An open letter to Ben Garrett

Dear Ben Garrett: I don’t rebut people’s opinion because everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion. But your June 20, 2014, letter to the editor is not an opinion letter but rather an intention to smear my character using misleading information of mismanagement and an attempt on your part to raise public suspicions by asking the question, “[D]o we have confidence in Mr. Taisague?” I guess this is your way of playing dirty tricks and politricks to the general public because I am a candidate. I am not surprised!

Ben, allow me to provide you the correct information. The university was not closed down due to mismanagement on my part but because of fraud committed by the founder of the university who was also the chairman of the board and financier for the university. I was the university’s vice president when I discovered and reported to the president about the illegal agreements entered between the chairman and the recruited foreign students. The president was also a board member. The president left for Guam supposedly for family matters but then ended up resigning from her position while in Guam, leaving me holding the “bag of problems” created by the illegal agreements and of her failure to follow my advice. Shortly after her resignation, I assumed her position.

The university was a locally registered institution and licensed to provide postsecondary education. While the chairman was on trial, the university continued to fulfill its responsibility to its students. Courses continued to be taught as per semester schedule. When the chairman was found guilty, the head office in Korea gave instruction to finish the fall semester and then to close the university. After receiving the closure instruction, I notified the CNMI Immigration, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Board of Regent that Saipan University will close down after the fall semester and it will no longer be offering postsecondary courses. Students who decided to continue their education on Saipan were transferred to Northern Marianas College. The rest who decided not to continue their education and didn’t want to leave the island were referred to the Attorney General.

Ben, I have no “strategy move” for writing all my letters to the editor as you indicated in your June 20, 2014, letter to the editor. Your instinct serves you wrong as well as your allegation of mismanagement on my part while working at the university. If you have any questions about me, feel free to call me at 287-0494 so we can discuss it over coffee. You will find me to be a very friendly and open person.

By the way Ben, I am not being unfriendly to the governor but I am very disappointed in him as a governor. If you want to know why, let us have coffee someday to tell you all about it so you will understand where I am coming from and perhaps you would agree with me.

Have a nice day Ben.

Jesus I. Taisague
Koblerville, Saipan