shops and auto mechanics shops, with qualified instructors and the materials necessary to teach our youth career skills. We need a budget that will allow the students from Rota to participate in interscholastic sports.

This list could go on and on, and only deal with the needs of PSS. What about public health? I know they could use new equipment on all three islands.

I ask the board to approve the permit for Azmar as quickly as possible so that we can all share in the benefits of the development of Pagan’s pozzolan deposit. And if the Pagan people don’t want the $3.45 million, please ask Azmar if they would shift those funds to specified used in public education and public health.

Tim Faska
San Vicente