If Tinian and Rota does not deserve their subsistence, then it is all the more reason that Saipan representatives do not deserve discretionary fund, because they live on Saipan and can get on their car and drive to Capital Hill. The economy is supposedly in shambles and everything else is falling apart, and instead of coming together to try and fix things we blame each other. Instead of looking at what can be done to remove bad guava, we look at how much we put in the coffer so we can decide who can buy imported oranges and who should be left behind to pick green oranges from the wild. I suppose then it is okay for Saipan representatives to have their discretionary fund, because Saipan supposed generate more revenue? The bottom line is NONE of them, Saipan & Northern Islands, Tinian, and Rota representatives, should be even thinking about having discretionary fund or subsistence allowance! While we are pointing fingers at each other, the federal government is watching and laughing. Ask Congressman Kilili. He knows. But get this into thick skulls: THERE IS NO CNMI WITHOUT TINIAN! The covenant attached 2/3 of Tinian to be leased by the United States government for military purpose. The people of Tinian did not have any choice in the matter - although the governor thinks we made that choice! The Covenant was voted by all legal aged citizens of Northern Mariana Islands. The people on Saipan & Northern Islands and Rota elected to lease MAJOR PORTIONS OF TINIAN to become a commonwealth! Saipan has always capitalized on Tinians head start! Saipan would not be enjoying Chinese tourists if it had not been for Tinian Dynastys success, NOT WILLY TAN, in having the CNMI listed as an approved destination - even with the waiver in place! The commercial port on Saipan would not have seen major improvements if it had not been Tinians docking fees for fishing vessels which guaranteed revenue for bonds! Micronesian Development Company, the largest exporter of local produce - beef, vegetables, fruits and milk - was the largest industry at the time until federal impositions and cargo tariffs became extremely taxing. The CNMI and Tinian should have purchased that industry and work with the federal government through NMC and Land Grant. But, getting back to the crux of the issue at hand, WE need to start working together and not against each other. Tinians and Rotas contribution to coffer may not be as big as Saipans, but they are significant enough to hurt businesses on Saipan should they stop patronizing them! The federal government was and is playing us like the fools they expected us to become and stunted all attempts to become economically stable! Similarly, and quite desolately, as expected by the feds, every attempt made by Tinian to become economically self sufficient have been stunted by the CNMI government allowed by the acquiescence of our own representatives who thought they were ahead of the game with their ignorant political games! Divide and conquer is the name of the game, someone pointed out in this blog. While we are fighting with and against each other, the Covenant was being chiseled away piece by piece mainly facilitated by our own lack of responsiveness and assertiveness in dealing with the federal government! The feds dangled apples, and we started neighing like hungry horses. They dangled carrots, and we started hopping like hungry bunnies. Meanwhile, their long arms kept reaching deep into our well emptying it out like thirsty hyaenas that they are! We forgot that we are neither horses nor rabbits but turtles, all of which are no match for hyaenas! My father once said, chek sa man gaigue na man bailan tatali nai ti talin niha! That means that We are playing tug of war with a rope that is not ours! Now that rope is in the hands of two foreign casino investors marching all the way to the federal government crying wolves! Do not blame Tinian and Rota representatives only. Blame the CNMI legislature! They are all responsible for the expenditure of CNMI PUBLIC FUND! mvariety/cnmi/cnmi-news/letters-to-the-editor/66814-stop-this-nonsense
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 03:06:36 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015