A perspective in a US Commonwealth democracy

Second part of a series

‘I didn’t plan to fail; I just failed to plan’

Unequivocally, restoring trust and confidence in government by changing the present system of governance in order to immediately stop people’s suffering is top priority in the Babauta-Torres administration. This will be accomplished by removing the causes of constant increases in costs of utilities; exorbitant health premium; predatory regulations and requirements; anti-economic growth fee structure and anti-development costs; anti-middle class tax structure; and hit-and-miss interisland air links.

In this respect, Babauta-Torres will embrace private-public partnership activities, not only with the business community but also with our federal partners. All preventable consequences, owing to the government’s (governors) persistent hit-and-miss policies, without documented preparation or planning, i.e., “I didn’t plan to fail, I just fail to plan” mindset will be mitigated and ultimately eliminated as standard operating procedure in the delivery of public services in a new Babauta-Torres leadership.

With full support of the CNMI community, and we thank you in advance for your confidence, going into inauguration day, the Babauta-Torres leadership will waste no time in placing the spotlight on the CNMI’s economic resurgence. First, like any household, by taking inventory of all our assets and liabilities; then, in consultation with the Legislature and in particular the CNMI citizenry, develop a realistic plan to address our people’s needs in prioritized structure. To rehabilitate and restore the economy’s essential components and immediately throttle the economic engine to its natural, robust, and optimum condition and set our economy on course, we need to maximize our own resources such as the CNMI’s 3-mile exclusive economic zone. As we identify our own hidden gems, methodically construct a sound structure and timetable for each, aimed in a trajectory of sustainable growth, faithfully executing our sound economic plan, placing it our collective all-on-the-line, we will achieve our economic goal—a much better standard of living not just for the few but for all! The BT Team is certain; it’s our pride-on-the-line!

In other words, the Babauta-Torres comprehensive integrated governing model (macro perspective) in making our economic development system work, thrive, prosper, and be successful is focused on weaving the disparate micro-economic facets of the economy (i.e., CNMI economic development system) into a comprehensive and actionable system. This is accomplished by creating the right business, investment, and trade climate; playing to our economic strengths; nurturing an entrepreneurial and “growing our own” atmosphere; working closely with our academic institutions (PSS, NMC, NMTI, abroad, etc.); increasing the availability of risk capital (i.e., venture capital resources); seeding a capital idea for the CNMI and other participating partners (e.g., “angel” investors and micro-lenders, etc.); promoting exports for CNMI and other participating companies (SBA Import-Export, US Import-Export Bank, CDA, Asian Development Bank, etc.); and promoting economic development in rural (Rota and Tinian) and frontier CNMI (Gani Islands north of Saipan). With the full cooperation and participation of all, in short, we will turn our economy around by being fiscally responsible, getting our residents without jobs back to work, and setting the foundation for a stronger and prosperous economy in the future today.

Military consideration
In an externally-based economy, Juan S. Torres and I will strike a proper balance among the often competing and conflicting interests of a military-leaning economy. We will focus on the ecosystem health and sustainability, cultural, geological, hydrological and marine resource management in balancing the need of the military industrial complex consisting of business interests in direct and indirect relationship to military buildup activities and events. Moreover, unlike the present situation, a Babauta-Torres leadership will fully utilize the Covenant Section 902 consultation process in engaging the military in a meaningful and mutually supportive dialogue.

Juan S. Torres and I will invite to the table not only the Governor’s Military Integration Management Coordinating Unit. We will also include the local Office of Veterans Affairs; the Saipan Chamber of Commerce Military Committee; the local Hotel Association in consultation with the Armed Forces COMREL Unit and the environmental and ancillary agencies of government, including the local nature alliance organization (e.g., MINA) and the science academy group and the respective municipal representatives and mayors.

To be continued.