Let’s act NOW

In response to Anthony Pellegrinos column, “Yes, we can do it” published in the Saipan Tribune on Monday, Aug. 15, 2011, I wholeheartedly agree. John F. Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” While in Cambodia, I was given the task of writing a presentation for people wanting to go into business for themselves, improve their economic situation and to think positively. Mr. Pellegrino struck several key points of this presentation. Positive thoughts, if someone believes he or she can do something, it can be done.

Saipan has hundreds, if not thousands, of wild coffee trees growing throughout the island. Ten acres alone will produce over $200,000 worth of cherry (or non-processed beans). Vietnam’s No. 1 export is coffee, which was valued at over $1 billion in 2009. If the people of the CNMI believe they can excel, then the island could produce millions of dollars in exports. My landlord once mentioned to me that his family has numerous avocado trees growing wild on the family land and yet no one harvests the fruit and sells them. The citrus fruit industry, banana tree industry, avocado industry, and coffee industries can lead the way. Guam has numerous military bases that would like to acquire these produce on a daily basis. The CNMI can fulfill these needs.

Thinking of the creative plane, there are two planes of thought: The creativity and competitive planes. Look at what the CNMI has to offer that can make money: perfect weather 90 percent of the time, beautiful beaches, and a perfect location. What can the CNMI offer that no one else can? Find things that we can offer. Working together with everyone will bring a climate of community support and wealth to the island. Working against each other or on the competitive plane will only bring the CNMI down. We’re not in competition with anyone.

Avoid negative people. When people tell you that you can’t do something you will most likely give up. If people believe in you then you can succeed. If the people of the CNMI begin to tell other people who want to succeed they can’t, the island itself cannot succeed. Surround yourself with people who support you and believe in you. Say “I believe in the CNMI.” Avoid the crablike mentality; don’t pull people down before they succeed. Instead, you should concern yourself with helping people become successful. If everyone is successful, everyone has money and if everyone has money they spend it. If they are spending their money everyone becomes wealthy.

Lastly, everyone should understand there is a right for everyone to become wealthy. The world will not run out of money. No matter how you look at it, there is enough money in this world for everyone to be wealthy. Saying yes we can, knowing what we have to offer others, believing in ourselves, being creative, and avoiding those who say we can’t is very important in ensuring that the CNMI will become self-sufficient.

Back to what John F. Kennedy said, ask what you can do. Bringing wealth to the CNMI will take a community effort. He was challenging each and everyone of us to be the best we can be and to become self-reliant. The government won’t and hasn’t helped us become rich or wealthy. It’s up to each and everyone of us to work together to become wealthy, to educate our children, work hard and then, together, we can watch the government and communities improve. When one of us becomes successful, we can all become successful.

Ask yourself what you will do to help the CNMI grow. Being part of the solution and not part of the problem is the first step. Think of all the businesses that need to be here, can be created or what you can start in the CNMI and then you can see the wealth for itself and the residents. Worry about the solutions, not the problem. If you are hungry, do you sit in the living room worrying about it? Probably not, you go and eat. Solving problems is as easy as that. People solve problems. We can start today because a long journey begins with the first step and I ask you…are you ready to take that first step? We need to act now.