‘Be self-reliant, less dependent on govt’

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial had one piece of advice for the Northern Marianas College: Be more self-reliant and less dependent on the local government.

Speaking before NMC’s 25th Silver Anniversary Commemoration Day yesterday morning at the Fiesta Resort & Spa’s Hibiscus Hall, the Commonwealth’s chief executive said the college has a great opportunity to re-invent itself and become much more self-sufficient.

“Our government’s financial crisis should be a wake-up call to NMC and other government agencies,” he said.

Fitial told NMC officials to secure more federal grants and more private funding, adding that the college should engage in more fundraising activities to support some of its programs.

He said the ultimate goal for the community is to be less dependent on the central government for subsidies.

“This is a time for reorganization and adjustment, because we simply cannot conduct business as usual under these financial circumstances, given the way our government imprudently managed its financial affairs in the past. We need to hold ourselves accountable and we will, because there is no alternative,” said Fitial.

The Fitial administration insists, though, that it remains strongly supportive of NMC and public education in general. Fitial said his administration believes in the vital importance of education to the local community.

However, the governor stressed that his administration’s top priority is reviving the NMI economy, “because we can only support education when we have a strong local economy to provide the funds needed to improve our education programs for our Public School System, as well as for our college.”

The Fitial administration has slashed some $1.5 million from the budget of NMC for the current fiscal year, despite pleas from college officials for the past months.

Board of Regents chair Kimberlyn King-Hinds, together with other NMC ranking officials, met with Fitial last Friday in his office.

Fitial had told them with regret that, due to present economic difficulties, the local government has no option but to cut an estimated $1.5 million from the college’s continuing resolution budget level of $8,046,839.

Fitial said, “As great as the needs of the college may be, I appeal to you for patience and understanding, as we struggle through our economic and financial crisis.”

The governor said the CNMI economic situation would improve in only a matter of time. When it does, the governor had promised that his administration would provide NMC with more resources but at this point, “we have to make sacrifices and do more with less.”

BUSINESS ORIENTED COLLEGE

The governor also recommended to NMC officers and staff to acquire a more business-orientation, which was why he nominated Saipan Chamber of Commerce president Charles Cepeda to the NMC Board of Regents.

“I want a strong private sector emphasis and orientation. We can no longer rely on government subsidies,” Fitial added.

He commended NMC for the past 25 years of dedicated service, but he said it could still do much more to serve the local community.

In the next 25 years, he said he expects the college to be much stronger and more self-reliant. NMC should have a growing investment fund and a surplus of revenues at that point. “Now is the time to work to achieve those worthy goals,” the governor added.