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Reyes fires back at Govendo
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Posted on Feb 22 1999
Senate Floor leader Pete P. Reyes lashed back at his critic Ken Govendo over accusations waged in the media during a privilege speech on Friday in which he attacked him as someone who is against anything that will usher in development in the CNMI.
He claimed Govendo prefers the indigenous people to remain under a “subsistence economy where we should fish and farm for our living,” despite the increasing number of locally-born U.S. citizens graduating with college degrees from universities in the mainland.
“What is interesting is how his actions seem betray his show of bitterness and nagging hatreds for selected race of people working for the garment industries,” Reyes told during the special Senate session.
“He seems to have so much bitterness for success that he seem to suggest that anything or anyone who is successful must also be corrupted,” he added.
Visibly irked, the senator urged his colleagues not to listen to Govendo to save the island from “virtual ‘zoo’ economy” that his critic has alleged to be wishing for the Northern Marianas people.
Govendo has drawn Reyes’ ire following publication of his comments in the media in which he attacked the senator for his support for the local garment industry.
Reyes has openly expressed his stance on the sector in light of the worsening economic crisis on the island, saying the garment business is the only one providing steady source of income for the government as the tourism industry continues to suffer from the recession in Asia, where major the major haul of visitors to the CNMI come from.
“My commitment on issues I believed in prevents me from shying away because I am elected into this position to make sometimes serious but unpopular decisions like everyone here,” he told senators.
