Short answers to eight questions

Prim, let me start by saying that if I “missed the boat completely,” you my friend have missed the ship entirely, for it had set sail a few days ago.

I take it we both have college degrees and are able to synthesize documents properly without complicating matters. I feel that you’ve failed to read between the lines. There is nothing superficial when you do the numbers. In fact, you did not do your homework. You did not try to review whether my numbers regarding the government’s bill were correct, nor did you seek to explain the impact of external forces on our Commonwealth. Are you just limiting yourself to what you know or what people have told you? The numbers I have explained in my last letter were from charts for payments made as of July 2005. These numbers have increased to $6.4 million (see last Monday’s paper). I personally see the numbers, have access to figures, and read the same paper you read that said that the government is paying its CUC dues. Therefore, don’t be so quick to jump the gun without doing your homework. I take it that I am right and defending this point would seem futile or a disruption to your objective.

Going back to your letter, you’ve stated that “planning was never the forte of this administration,” but you failed to realize that planning was never the forte of Tim’s surcharge bill, H.B. 14-343. I agree that “the planning process entails review of substantive issues in anticipation of eventualities.” Hence, H.B. 14-343. Correct me if I am wrong but “How can the government resolve the debt to CUC with no method or source of payment?” Hence, HB 14-343. Math again; do the numbers. The statistics should be available to you as well. Do the research and the truth shall set you free. Regardless of party affiliations, the numbers don’t lie. Again, I believed the local papers covered this matter earlier.

About the eight items you’ve listed, I have short answers to them and you need to read between the lines and think a little.

1. Fuel surcharge. Answer: external forces.

2. Opening of schools with insufficient funds. Answer: A reasonable budget was never created to supply schools with the necessary infrastructure or materials. Write to your congressmen. They’re is still sitting up there.

3. Students raising funds. Answer: This is good. It teaches the value of a dollar and capitalism, but a ploy to encourage sympathy for a lack of a budget bill by the Legislature. To the Legislature, please show PSS the money. To the CIP coordinator, plan for more PSS infrastructure in the near future.

4. Lack of annual increments to teachers. Answer: I know for a fact and PSS-Finance can verify that teachers and aides received a raise within this year, just as the other sectors did with nurses, doctors, and police officers. Imagine the other government employees that didn’t get a raise and probably worked twice as hard without a summer vacation. These average Joes are also the backbone of this economy; they work hard to clean and regulate our Marianas so tourists can come here, see the islands, generate revenue and then pay salaries. Many of them have not seen a step increase in six years or more. Well, I want to see what test results come from the fruit of your labor? Again it boils down to mathematics. How can the government raise the salaries of its employees when no budget was passed to reflect the needed increase in salaries? For example, how can the government give even a 1 percent raise if not even 1 percent was raised in the budget; it’s either a lot of reprogramming is needed or a lot of “all others” need to be eliminated and if the latter were the case, then we would have a government that only paid its employees and had no operational funds—sounds familiar—i.e. PSS? Please use some numbers next time; it’ll help you substantiate your “objective” points.

5. Makeshift classrooms. Answer : See Number 2.

6. Deteriorating health care. Answer: As you can see, there is a big structure on the north end of the CHC building, therefore the hospital is improving its facilities and making sure that nurses pass the NCLEX. Currently, training is being undertaken for the bird flu. New doctors are also being hired. If you don’t like the health care system here, go off-island. You have insurance, don’t you?

7. Non-payment of employer contribution to the Retirement Fund. Answer: Now this I would have to agree because the numbers don’t lie and look, I am not being biased at all. The government should pay its share. Maybe we need to research together and do the numbers as to why the government can’t pay its bill to the Retirement Fund. Possibly, a poor budget could be a problem. Imagine using Retirement Fund contributions to pay a CUC debt or an expanding educational system.

8. Unsolicited miseries and crisis. Answer: There will always be people with miseries and crises that need to be rectified. At both ends, they can be resolved by well-written bills. Got any?

As for your investors, the leadership in the Legislature can do their fair share and invite these investors to do business in the Commonwealth. Why do we have to wait until they become governor or lt. governor to try and do something? I mean, I’m accustomed to hearing and seeing legislators take off-island trips to try and bring investors here or to view a prospective venture for the CNMI. But where’s the product? It was the “boom” period that brought “better times” which was the result of external forces (outside investments) and how can you be so certain that it can happen again? I don’t even think you’re even as close to an Allan Greenspan. About JAL, another airline will fill the void; I believe that this has already happened. About the apparel industry, external forces are at the forefront of this war and I believe that the Governor and Lt. Governor are working with their counterparts in Washington D.C. to try and alleviate this situation. Remember, it was Congress and the United Nations that brought China to the World Trade Organization and changed quotas and requirements for the apparel industry—not me, you, nor the governor. Hence, external forces.

I do mean well and I speak of the truth. I am not blinded by the colors that be or the intricacies of politics. Just do the numbers, produce well-written bills, and do a little more homework.

Jay Cabrera
Chalan Piao