An open letter to our youth

You have heard it many times that you the youth hold the future of our country in your hands. You are expected to correct the mistakes your elders have made. Daily you see and hear about the problems that besiege us. Our leaders, in whom we have put our faith, do not seem to have solutions to them. You are the only ones left to do that. Stroll with me as we discuss how you with your youth and youthful insights can transform our nation into a proud and prosperous nation again.

We adults are handing down to you a bleak future. It comes heavily laden with an almost $300 million debt; a disgraceful utility system fostered by over 25 years of neglect; a confrontational posture by our governor against the United States; the daily flight of fellow citizens who have lost faith in our country; several selfish people acting like vultures scavenging over corpses; a deepening pessimistic outlook on prosperity for the future; lost opportunities to improve because we somehow do not know how to create them; and many of our fellow citizens burying their heads in the sand trying to avoid inevitable change. We adults bestow these and more problems on you as your heritage. In simple language, we really have messed up your future.

What are you going to do about them? Are you going to lie down and ignore them and whine that they are not of your making so why worry about them? Or will you vigorously pursue a government job because that’s where the money and soft living is? Or will you flee to Guam or to another “utopian” place? Or will you get in line for food stamps like others? OR STAND UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?

There are many things you can do. The first thing is to seek a solid education so that you will be able to think and work with confidence. Our islands need many different professions and trades skills to be filled. You must become the backbone of the labor force. You must fill the needs of the community first.

Find a profession or trade skill you enjoy and master it. At this point don’t think about what wages you will be earning. Once you master a profession or a trade, you will be compensated fairly. The free market will take care of that. But you must become qualified. The ladder to success is one step at a time.

After mastering a profession or trade, come back and practice it here. This is your home. You must become one of the pillars in our community. Moving away may bring you some temporary satisfaction. But consider how much more needed you are here. How many local students are in medical school studying medicine or nursing now? How many local students are in school now studying business majors? Where are all the professions and trades? It is obvious we need you to lead us.

There are many professions and trades we require to rebuild our community. Do you wish to be a small fish in a large bowl or a large fish in a small bowl? Our islands offer you great opportunities for self-fulfillment and service to your fellow citizens. Without you the CNMI will fall more and more under foreign domination.

After your studies, seek any job to get your foot in the labor pool. When you are working you will have a stronger chance to advancing your career. You will make many contacts. As a result you will see opportunities you hadn’t noticed before. As you progress in your work, better job offers will come your way. Accept the fact that you will have to work your way up to the top. Don’t let the minimum wage trap discourage you. After you prove yourself, you will be paid fairly. The ladder to success is one step at a time.

To me this is the most important factor to consider: “How do I become a productive citizen to my country?” Remember that a country is only as strong as its educated and trained citizens. The more educated they are, the more the country progresses. This is the foundation to rebuilding our economy. You must recapture and control the economy. It seems that over the years, we adults have given away control of our economy to strangers. Our last stronghold is the Legislature and Administration.

Once you have become educated and working, become involved in the political life of our islands. We are failing to recover because many of our leaders have not taken the initiative or the courage to accept changes that are descending upon us. Too many of them are still steeped in the “good old days” of the ’70 and ’80’s. We are about to become a vital and important partner of the United States and fail to recognize it. You will work closer and better with the United States than some of our leaders. You will embrace the changes because you do not fear them. You do not carry old baggage from the past to weight you down.

All of you have grown up as part of your daily life with television, computers, cell phones, ipods and all the latest technology. Your thinking is advanced and world centered, not island centered. You accept the fact that we are part of a flat world in which within seconds or minutes, we can communicate with other members of the world family regardless of distance. Your thinking is no longer provincial. But, alas, how many adults think about or understand all of this. Yes, many have a smattering of it, but they have not grown up using them as you have been. You truly hold the future in your hands.

What and how would you do something differently to improve the lives and welfare of our citizens? What would make our islands a leading resort destination? What industries should we build besides tourism? What are some of the goals we should strive towards? What type of nation do we wish to become? How do we become invaluable to the United States as a partner or do we remain as a poor relative?

Since we adults have caused so many problems and cannot seem to resolve them, I strongly suggest that you, the youth of the CNMI, begin thinking about forming your own political party. You can select young candidates to run for office in the Legislature and the Administration. Think of it—20 Congressmen/women and nine senators, and a governor and lt. Governor—everybody under 50 years of age!

Why should all candidates be under 50 years of age? The most exciting thing about this idea is that the youthful candidates will not be carrying prejudices because youth sees the potentials of all citizens regardless of race or color. Youthful idealism will reign supreme. In this capacity you can build an ideal community and regain our economy.

The above suggestions are meant to spur your thinking about the possibilities and power you as youth possess. The future of the CNMI truly lies in your hands. It is a monumental challenge. You can decide to make accept it and make a change or decide that it’s not worth it. It is your choice. Our nation awaits your answer.