Energy loss at our expense

A Commonwealth Utilities Corp. consultant told the utility agency in straightforward fashion about energy loss being “excessive” and power generation limitations when mirrored against new investments.

Another consultancy says CUC could improve power generation as new investments hook up to the grid. It isn’t the second that I find amusing as much as the quiet passing of CUC’s inadequacies on energy loss to consumers. This is criminal!

The former consultant seems to have greater truth to its assertion on current and future energy needs. Recalled as DPL secretary granting CUC, via MPLT, some $3.5 million to improve the old power plant in Lower Base. I haven’t seen anything beyond normal repair. It’s all eyeballing wrapped in ad hoc planning.

The other side is water scarcity and its woeful limitations when everybody is hooked up to city water system especially the business center in Garapan. When BSI’s hotel opens, how would the hotel, village, businesses, and schools deal with limited water?

After more than 20 years of stagnant wages, CUC decided to unload cost of energy loss on the shoulders of its customers who hardly make ends meet. Consultant is right declaring such transfer as “unacceptable”—all $5 million—charged against us! I’d say such an act is “criminal!”

Why must we pay for CUC’s inadequacies or incompetency? How do we know that we aren’t also paying for the NMI’s debt to CUC of more than $30 million? Could economic optimism repay consumers the $5 million like right here and now?

As it is, the continuing riddle is future energy sufficiency including water! I’m sure that when these issues begin to take their toll against consumers it would be a little too late to demand for competency of board members!

Reversionary rights: Hardly anyone noticed the appearance of indigenous reversionary rights that has steadily risen like an unusual tidal shift. It now sits with the break of dawn out east and would eventually make landfall.

It is the return of indigenous public land and everything built on the property at the end of the lease term, specifically, Kan Pacific in Magpi`.

It has triggered concerns in the misunderstood nature of landownership that originated from the Covenant Land Alienation provision. It was translated into what’s known as Article XII that preserves landownership to the indigenous people.

The impending reversion seems to have placed suspicion on the credibility of the NMI for investment purposes, unnecessarily. Understood! But investors knew the score, Full Square from the outset. I’m sure it’s an issue we could discuss and resolve with a sense of civility!

I’m aware of the current lease and Kan Pacific’s commitment that included major infractions. Has this been given critical review and shared publicly? Would not the infractions be sufficient reasons to void the lease? KP doesn’t have renewal rights under the lease.

Homestead: With over 2,000 residential homestead applicants here, we should explore turning the golf course area (front and back) into a village homestead. All it needs are the emplacement of power, water, and roads. Let homeowners prepare their own backyard septic tanks. It’s an idea worth exploring in hopes of meeting the needs of the landless indigenous folks. Public land is for the landless! Must explore to the hilt in the interest of our people.

Leave the leeward side alone and let’s continue making money. But turn the windward side (entire golf course) into a new homestead residential area.

Other issues: NMDs must resolve the conflicting principle in individual landownership under the old land tenure system versus collective ownership espoused under Article XII. Since when did we surrender landownership to the state or NMI?

Furthermore, if you’re true to your conviction as NMD visionaries isn’t it time to demand for a socio-economic blue print from this administration? How long would you acquiesce lawlessness in the NMI? Isn’t it time to commence discussion on institutional investments beyond hotel occupancy? Are there realistic training and education plans to replace CWs in two year’s time? If not, have you prepared your federal mea culpa for what appears to be a continuing inadequacies mendicants or beggars for running self-government into bankruptcy?

With a $572 million deficit and $779 million debt the NMI owes the NMI Retirement Fund riddled by nepotism and incompetency it doesn’t leave much room for optimism on self-government, is there?

Snoozing: The term leadership includes the ability to see beyond the horizon as you deal with issues of substance dealing with the livelihood of your people.

By next year (2017), more of the larger firms in the health insurance industry would look for the exit door to Obamacare’s Affordable Care Act exchange. It means higher health premiums everywhere including the NMI.

Central to this evolving shift is that at day’s end state and territorial governments must fund where Medicaid ends.

Fiesta: In the deepening financial crisis, the expenditure of scarce public funds looks like “fiesta time” for this administration.

The struggle to remit funds to the Settlement Fund on a timely basis is a tale that doesn’t need rocket science review. It’s at the cursory level. Moreover, there’s no money for medical referral, CHC, PSS, land compensation, utility debts, etc.

But there are tons of public funds for this administration and its cabinet to charter flights to Tinian and Rota purportedly for meetings so timed so they slide into weekend R&R and fiesta. All these at taxpayers’ expense!

Is there a clandestine plan to increase taxes to cover for your excesses at taxpayers’ expense again? Is the alternative bond flotation (loan) that would place debts on the future of our young people? Any sense of accountability in the apparent unbridled spending of public funds? Is the politics of rosy revenue projection (miscalculation) a justification to splurge at taxpayers’ expense?