Using the thoughtful process

To unravel the fatal lack of leadership and vision, it may be good to heed a famous philosopher’s suggestion that we don the mindset of Christopher Columbus. The point is to open more worlds within us, not to explore more continents but opening channels, not of trade but of thought.

Imagine the strides we could have made had we employed the thoughtful process. It would have paved the pathway to sturdy economic recovery. But leadership is a dearth when we most need it!

How much longer could we navigate a canoe without a captain, sails, and paddles to steer it to safe port? If it has to be mutiny on a canoe, then let it be done with impunity. This misery in the abyss of abject poverty where nothing is certain but uncertainty does nothing but send us to the Disneyland of Despair.

People we have entrusted the roles of leadership are caught in the crossfire of ignorance, disengagement, and disconnect, thus the persistent lack of purpose and direction. So the political wildebeest syndrome takes command and control, allowing their being shepherded into a corner where factotums (blind loyalists) are ordered to do their dirty laundry. Isn’t this Corruption 101?

The net effect of negligence is the reversal in the livelihood of our people three years back. Thus, the concerted negligence and arrogance translates to the elected elite sending the quality of life here 30 years back. I don’t know if serious budgetary shortfall is your definition of economic recovery where bankruptcy waits and sleeps at the front door, daily!

I’ve listened to spouts that depict their wading in the shallows of lack of ability to understand the issues clearly. Some can see the trees but consistently miss the shape, size, and density of the forest. They sound like they have command of the issues but miss the heart of the matter by oceans apart. Humiliating!

Had conscientious leadership been in place, there could very well have been real time economic recovery. But such isn’t the case as the disoriented and disengaged struggle to figure out “what is north!” This disconnect is a fatal flaw so far removed from building good governance!

Contraction: We once had tons of money. Now we don’t! I’ve even gone into shelves and old briefcases doing search and rescue for pennies, nickels, and dimes. Nada!

Between San Antonio and San Roque are huge empty buildings covered with overgrowth and trash. They were once clean and occupied by apparel employees by the hundreds. They’re now empty and have turned into ghostly places.

The small trucks that usually park around these areas at sunset no longer peddle veggies and fruits. Small fastfood joints that once sold donuts and quick refreshments are also closed, shut, and bolted. Empty! Other small shops that once were around have also been shut. The once humming venues have completely turned into ghost towns.

Some favorite Japanese, Korean, and Chinese restaurants have also put up shutters. The rest are taking it a day at a time, hoping something breaks for the better. It’s the group that hasn’t seen “sunshine” for quite sometime now and is wondering if the sun ever breaks through dark clouds at dawn. It’s a sentiment I equally share knowing what they had to endure like paying the obligatory employees’ salaries, high power rates, taxes, rent, and the cost of their own basic needs.

The huge economic contraction is such most folks don’t pay me any mind, humming a tune from the four famous Liverpool lads, Hard Days Night.

Greed: The Legislature created senatorial delegations, another layer of wasteful power grab and in the process robs municipal councils their fiduciary roles. The councils have been emasculated of authority it can’t even find meaningful forms of taxation to engage in, e.g., island beautification or something or other.

The law establishing senatorial delegations must be repealed and the role of municipal councils restored. To hawk and hug over power you hardly dispose in meaningful disposition is a waste of time and taxpayers’ hard-earned taxes. This has got to change so we equally acknowledge the origin of our democratic republic founded a long time ago in municipal governments.

Corruption: In the Tinian mayoral intramural slugfest, someone said he isn’t voting for the incumbent mayor because he never hired any of his family. Nice try! In its very essence, this pal is known as Corruption 101! You must insist on leadership to work on economic prosperity where everybody gets a fair shot at moving forward.

Strange: About 10 years ago, I took my last trip to the U.S. mainland between here, Tokyo, and Houston. My return trip included the Guam leg where I had to wait for six long hours before connecting to Saipan the next morning.

Not sure whether it was jet lag but there was something strange about it. Perhaps it was the must-layover in Guam that I found despicably frustrating. Imagine tourists from Japan who had to endure the same long wait just to visit Saipan. Unfortunately, direct flights from Tokyo to Saipan kept decreasing. I knew then that tourism would take a nosedive and it did, royally too.

Good tidings of a gradually resurging tourism industry sounds great, with occupancy rate hitting beyond 80 percent. But the greater economic issue is: How much has actually gone into the local coffers? I think we should focus a bit more on the income generation of the industry to see how has it positively impacted local revenue collection. After all, it’s our last economic pillar! Any ideas?