What I will do if elected

I’ve noticed that some of the other candidates have borrowed liberally from my agenda. That’s not a problem for me. It just proves the point that we need some change in our politics.

What I will do is:

1. Introduce legislation for the transfer of the control of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and submerged lands surrounding the CNMI from the United States to the CNMI;

2. Immediately introduce legislation to have an office of the Small Business Administration open in the CNMI;

3. Immediately introduce legislation to have a Veterans Administration Medical Facility built in the CNMI; and

4. And, if it is still an issue, work to have green cards and/or passports granted to non-U.S. citizen individuals who have immediate relative status in the CNMI.

These are but the first steps in an effort to secure economic self-sufficiency for the Commonwealth. Those who have kept up with the national news lately must now realize the need for the Commonwealth to be self-sufficient. When the Asian economy slipped so did the Commonwealth’s. Now, the United States economy is at risk. Bailout after bailout and now, Wall Street. Credit in the U.S. is out the window.

The other candidate’s answer to these issues is to beg for more handouts and somehow convince the Washington establishment that they should have nothing to say about what goes on here. News flash! It just doesn’t work that way. We must start to stand on our own feet. As Mr. Tony Pelligrino says, “…we must start to look down and harvest the gems at our feet…”

This won’t be easy and there will be other issues that we must address, but it is a start to a viable economic solution for the Commonwealth.

At least two of the other candidates want to be elected to write grant requests. They can write grant requests from here in the CNMI.

One of them even disparages the idea of introducing legislation. He wants to go to Washington to “learn” how those grants are created in the first place. I’ll save him the trip. This thing called legislation creates them.

I will be happy to meet with anyone or any group to elaborate on my positions. If you are inclined to hear more, please contact Jeanne Rayphand at 235-9115, 235-5123 or 287-9807 to arrange a time and date.