The journey to justice

The settlement agreement we’ve worked out with the AG’s Office brings the $400,000 MV Rota Luta Mermaid case to the halfway mark.

The restitution of the $400K would be taken up separately in court. We want every penny paid even if it means going after every property owned by the principals of the firm and the evil genius behind the scheme.

The road to justice, though, is difficult and woefully costly. The conviction to protect the innocent prompted my stepping up to the plate to resolve the matter.

The arrogance of ignorance and whimsical habitual appropriation by resolution is history! It would do legislators tons of good if you secure a copy of the agreement so you revisit where you’ve been humiliatingly ignorant and negligent. It also strengthens the ethics law holding public officials to stricter accountability for illegal activities in office.

The doctrine of legislative immunity isn’t a carte blanche ticket to hide from illegal activities after your term. It prevents legislators from “being sued for actions performed and decisions made in the course of serving in government. But it does not protect legislators from criminal prosecution, nor does it relieve them of responsibility for actions outside the scope of their office.

The issue of restitution is unprecedented in the sense that this is the first time that public funds were expropriated directly to a private firm by an evil genius. I’d like to see what the public auditor’s report found on this score.

You may have a different view of the settlement agreement. But there’s a difference between cheerleading and the boxer who gets pounded in the ring. I think it’s called reality check!

We’d go after what they’ve got, including the rumored purchases of new properties and houses in Idaho and Florida. The expropriation of taxpayers’ money is ugly in both form and substance.

Finally, it’s a litigation that is actually a collective citizenry duty. I’ve done my share and I’d leave the rest to others when something else pops up ahead. It has been a pleasure.

MW Debacle: The recent discussion of plans to raise the minimum wage in Guam reveals the gap between public and private sector salaries. While the cost of goods has gone up by some 30 percent, salaries in the public sector were concurrently raised. Salaries in private industries remained stagnant.

Here at home, public officials have given themselves a salary increase by 50 percent. Legislators would be making some $89,250 per year. You subtract the poverty income level against the new salary and they are still ahead by as much as $61,000.

How did they miss the more than 13,000-plus employees stuck with their poverty income level and below salaries for over 20 years? Perhaps they have their own convoluted excuses to share with the multitude how they overlook the needs of a majority of hardworking employees, di ba?

Memories: In my golden years, I took a quick trip down memory lane to see the happy faces of folks I’ve met over the years across the vast expanse of the Pacific. Yes, I’ve been to a number of island countries during my stint as the NMI delegate to the South Pacific Community.

Each has its own unique features that stand out prominently. If anything, there’s a common denominator among island communities: communal sharing. It’s the single fiber that held islanders together through thick and thin for generations. Yep! We’ve sailed the same canoe since time immemorial!

I’ve enjoyed island ceremonies where we hear the wisdom of the wise man of the village or traditional chief. Then everybody attends to the feast at hand. Young coconut is given delegates to refresh themselves after a long journey. Very thoughtful gesture!

In their humble ways, independent island countries make do with what they generate at home, annually. Some have sought financial assistance from regional bodies like the Asian Development Bank. Otherwise, the people stick to their traditional way of life between gardening small arable land and fishing. We did this long before we started working for the Navy after the war.

Remember the “in thing” in the late ’50s and early ’60s that if you could bang a Royal or Underwood manual typewriter, you’ve made the American Dream? Sadly, that wasn’t it, right?

The NMI is fortunate to have a wealthy benefactor known as Washington, D.C. The SPC is funded by donor countries, e.g., Great Britain, France, the U.S., and Australia. Other fiscally poised economies have also contributed to the fund.

It was also a pleasure representing the NMI in the Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific with Dr. Jack Tenorio. Had to deal with international relations issues, their magnitude being far larger and complicated than provincial ones at home.

The ambassador of Fiji had me working on the Economics Committee of ESCAP. He wanted me to get my feet wet, so to speak, to see how delegates address matters of national concerns in their collective dealings. Issues are substantive than the usual provincialism here.

The conduct of both organizations grants you the opportunity to deal with issues dealing with the forest over the trees. And it teaches you to review related materials so you understand them before any discussion takes place. I relish the learning experience. Enjoyed that part of my career working with the leadership who came from “The Sea of Islands” and have benefited tremendously from their calm intellectual discussions and timeless wisdom.

Anybody Home? When folks give you the “I don’t know Maria” expression straight from the heart, it’s a simple message that something isn’t right at home. In fact, they are looking for leadership in hopes of finding some semblance of hope and confidence in their future.

Indeed, the widespread sense of suspect quietude all over the archipelago is itself troubling as more of our very own head to jetways in search of greener pasture abroad. Sad, isn’t it?