Taking a stand

While the Aggreko engines have no doubt brought a great deal of relief to our suffering, we must keep in mind that our power outages and the problems with CUC are far from over.

What we also must keep in mind is the fact that we should have never needed Aggreko’s high-speed, fuel-guzzling engines in the first place. We are spending $504,000 each and every month for at least a year and a half, excluding fuel and other hidden costs. Had this administration never agreed to sole-source the repair and rehabilitation contracts to DCM and CISCO, we would have never needed back-up generators.

While critics have said we should stop pointing fingers and that we cannot change the past, we must certainly learn from the past, as it is evident that we keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

So here we are, celebrating stable power. My question is, at whose expense? Do you honestly believe CUC can afford to pay Aggreko and Telesource and PMIC and its other contractors?

I personally feel that the biggest group to join our CUC Protest should be the retirees of the CNMI! Some Retirement Fund trustees and certain legislators believe that the CNMI Retirement Fund should invest in CUC. Need I say more?

We have talked about privatization or a co-op for more than a decade now. The time for talking is over. It is time that the good people of the CNMI take action. We need to do more than just take CUC back; we need to take the government back! Our people first, not political parties! Enough!

I have been asked who should attend this CUC Protest. Everyone should attend, regardless of age or ethnic background. If you suffered long, sleepless nights without power, you should attend. If you lost electronic equipment and appliances, you should attend. If you ever disputed your CUC bill, you should attend. If you feel you are paying far too much for utilities, you should attend. In other words, everyone should attend.

Take a good look at your last utility bill. Can you honestly afford the cost of 24-hour power? If you can, then you are one of the fortunate few. But I have spoken to many families who no longer can afford power and are off the grid. Do you think Aggreko means anything to them?

To the small-minded critics who believe that our power outages were nothing more than an inconvenience, I would like you to come with me to some of the homes I have visited. Judge Govendo has seen an upsurge in domestic violence and much of it can be attributed to many factors, but the outrageously high cost of electricity is certainly one of them. I have met with families who do not have power anymore and who have done their very best to keep their lights on at home. I do not believe in a welfare state, but it is what we are destined to become when power is priced higher than what the general market can afford.

My brothers and sisters of the CNMI, I am pleading with you to join us at our CUC Protest today, Sept. 17, 2008, 5:30pm, at the Garapan Fishing Base. This is only one step out of many we must take to cleanse the old ways of doing things and to show our leaders that we, the good people of the CNMI, are taking a stand. We are no longer asking for affordable, reliable power and potable water. We are demanding it!