Cockamamie ideas

It never ceases to amaze me when I hear some of the cockamamie ideas some politicians propagate on the public. The latest of which is the consideration to lease one of the Northern Islands to Japanese corporation for the disposal of tsunami waste and debris! This absurd idea is being justified as a revenue source through a lease agreement with the Department of Public Lands.

We are assured that this waste would not contain radioactive, toxic, or hazardous materials, and this would be “certified safe” by the Japanese government. Well, all I can say is that if anyone actually gives credence to such a guarantee, then they have their heads in the sand. We are told that as there is no space in mainland Japan to store and dispose of this waste, other foreign locations (CNMI) are being considered. Surely the Japanese authorities have considered creating a large breakwater and backfilling this with the waste, and therefore creating more “space” in Japan.

Perhaps this study has already been completed and a verdict rendered that the resulting pollutants would be devastating to the ecological environs? I suspect that this is the real truth and this waste is being sold as broken furniture and household effects, not a real potential hazard, Yeah! The mere fact that this proposal is being credibly entertained by our government is devastating.

One can already see the headlines in the Japanese media, “Tsunami waste destined for the CNMI.” Meanwhile we have our MVA spending millions on promoting the same CNMI as a pristine tourist destination, go figure! Prospective visitors, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Russian or otherwise will not differentiate between an uninhabited Northern Isle, Saipan, Rota, or Tinian. All they will think is, “I’m not going to the CNMI.” I wonder if our erstwhile politico has recently checked with the Three Mile Island Visitors Authority to see how tourism is doing there. Thank goodness we have the EPA who will doubtless put a stop to this nonsense.

Recently the U.S. Navy sank an abandoned ship which was part of the flotsam from the tsunami and was approaching the U.S. West Coast. That act alone should be indicative of what, God knows what, is contained in this waste. It is imperative that a stake be put through the heart of this proposal immediately and no further consideration or discussion be given to this proposal, no studies, no lease negotiations or meetings with the Japanese corporation. To do otherwise will attract unneeded publicity in the International media which for anyone with even a few firing neurons will realize is a no-win situation for the only remaining viable sector of the CNMI economy, our visitor industry. By the way, the definition of waste is precisely that, WASTE!

John White
Chalan Piao, Saipan