Hokog must resign now!

Japanese investor Takahisa Yamamoto alleges that as former senator Biktot Hokog promised him “influence peddling” to ensure his business stays “profitable” on Rota.

The use of influence peddling is illegal. Court proceedings should reveal how Hokog used his new tool that bears the stench of corruption. In the process he delegitimizes the democratic process. Influence peddling is illegal here too per the local ethics law! Did you get that pal or “not yet, already?

Remember the famous influence peddling case of a former Illinois governor who was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison?

Moreover, there’s the ongoing case of the president of South Korea of a friend’s alleged use of influence peddling extracting money from businesses.

It looks like Mr. Yamamoto has started reeling in the big fish, one at a time! I’ll join you reinstitute a government of laws here, sir!

The pile of alleged influence peddling makes it mandatory that Hokog resigns immediately. If he’s had any social conscience left, then he must step down now to safe himself, family and our people from any further humiliation!

EVERbody Home? It is rumored that teachers in Garapan and Tanapag elementary schools have been instructed to measure the exact size of their classrooms.

It’s an instruction that piques my interest, quizzing, why? Is there a plan to grant the two school sites to a favorite business firm? Such a plan means complete relocation in the absence of the will and consent of parents but PSS! What’s wrong with the current arrangement?

The PTA of each school must weigh in on the issue. Your voice matters as members of the immediate community. Say your piece in forthright fashion. Silence isn’t the answer in this and in every other issue affecting the needs of students and families in the two villages.

Attribution fatally missing
The cool winter breeze and birds singing lovely tunes nearby provided the opportunity for some creative scribbles. I bumped into public officials from here before a congressional appropriation subcommittee justifying more money for NMI needs. It was fun listening to viciously serious queries versus shallow and nervous answers from the Marianas Boysis.

As officials make last minute review of documents, someone asked if there’s any success to bringing President-elect Trump to the hearing. Disappointed to learn that Trump is in Pennsylvania Avenue and not on Capital Hill.

When the gavel came down, the subcommittee chair briefly explained that the federal government is in a fiscal crisis, drowning in the swamp of some $20 trillion in the red or deficit. Then Gov. Raffy was asked to make his presentation in brief form.

Essentially he said the NMI needs more than $200 million in CIP funds for water, power, sewer and roads. He was basically pleading a round of believable mea culpa as members nodded heads politely with deathly sanctimonious smiles.

Asked a member: “Reportedly, your casino industry made some $13.5 billion over the last year. Did you tax at least some portion of this humongous revenue for your purposes?”

Replied Torres, “Not yet, already!” He probably meant we know about it but it isn’t your business what we tax or don’t tax!

“Don’t you think that in the exercise of self-government taxing the industry is the responsible thing to do?” continued the member from Nevada.

Said Torres, “Not yet, already.”

“Sir! The sum of $13.5 billion didn’t show, in any form or fashion, that its strength is embryonic and taxing at least 5 percent of the gross would have forced aborting your pitiful appearance here this morning, agree?” came the pointed declaration from a committee member.

Torres, “Until my next junket trip, sir!” He’s now in Honolulu to lift ships from Pearl Harbor using the MV Luta.

A study by the Heritage Foundation recommends cuts in SNAP and other federal assistance programs, leaving the states to pay the bulk of the cost. The NMI must brace for cuts in SNAP, Medicaid, voucher housing program, and other grants for CHC and PSS including CUC.

Uncle Sam knows the NMI is walking very pretty with $13.5 billion it failed to tax BSI. It’s time to do it and shove “Not yet, already” into your back pockets. Has anyone taken stock how much would these cuts cost the NMI? Or is it another case inclusive in our new refrain, “Not yet, already?”

Trump is set to begin upgrading basic infrastructure across the country. I doubt that the NMI is on his list. He and members of Congress are fully wary that the casino industry here is raking in billions of dollars.

Tax it now to secure funds to pay for everything from basic infrastructure, healthcare, education, retirement, and debts. With $695 million from BSI there’s no reason we can’t meet our needs and not from the backs of hardworking taxpayers across the country! Halo? EVERbody home? Paying the requisite tax is the responsible thing to realistically give meaningful credence to fulfilling Corporate Social Responsibility! Is BSI or the IRS anywhere near imperial Crapital Hill?

Fickle memory: It is said that the dead live beyond the grave. We remember their words, deeds and legacy. All these are placed in our personal repository known as memory. Sadly, it could also shift into collective waiver or fickleness triggering queries without answers.

Was the recent midterm election founded on the so-called “success” of Republicans? What success is there to even use it as an illusory crutch?

Understood that people may have been herded like sheep to settle for the status quo. It’s a difficult issue given the tons of articulated expressions for change. It goes to show that memory was woefully fragile in the last midterm election. It was bankrolled, therefore, superbly fickle!