‘It’s about time to build a modernized hospital’

Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and his running mate, Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang, said Tuesday night that it’s about time to build a modernized hospital in the CNMI, so the close to $19 million being spent on medical referral each year will be diverted to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.

Palacios and Apatang are running for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, under a unified independent team, in the Nov. 8 general elections. They were the second tandem to face the three-day Gubernatorial Town Hall Forum at the American Memorial Park Theater Tuesday night.

Northern Marianas College hosted the event in collaboration with the Associated Students of NMC.

One of the questions raised at the forum was medical referral. With so many people leaving the islands to seek treatment elsewhere under medical referral, the question was how can the Palacios-Apatang administration guarantee that this will change under their leadership.

Palacios, who was recently medically evacuated to Honolulu, said they need to sit down with the CHCC board of directors and ask them what kind of resources they need.

He said the government spends close to $19 million in medical referral. “And you know much we budget today for CHCC? If you get $3 million a year out of our general fund, you’re lucky. So we need to change this issue and not just give it lip service,” Palacios said.

The lieutenant governor said the reason why medical referral is very expensive for the past 10 years is because it’s almost political. “That’s the unfortunate part,” said Palacios, adding that he is glad that CHCC chief executive officer Esther Muña and CHCC have taken on that additional task to administer the program.

He underscored the need to divert the $19 million being spent on medical referral to CHCC.

Palacios said that buying a Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine, as well as the hiring of MRI specialists is worth the investment. MRI is used to take detailed pictures inside the human body to help diagnose or monitor treatment.

“Building, modernizing our hospital it’s not really difficult. We just got to change our mindset,” he said.

The lieutenant governor said his administration will work with the Legislature to make them understand that all of the money that the government invest for the resources of the hospital is not just for the CHCC board but for the people.

Apatang said the CNMI’s lone hospital has been here for the longest time and it’s about time that the government finds some resources to build an additional hospital to replace this aging one.

He said the new hospital should have new equipment and resources.

“We’ve been spending a lot of money for medical referral,” said Apatang, adding that, with a new hospital and technology, as well hiring of specialists, the hospital can treat people here in the CNMI.

At the forum, Palacios and Apatang answered 10 more questions and follow-up questions relating to immigrants, education, economy, social services and food security, public safety, drugs in the CNMI, environment, workforce development, infrastructure, and indigenous cultures.

In their closing statement, Apatang said he and Palacios are quite impressed with the NMC students’ involvement in this important engagement. “Your involvement shows that you care for our future,” the mayor said.

He said the questions raised at the forum are interrelated, including other topics that are important to the CNMI’s self-governance. “We believe that no single answer is the only answer and the only right answer. Rather, you will take careful deliberation after weighing all the facts that apply to an issue,” Apatang said.

He said their administration will initiate and implement policies that work and allow them to act quickly.

“We can and should develop policies that will give everyone an equal chance to progress and prosper,” he said.

Apatang said they will use the power of technology to bring the world back to the islands.

“We will take charge of directing our path to a better Commonwealth,” he said.

NMC student Towa Arinaka said after the forum that he believes Palacios and Apatang answered sufficiently and it seems both candidates are experienced politicians who have been serving the public for a long time.

“So I feel like a lot of the trust that they’ve built throughout their career will be the main factor in deciding why people would vote for them,” Arinaka said.

Last night was the turn of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and his running mate, Sen. Vinnie Vinson F. Sablan, to answer the questions at the forum. Torres is seeking re-election, while Sablan is gunning for the lieutenant governor’s position, under the Republican Party.