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The art of compromising
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Posted on Apr 18 2006
First, I’m not writing this to start a dialogue in the newspaper but to merely ask one question: Is the art of compromising lost, forgotten or what when it comes to the Garapan Fishing base? Compromises have played major roles in the creation of the American government and the CNMI government. In fact, there might not have been an America or a Commonwealth had it not been for compromises. Compromising is also an art that calls for creativity and the willingness to reach a solution that makes everyone happy—or at least the majority—but no one seems to be putting any effort into reaching a compromise on this issue.
So I must ask the question, is there no room for a compromise on the Garapan Fishing Base? Is it not possible for the investors and the locals to create a site that can function for both parties? I have seen the argument go back and forth in the news just as I saw with two other potential investments and both of those potential investments are now dead issues and nobody won or gained from the experience. The two potential investments I’m speaking about was the Pagan mining issue and the Sugar Dock ferry that would have greatly improved the quality of life for people on Tinian. Both of these potential investments faced a yes or no situation but in saying no to the investors we (the CNMI) also said no to ourselves.
Concerns about the “promised” use of the Garapan Fishing Base to be fulfilled is genuine and the government should not go back on its word to the people they serve because they will be flirting with being kicked out of office. But at the same time, people can’t ask the government to get blood from a turnip—we want the government to create new sources of income yet we want them to get the money from the wrong source. I just hope this letter will help to stimulate thoughts toward some kind of compromise on Garapan Fishing Base or I’m afraid it will end up just like the two other projects I mentioned—just a waste of time and no Fishing Base and no money. One people, one direction.
Ambrose M. Bennett
Kagman High School
