What has happened to our upward mobility?

We are told that tourism is our major industry. But where we fit into this picture? How many of us are employed in the tourist industry? And the few of us that are, is there any chance for getting higher paying jobs with more responsibility? Aren’t most of the employees from the respective countries that the tourists come from? And aren’t the desk clerks mostly nonresident workers? Where do we fit in? What opportunity for upward mobility do we have?

Isn’t our hospital with its branches on Tinian and Rota, staffed mainly with U.S. doctors? Aren’t the nursing staff and aides staffed almost by nonresident people? Are we encouraging our youth to enter the medical profession knowing that it is a high paying and highly respected field? Where do we fit in? What opportunity for upward mobility do we have?

Isn’t the government the major employer of us? Don’t most of us still desire to work for the government? In reality isn’t it the largest employer of local workers? Don’t we still cling to the carrot at the end of the road as our most cherished goal—the pension that we expect to receive at the end of our work span? What opportunity for upward mobility do we have?

How many grocery stores, beauty and barber shops, auto repair shops, air-conditioning companies, restaurants, clothing, and other types of stores plus the multitude of other small businesses do we own? Where do we fit in? What opportunity for upward mobility do we have?

Why have we given away the vast majority of our small businesses to outsiders while we stand in line at the Food Stamp Office crying that there are no jobs? Of course there are no jobs. We have allowed other people to take over the economic life of our community. What foreign investments are we a shareholder in? Where do we fit in? What opportunity for upward mobility do we have?

Do we realize what we have done with our socio-economic life? Do we ever wonder why our children, after graduating from college, do not want to return to work and live here?

Truthfully speaking, living on Saipan is a sheer delight with all its beauty, laidback style and friendly people. I love living here. But trying to work here is a nightmare for many of us. What has happened to the American Dream that all of us should have an opportunity to improve our socio-economic life? What opportunity for upward mobility do we have?

Briefly put, upward mobility is the chance to improve ourselves both in jobs of responsibility and with higher salaries. The American Dream, like the rest of our economy, has become bifurcated. That is, split into two parts—the haves and the have nots! This disparity is becoming more and more obvious as the food stamp line lengthens and becomes more congested. To keep up with this, the monthly allotment for food stamps has just been raised to over $1 million per month!

Yet we have thousands of nonresident workers working full-time jobs which we should be doing. Yet we have hundreds of alien store owners controlling our economy where daily we spent thousands of our dollars to buy our basic necessities. Where do we fit in? What opportunity for upward mobility do we have?

A question to those of us working. Do we earn more than our parents did? Do we live as comfortably as they did? Do we compare our lives to how they lived and we, as children, in their homes? Or do we compare ourselves to the neighbors’ standard of living?

I came across this quote recently in a Time Magazine: “Behavioral economics tells us that our sense of well-being is tied not to the past but to how we are doing compared with our peers. Relative mobility matters.”

Where do we fit in?

Now that we are in a major labor transition, isn’t it time we consider where we are in our socio-economic level? Slowly and over the years we have denigrated ourselves and sold off our future to foreigners who now control our economy. We are compelled to go to them for our daily necessities and for our entertainment as well.

We are being coerced to accept casinos as a solution to our economic depression. Will we be the janitors and clerks in the casinos? Where do we fit in? What opportunity for upward mobility will we have?

The best hope we have in overcoming the plight we find ourselves in is to improve our personal education. Education is the major factor which allows us upward mobility. Upward mobility means obtaining better paying jobs requiring skills or trades. With this must be coupled the determination that we want the responsibility that goes with the job.

At times some of us must wonder exactly what is Tony trying to tell us? Weekly he embarks on sermons about what we should do with our lives. This is a fair question which I will try to explain.

As I drive around our beautiful island and see dilapidated homes which once were well maintained, I feel a ting of sadness. As I drive past all the closed shops with signs pleading “For Rent,” I wonder what happened and why. As I past the Food Stamp Office every end of the month and witness the long lines of healthy people waiting for food stamps, I wonder why? How have we become reduced to this level?

Unfortunately too many of us fail to realize that the CNMI is not the one of our youth. Modern technology, our association with the United States, our flood of tourists, our daily exposure to the world—all have dramatically changed our lives. Yet many of us try to cling to the past. As a result our thinking has become warped. When will we wake up and seize the day?

Many of us fail to realize that the CNMI will become economically strong only when we are willing to seek upward mobility. We must educate ourselves and become the business community instead of outsiders. True economic growth will come from us on the bottom. The best the government can do is to assist, but it does not create a prosperous economic society.

Yet, I feel an air of optimism and hope in all of this. I see opportunity after opportunity lying fallow with few takers. A new air cargo airline is about to begin hauling fruits and vegetables grown in Saipan, Tinian, and Rota to Guam. But it will need all of us working to produce the products. A new animal slaughterhouse is under construction complete with USDA approval. But it will require all of us to raise the animals. These are only two of the many possible opportunities awaiting all of us. There are more chances for upward mobility. Look for the acres of diamonds under our feet!

Many of are satisfied with our status in life, our income and are very happy as we are. To those of us in this situation, I salute you. You have found happiness. But to the rest of us who are unhappy and are searching, there is hope if we will only reach out and seek it.

Again, as I have mentioned before, if any of us is seeking upward mobility and is willing to put in the time and effort to achieve it, my hand is out to you. Please visit me at the NMTI office. The number is 235-8864. Let’s plan together. Let’s get off our buts’ (excuses) and do it!

In closing, remember to SMILE! It is contagious and makes you feel great! Have a happy week.