Ooops! More questions

Out of curiosity, it would be prudent for the Lottery Commission to inform the community that in fact the $2 million in security deposit is in one of the local FDIC banks. Is the $2 million intact or is it only $1 million? Information, please!

Furthermore, is the $60 million license fee ($30 million per applicant) deposited in local FDIC bank here? Or was the deposit placed in an escrow account outside of Saipan? Is this legally permissible under the casino law? Has the Lottery Commission done due diligence to ensure both the security deposit and funds for license fee are in fact in local FDIC banks here?

Does the Lottery Commission have an understanding what hard and soft count entails? Why bring casino experts from Macau when its industry is infested with organized crime? Would not this be the wrong foot commencing casino gaming industry in a fragile island community?

Is this the legacy of the Inos administration, the permanent introduction of organized crime into the island? This we must stop at all cost!

Realistic study of market

Often out of ignorance, we boast of things without actually studying the global market for the latest trend, e.g., tourists headed to the U.S. and Europe. In fact, it is this supposed market we should be guarding full press court if only to see if there’s any future in it. Is there a future with Chinese tourists flocking to the planned casino here? The lack of foresight and a set of fully thought out plan turn most of what we undertake into a pipedream or waste.

Consider the following from an AP business story of May 6:

-The number of Chinese visitors to America jumped 23 percent last year to 1.8 million. And the Chinese spend an average of about $6,000 a visit—more than tourists from any other country. “Shopping is the No. 1 activity for Chinese tourists,” says Jolin Zhou of Sunshine Travel, a Boston travel agency that specializes in Chinese tourists.

– Chinese investment in U.S. businesses, factories and real estate—tangible things, not including stocks, bonds and other financial instruments—has gone from virtually nothing a decade ago to $14 billion last year, according to the Rhodium Group, a consultancy. More than 70,000 Americans work at Chinese companies in the United States, up from almost none in 2000.

– U.S. exports of goods to China have doubled since 2006 to a record $122 billion last year. In 2013, U.S. companies earned a record $9.7 billion in China.

“Shopping is the No. 1 activity for Chinese tourists,” not gambling! Otherwise, they would stop by Macau, Singapore, the Philippines, and South Korea or Vegas and Atlantic City. They’re out in shopping malls all over the country.

Imagine if Guam’s open for this group of tourists. Hardly anybody would come to the CNMI given that Guam has more shopping places where they could explore the latest in modern clothing, jewelry, etc. We’d be stuck dead in our filthy casino sweeping the entire place 24 times a day just to look employed while quizzing if there’s a paycheck coming.

Welcoming organized crime

It is clear that the CNMI is broke or bankrupt. The bad economy kills the ability of families to live decently and it isn’t going to get better any time soon. In fact, it’s going to get far worse.

Greed and shortsighted policies eventually beget a deeper hole in bankruptcy.

Furthermore, it goes to show what happens when an important issue is approved hastily or in a hurry. There’s fear of the voice of “we the people” and so the boys had to quickly tiptoe between chambers to get it approved and signed into law in the dark hours of the night. What grand conspiracy!

Now, they are using retirees to support their proposal so the 25-percent pension pay cut could be paid. Wasn’t casino about revenue generation and not about retirees? The 25-percent cut is a government debt that must be paid. The source of funds for this purpose isn’t an issue or inconsequential. So please don’t use the hardship of retirees as a reason for your shallow casino law.

And please stop lying to the people. Like Buddy Magoo once chimed, “Iku, tell da true lai!”

Overkill on retirees

So much focus is placed on the fate of retirees as to ignore the needs of the majority. What about non-retirees or active workers who no longer could look forward to retirement? Eh, this group comprises a huge number of folks who work as teachers, police officers, doctors and nurses, social workers, etc. Is their future only good for the birds?

This group is composed of 52 percent underemployed, meaning their jobs pay federal poverty income level salaries. Has suspect leadership done anything over recent past to bring up salaries to help families deal or ease high power bills, increase in basic goods, high health insurance cost, while literally struggling to pay for the first family home?

I’m sure that if our public officials look at these needs even momentarily, they’d begin thinking out loud, “Lami lai, I sorry boocuz I don’t geebin` dis one good rookin’”. Eh, suckers, could you please settle down and use your cranium? Otherwise, your already fossilized brains could turn into rusty metal! Would you believe that even the powerful detergent “leyisleche” couldn’t peel off the rust on your skull?

It’s raw humor but had to be done to jolt some sense into the often-skipped land of simple common sense. Anyway, I fully trust in the strength of our people to keep their heads high, hard the times may be. Sign the petition to repeal the casino law. Let’s show the “Lulu` Boys” on the hill that “we the people” haven’t given up what’s ours, ever mindful of the future of our children.