Politics – election year 2016

Well, the election campaign signs have started showing up, set up by candidates aspiring to represent us, “We, the People.” This aspiration, is it for an easy, well-paying job requiring very little effort? For the legislators up for re-election—what have you done? Very little? How much “very little?” Not much?

Adding your name to a bill as a co-sponsor does not really amount to anything, and given that so many bills were designed to spend public funds, it leaves us wondering if we can ever get out of this financial and economic doldrums we seem to be stuck in. Where is our revenue coming from for our infrastructure, our CIP, our CUC, our CCHC? Revenue comes from various taxes or fees.

Who are we taxing big time, who are we not? How much is the “not?” And for how long no tax? We lost on BSI. We also lost on the BSI-Kan Pacific deal. Did we offer a tax incentive to someone else, too? We should stop that. We’re really toying with revenue. It’s the livelihood of our government, and us, too. Because of election year politics, the perennial economic problems once again have been tabled till after the election. What is our economic problems?

We don’t have enough in-coming money to enable our government to work on some more enterprising projects, or complete to everyone’s satisfaction an improvement project. What is our dream? I say they are everything that will bring our government money so it could operate without juggling around the money to plug this or plug that project. Why then is it being set aside? Why not, with BSI pumping millions, do we really need to worry? The man’amko are being fed nicely and entertained happily. But what about our foreign workforce being slated to leave us? The answer is on the sideline, just waiting for something to happen. When our foreign workers leave here, group by group, do we need to worry about the very real possibility that we may end up losing more than half of our businesses and employees, and a huge chunk of the revenue that the government collects as well as the exodus jeopardizes not only current but future commercial developments? Or our governmental infrastructure? Dismantle CUC and send it back to DPW as before? Does not look like too many people are concerned, much less, worried.

So what’s at stake? Too many to list but first and foremost are those issues and problems which demand action now, not in January 2017. A couple of the most critical include:

1. Our economy. Perhaps the single most critical issue we have now, our economy is hanging by a thread and is subject to many factors, most of which we do not and cannot control. One factor is the U.S. foreign and defense policies toward Russia and toward China. Our tourism market is primarily China and only because of the U.S. visa waiver program extended to the CNMI. Our investors need land and they need workers, both in short supply. How shall our government deal with these?

Our government wants to raise minimum wage, why? So all the prices for consumer goods and services will skyrocket and the consumers’ purchasing power minimizes while employers reduce their staff as their costs for doing business goes up? I tell you, we’re going to shoulder every cost that businesses incur. Cost of merchandise goes up to recoup renovation, costs, site improvements, etc., and with less employees. And in the end, we will end up getting less items from our money. Irrational and counter-productive? Many of those running for office do not care, they just want to massage (lasa) the public for votes. They will take care of themselves.

2. Our local workforce. Not enough people to maintain a viable workforce. Not enough locals for every single job in the CNMI. What is a “viable workforce?” That’s enough people who could be masons, or industrial electricians, civil engineers, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, carpenters, heavy or light equipment drivers, store or office clerks, accounting clerks, bank clerks, auto mechanics, etc. Meaning our people who could replace the CWs when they leave. Our CW program here has been a failure, that’s right, a failure. What happened to the one-on-one training idea? When the U.S. took back control of our immigration system, they placed a chokehold on our economy, our growth, our chances at success in self-government and at the mercy once again of the federal government. Not exactly what we signed up for back in 1976.

So, the CW program will draw down to zero by 2019, that’s only three-plus years away. Who will be left to deliver water, pick up trash, and build houses and business structures? Who will work in the small businesses, the hotels, the casino? Who will repair the roads? What about manning the CCHC? And CUC? And contract educators? China is not on the H2B program and if you’re wondering, take a long hard look at how many H2Bs were approved for Guam since December 2015. Sobering. Well, not as long as the beer is flowing, I suppose.

Requesting more CW program extensions and slots will only delay the inevitable. What is the “inevitable?” It’s the drop in population due to CW exodus, which will cause a domino effect. Population drops, employees drop, consumers drop, purchasing drops, merchandise up, room rents drop, lease buildings drop. There are, of course, two other options. One is to demand the return of our immigration control and the other-grant or avail of a permanent legal status to the workers already in the CNMI. At 2019, would the CWs go? What’s going to happen to their American citizen children? Who is to be responsible for them when their non-U.S. citizen parents leave? The first requires leadership and the second scares the bejesus out of the locals who are horrified at the possibility of one day losing control of the seats in government to “non-locals” American citizen voting youngsters. But, doing nothing will only guarantee failure which will no doubt be the single most horrific event in our history, bankruptcies, job losses, rolling blackouts, and days without water while the cost of living will soar to astronomical heights. Are we ready for that?

So, if you’re running for any public office this November, remember the goal—serve the public. That sometimes, you have to make unpopular but correct decisions. That’s your job, if elected, not to cozy up to the businessmen from you know where as if business partners, or looking for a cut, not to bush-cut roadsides, or paint bus stops and basketball courts. Prioritize the issues and act with commitment. And don’t forget accountability and open government.

If you’re not sure, not qualified, not willing, do not read so as to avoid the glare of our CNMI problems, or are simply looking for a job or for recognition only, don’t bother. We’ve had way too many already, the reason we’re in the jam we are in now.

For our U.S. Congressman Kilili, remember us, not Palau. You will return to D.C., but you must represent us. We want a loud, aggressive personality with a rapier mind and booming voice like CDR Richard Marcinko (USN-Ret.) and Seal Team-Six. You have them. Have you ever heard of Alan “The Horse” Ameche, or “Crazy-leg” Hirsch? Be like them, too. For you, it’s a “Go.” Make us appreciate voting you.

Rudy M. Sablan
Garapan