‘Our environment is our economy’

Our Senate currently has on its table a bill (HB 14-204) that seeks to create a multi-agency task force that would conduct a comprehensive study on pozzolan mining in the Northern Islands. This study would better prepare us to make informed decisions about the mining issue beginning, of course, with the question of whether or not we even want to engage in mining in the Northern Islands.

If the ultimate answer to that question turns out to be yes, this study will also help us figure out how we can secure the fairest possible deal for the CNMI, working only with responsible and experienced developers who meet our qualification requirements, and causing the least amount of harm to the environment in the Northern Islands. Such a study can only be in the best interests of the Commonwealth.

And yet, amazingly, our Senate leaders and other elected officials flatly oppose this bill, mainly because they have decided that it is anti-business. Azmar, the developer that has made the most headlines in recent days, is apparently getting frustrated with us, and our elected officials tell us that we are simply too cash-strapped to risk losing this deal.

My question to our government leaders is this: Are we so cash-strapped that we must risk being robbed? After all, if we jump into a mining deal without having thoroughly examined the issues first, we stand to lose not only our fair share of the mining revenues, but a much greater inheritance, which is the natural beauty and ecological health of our Northern Islands. In the words of Palauan President Tommy Remengesau, “Our environment is our economy.” If our own elected officials fail to understand that, then we are not only cash-strapped, but leadership-strapped as well.

It’s the same old story, though, isn’t it? Our leaders have squandered our long-term inheritance for short-term gain many times before. Then we find ourselves paying in the long run for enormous social, economic, public health, and environmental costs that could have been avoided with more careful planning. And when we finally raise our voices in protest against the bad deals we get, we are accused of being anti-business, greedy, and ungrateful.

I, for one, am sick and tired of our elected officials selling us short and calling that development. Development should not be this destructive, or, for that matter, this disappointing. Let’s take an honest look around us and really see what the last twenty-some years of shortsighted, poorly planned, and uncreative development have done for us. Lets consider, for a moment, how differently things might have turned out had we done comprehensive studies on garment manufacturing, golf courses, or tourism before haphazardly plunging into these industries. And using that lesson from our history, lets pull our resources and best ideas together to avoid making the same mistakes with the mining industry. We are, after all, too cash-strapped to risk being shortchanged again.

Tina Sablan
Tanapag