CNMI Legislature: Gutless, incompetent or just running scared?

When the entire House votes against a request to investigate the lieutenant governor, you have to ask yourself what is going on. I think this is the first time they all agreed on anything. So why were they so fast to say “no” to an investigation? Are they afraid of the lieutenant governor? What does he have on the members of the Legislature? What are they afraid will come to light if there is an investigation?

All that put to the side. Something needs to be done about the lieutenant governor. At the very least he should be placed on administrative leave without pay until his trial is over. If he is found to be as innocent as he claims, he would be reinstated complete with the back pay. If he is found to be guilty, the problem is solved. But to have an indicted person signing legislation into law is a slap in the face to every resident of the CNMI, not to mention the legal mess that will be created if he is found guilty.

New subject: the Retirement Fund. There are members of the Legislature that have been there for 16-20 years. They sat there and let the government get deeper and deeper in debt to the Retirement Fund and did nothing. But here comes election year. Now to make it look to the people that they are doing something, they are making noises about finding a way for the government to pay the Fund. Had they done their jobs 12 years ago, we would not be in this mess. Just stop and think about it for a minute. Just what has the Legislature done for the people of the CNMI in the last 12 years? What have they done to make life better for the average working resident of the CNMI? You know I cannot off the top of my head think of anything. Is it time for some new blood in the Legislature? You decide and vote for the people that want to make life better for all of us. Not just for them. Then we have the solution that the governor put forth in his first year in office. In other words, the Retirement Fund should write off the government debt as a non-collectable bill. Let’s hear it for better times.

If the Legislature is looking for someone to impeach, how about the governor? If you need a charge, how about subversion? The people of the CNMI elected a delegate to the U.S. Congress, now the governor send somebody else to D.C. as his personal representative. I thought the people of the CNMI elected a man to do that job. Now the governor wants to go around the system. That sounds like subversion to me. First, the governor lies to us about the funding for his ill-advised lawsuit; now he goes behind our backs so he would not have to work with a representative we elected. What next?

As usual I must make it clear that the ideas that I am putting forth are mine and mine alone. All I can hope for is the people to read it and stop and think about what is going on.

To be fair, I must give credit where credit is due. Hats off to the Senate for voting to override the governor’s veto on the budget. To the members of the House all I can say is “wake up.” If you trade your votes for favors, the whole island will know about it. Ask yourself, is it worth it?
[B] Frederick Prosser[/B] [I]As Matuis, Saipan[/I]