Selecting a delegate to the US Congress

While I have been a long time resident of Saipan, currently only temporarily absent from the islands, I have been thinking about the person who will be selected as the CNMI’s delegate in the U.S. Congress.

The most qualified person I know who is completely unaware of this article and my preference is David M. Sablan.

In the more than 35 years I have known and worked with—and for him—I am not aware of a single person who does not think very highly of Dave’s abilities. I’ll tell you one thing: I have certainly learned a lot from him.

In my current “non-voting” judgment he is the one person who has all the qualities needed to successfully represent the islands in Washington. He’s smart, honest and dedicated to service and the community. He has a vision of the future and what the islands can become and, most of all, people like him. They listen to him and they respect him—exactly the character traits that will be needed in Congress.

It was Dave, working through the Saipan Chamber of Commerce back in the early 70s, who was single-handedly instrumental in convincing the U.S. Government to abandon the U.N’s economic stranglehold on the economy by abandoning the so-called “favored nation clause.” This opened up the islands to foreign investment. He has always be in the forefront in working for what was best for the islands. Those were the years when there was no concerted effort on the part of the Trust Territory Government or the Marianas District to encourage foreign investment with local participation.

It was through the efforts of Dave Sablan and several others that the tourism industry was launched when he successfully arranged for the financing and construction of the PanAm Intercontinental Inn in Garapan (later the Dai-Ichi and Fiesta Resort).

He has been elected by his peers as the president of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and was the founder and president of the Saipan Rotary Club—more times than I can remember. He has also served for many years on the Board of MVA. All that ought to tell you something about his qualification.

Probably, most importantly, Dave is not a professional politician—he’s a successful businessman—exactly what the islands so desperately need during these trying times.

And if that’s not enough to impress his colleagues in the U.S. Congress, he is a survivor of the World War II American bombardment and the Japanese resistance during one of the most horrific battles of the war. That will certainly gain the respect and high esteem of those in Congress, none of whom can claim that distinction.

During those days before the islands’ political status had been determined, anyone arriving on Saipan to discuss investment opportunities made it a point to stop first to meet Dave Sablan for their economic and business briefing. His assistance and advice, always generously given, has been helpful in many other diverse areas. He has the reputation of arranging solutions to problems—“Mr. Fix-it”—a man who many still turn to regardless of the problem to help make them right. His reputation is of a person always ready to help.

David M. Sablan or DMS is a fitting acronym: D for Dedication to excellence; M for Methodical management; S-for Skilled solutions.

I for one hope he will declare himself a candidate.