A chance to show true leadership

Governor, your actions since you took office show your disdain for a large percentage of the common people. You and this legislature have used the retirees as prostitutes for your own ends. I’ve talked to several retirees and not one of them know that the $30 million represents two years’ license fees, which means there will be that much less coming into the CNMI coffers, and, because you have given the casino all the tax breaks allowed by law, that means there won’t even be any tax money for a long time. What will you say when the 25-percent deduction kicks in again late next year or so? What are you going to tell them? What are you going to tell them when no $2-billion casino raises its magnificent towers to the Saipan sky? You know most of them are just simple, hardworking, normal folks, most who find it hard to understand the complexity and reality of CNMI finances. No one pays taxes, corporations don’t pay taxes and current government workers contribute zero dollars to their retirement fund; no money is going into it, or the CNMI treasury anymore. They need to know this. Not one retiree I’ve talked to is aware of this, or much of anything else and that’s why you can manipulate them so easily. You’re an accountant; tell them the reality of the situation. They don’t understand much of what is happening, only that you promised to give them their 25 percent back. Tell them how long they will be getting it before the Fund runs out of money again, completely out of money. Tell them that if the current retirees live another 10 years, the Fund will need about $800 million to survive. Tell them where that money is going to come from. They just don’t understand and it is your duty as governor to explain it to them in terms they can understand.

One thing people can understand is working together in an emergency and this qualifies as one. I’ve been in four super typhoons, some old people have been through lots more, and know that when the wind quits they get going, helping each other, rebuilding, enduring the hardships, as a community. They know what needs to be done and are happy to pitch in when they know what the end results will be. Every governor has kept the truth from the average citizen about what caused the problems of today and what must be done to correct them. The people are smart and will understand, if you just tell them the truth and have a concrete plan to rectify the current situation. They will pitch in, tighten their belts, work with you and help you, if you have a concrete plan to rectify the situati0n for the long term. Show us in black and white what steps you will take, how long it will take and what will be done to make sure we never get into a fiscal crisis like this ever again. A good, rock solid, long-term plan is what you need now, one we can understand and get behind, not another Band-Aid solution. That probably means increased taxes, creating a middle class, reducing government workers and their pay rates, cutting the number of representatives, senators, staff and consultants, increasing CW processing fees (to bring a CW to Guam costs about $14,000), looking at every single government agency closely, privatizing where it is feasible, renewable energy (the Saipan channel could supply the entire CNMI and Guam with power).

I was at the juvenile detention center a few weeks ago and there were five employees there watching two kids. Put them at the Hyatt, it would be cheaper. It can be done and a true leader could get the people behind him. We need leadership now, not more political BS.

Gary DuBrall
Chalan Piao, Saipan