‘For You, With You’ is just the beginning

Dear supporters, families, and friends: It is with great humility and grief that I am hereby announcing my withdrawal from the 2014 election bid for mayor of the Municipality of Tinian and Aguiguan. As much as I have asked you not to risk your family livelihood for the sake of voting for me but to vote for the right of the people for a better life, I am hereby asking for your understanding and support in my decision to withdraw so I can resolve a difficult issue personally that may greatly affect the lives of my wife and children. There comes a time when one must decide, when faced with a difficult choice, to choose who or what is an immediate need or danger and must weigh the effects your decision might bring to those needing your attention and consider the impact to those that will be affected the most. Without inundating this letter with unnecessary details, such is the case in my decision to withdraw.

Politics can be and most often dirty and cruel. It is an unfortunate reality in our little CNMI community and most especially on our tiny island of Tinian. Make no mistake that I take full responsibility for the mistakes that I have made and the misfortune that have now befallen my family. I will, however, take the liberty to hold those who have intentionally included my wife’s and children’s lives in their attempt and objective to politically destroy me to be morally accountable. In disparity, albeit a hard impact on my family, I have accepted the fact that the motivation to remove me from my present job is obviously politically motivated and would move on without any vindictive aspiration, because we would survive. So, I beg your understanding in giving me and my family time to settle our personal matter so that we can, again, comfortably vigorously move along and with you working to improve our quality of lives as a community. As my father once said “Esti i taotao debi di hu na’gasgas i apusentoṅa yan nilala’ṅa antes di hu intenddet mumaneha yan dumirihi officinan publiku.” I am heeding these wise words, because it makes complete sense and it is the right path. I believe it is only fair to our followers and most importantly our community.

One of the most touching and direct question of all the inquiries I received, in addition to all the other educational, excellent and healthy inquiries, is: “I have seen in the past some people who have lost elections and left the island until the next election. If you lose the election, would you still be around to be a part of and help our community”? Even though I have not lost this election yet, I have an answer to this question that I must respond to but never got to earlier. Here is my answer: I will always be a part of this community and do whatever I can to help as much as I can no matter what decision my wife and I make in regards to the needs of our family. I have two daughters who are ready to graduate from college and are anticipating employment with the Public School System as teachers here on Tinian, and I have two minor sons who are attending school on Tinian and in need and equally deserving of guidance and support in their lives. Losing an election is not going to and will never be a factor in our decision to remain active in building our community. Likewise, I ask each and every one of you, no matter where you are, to please continue contributing in whatever manner you can to help our people. It is essential that when we pledge our allegiance to this beautiful island and our community that we vow and say it with conviction and express it with hope and sincere commitment that it belongs to us and our future generation. I am privileged to be a descent of Tinian and will consider it a greater privilege to work for and with the people of Tinian for generations to come if time permits.

I was also asked who I will support since I withdrew from the race. I am hereby announcing that I am supporting the incumbent Mayor Ramon M. Dela Cruz and his team. I now ask the people who are supporting me and believe in our cause to do the same. My decision to support Mayor Dela Cruz, is not because of a promised job, personal favor, or for financial gain and special interest. It is because I believe, after very thorough discussions with him, he does have the heart and sincerity to help our community. Despite the differences he had with the delegation this past five years and most especially now, I am confident that given the right team with solution-driven leadership instead of problem-driven and political self-interest, we can make Tinian better for generations to come. Therefore, if you had/have faith in me to be your leader as mayor then I am asking you for the same faith in my ability to work with Mayor Dela Cruz for the same reason. I once said that I am willing to and will be your leader in or out of administration. I am now asking you the same support. I am still with you, and I am asking you to be with me and follow through in our pursuit for a better Tinian for ourselves. The advantage that we have is that we already know his weakness as well as his strength and thus will facilitate effective negotiations for the things that we want to see in our community. I vow that I will be an active and loud voice during his remaining term so that the most critical things and priorities that we hold to our standard and have discussed will be made a part of his and our team’s agenda. In closing, I am pleading with all of you for your patience as well as your continued support in our cause to accomplish the things we envisioned since the beginning of our mission to make Tinian better. Our theme remains the same “For You, With You.” We are not “Moving Forward” if we forget the most basic and ultimate value that we hold as a society, and most importantly, as our moral, religious, and sanctified lesson from our elders: “Don’t move forward if you don’t have everyone on board. You need to be complete before you move to the next destination.”

Thank you again for your support, your commitment, your shared vision, your encouragement, and most importantly your believe that “For You, With You” is just the beginning for our community to strive for the next political policy on our small island of Tinian. It is all about you and “you” that can make a difference. Special thanks to those who had made all the extra effort in using their personal time, effort, and meager financial resources in promoting our cause. With good blessing I am confident and more committed that we will return with more vigor to continue the people’s cause and vision for a better Tinian.

Joseph Masga Mendiola
San Jose, Tinian