Yes, the voters should ask questions

I thank you, Dr. Thomas Arkle, for your comments about me in our local papers recently and you are correct and I cannot agree with you more. Voters should be asking all candidates what they will do for them. It is important that we have campaigns and elections based upon issues and plans, and not just personalities or families. The CNMI is facing many critical issues, such as the decline of garment industry, a safe and adequate public water supply, properly treated wastewater, I could go on and on. All candidates must be formalizing plans to address these issues and ways to solve them.

Maybe you are unaware of the various detail responsibilities of the elected offices in the CNMI. I am the Resident Representative to the U.S., a position by law that requires me to represent the government and the people of the Commonwealth before the Congress of the United States, and before the agencies of the federal government. Please read the Constitution and laws regarding the resident representative’s office. The operative word is to represent. I have on many occasions laid my goals for this office before the people of the CNMI, and through some may be tired of hearing of them, I hope that everyone knows that they are simply, at this time, Water and Delegate Now!

The most important issue for me is to get a Delegate for the CNMI in the U.S. House of Representatives. Until we have this position, no one in my position can completely represent the people of the Commonwealth. Until we have someone sitting in committee meetings, participating in Conferences, and being consulted as a full fledged Delegate, the people of the Commonwealth are not fully represented and unable to truly influence national decision making.

This has taken a lot of energy, time and effort. I feel with the early introduction of H.R. 873, in the 109th Congress, we, and I mean we the people of the Commonwealth, will be successful. I am positive the bill will be approved and next year we will be able to elect our first Delegate to Congress.

There are many other federal issues that are important to me and the people of the Commonwealth. Though they are too many to mention here, I promise to have a copy of my 2004 annual report which should be ready and very soon available for review. In it, I discuss many issues affecting the CNMI, and invite you to read it.

My job is not to govern. We have elected a governor, members of the legislature, mayors, and members of the municipal councils. Their job is to govern or help in our governance. Part of my job is to communicate to our elected officials information I have gathered from meetings on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and recommendations to many legislative changes affecting the CNMI.

I am sorry that you misinterpreted my statements in the newspapers the other day. It is a rare opportunity for me to speak directly to the press here in the CNMI, and I was utilizing the time to explain to the people some of the issues facing the CNMI from my own and from the federal government’s perspectives. The CNMI government can choose to do whatever they want with the information and recommendations I have provided. I hope that whoever is in the Resident Representative’s or Delegate’s seat now and in the future, has an open and honest relationship with those that govern the CNMI.

Pete A. Tenorio
Washington Representative