Crisostimo thinks big for NMI

Talk about “creativity” and grand visions for the Northern Marianas. Neophyte senator Luis C. “Angando” Crisostimo is certainly not wanting when it comes to dreaming big for the CNMI.

The senator, who surprised his colleagues and friends lately when he announced that he plans to run for governor in next year’s election, has grand plans to make the CNMI globally competitive.

For one, Crisostimo envisions to build a bridge to connect Saipan and Tinian.

“Even as we speak now, I’m consulting with experts on how to make that a reality. If I become the governor, I’ll do that,” he said.

He said the plan may cost billions of dollars. “But the cost problem comes later. There are options to do that,” he said, adding that connecting the two islands would give the Commonwealth a huge boost economically.

“It’s an economic stimulant. You’re creating far greater opportunities for people and businesses,” he said.

Another not so ordinary thought from the new senator is his vision for a sovereign Northern Marianas.

He said he would want to see one day the islands being sovereign and totally independent from the United States.

“We can be the newest sovereign democratic nation in the Pacific. We can be a new country,” he said.

This can be done, he said, if people favor to terminate the CNMI’s Covenant with the U.S., which brought the NMI into a political union with the U.S.

“I don’t want to see ourselves always relying on federal aid. I’m very sure that the U.S. itself would like to see us standing on our own feet. The thing is we can be self-sufficient. I can see self-sufficiency. We just need to be creative,” he said.

Crisostimo, a relatively young lawmaker at 44, has tried his hands on many business ventures and proved himself successful, earning the reputation in the community as a wealthy man, buying a Camry as a birthday gift for a loved one or buying a house in Las Vegas for his 20-year old daughter, and many more.

Yet Crisostimo sports himself as a simple and down-to-earth guy.

“I only want a simple life. I enjoy simple living,” said Crisostimo in an interview at his newly completed three-floor commercial/residential complex in Lower Navy Hill.

Finally tasting political victory in the 2003 midterm elections—after three previous failed attempts—Crisostimo feels that there is nothing now that can prevent him from winning again, even for the gubernatorial post.

His favorite line these days reflects his seriousness: “When I run, I will make sure I’ll win.”

He, however, concedes that his first hurdle would be the Democratic Party’s primary, which is yet to be set. Crisostimo is challenging former Gov. Froilan Tenorio in a party primary. If he makes it, he said there is no stopping for him from reaching for the highest post.

On one hand, Crisostimo said that it is not actually the title of governor that he wants; it is being on top of things to help the common people.

“That’s why I love the Democratic Party. This party caters to the working people, the common people. My desire is to help them. I want an improved quality of life for our people,” he said.

Right now, he said he has two pending bills that, if passed into law, might cause him to reconsider his plan for governorship. These include his proposed enactment of a $10-million loan package to help individuals and families finance their housing needs and a $25-million loan program for indigenous residents to start or expand their business.

He said the $10-million loan program has passed the Senate and is pending review at the House of Representatives.

“If these measures resolve the concerns of the people, I’d not run for governor,” he said.

Crisostimo won a Senate seat in the 2003 midterm election, displacing then Sen. Ramon “Kumoi” Guerrero, garnering 2,164 votes.

Documents showed that Crisostimo recorded the highest campaign spending of $67,311 for the 2003 elections.

Crisostimo credits his wife Maria for being “the force that pushed me to succeed” in almost any endeavor.

He said his mother, 84-year old Maria Palacios Crisostimo, taught him the basics of business, while his late father, Luis Cepeda Crisostimo, introduced him to politics.

“My mom is my life. I truly adore her. It’s from her small dress shop and parlor that I probably got my business instincts,” he said. “My dad, when I was about 26, asked me to help the Democratic Party win votes.”

Crisostimo said he first began in the fishing business, then real estate, construction, and many others, including poker machines.

He said, though, that his family is “getting away” now from poker machines. He said his family used to operate 100 machines but the number is now half of that.

“I’m not managing the business. It’s my wife and my daughter,” he said.

He said he made a big fortune in the real estate business. “But come to think about it, I succeed in everything my hands touch,” he said.