Money for picnic amidst dizzying crisis

The Rota Senatorial Delegation has agreed to give the Mayor of Rota its lapsed funds of about $100,000 to pay for the “Second Annual Guest Workers Appreciation Celebration”.

Such a decision confirms my personal belief of the Picnic Attitude when the roof of our house is on fire. Never mind that it would gut the entire house, “don’t worry, be happy…and party-up” there’s always tomorrow.

This adolescent decision when the medical referral program needs some $3 Million to send critically ill patients to off-island medical center for attention? How about using this money to assist students whose education has apparently been derailed by the lack of scholarship funds? What about government utility bills to the tune of $6.8 Million that yells out for payment? How about the NMI government’s obligation with the retirement program of several million dollars? What about other essential public services struggling because of the lack of funds? How about more money to improve the quality of instructions throughout our Public School System?

This errant, if not, completely adolescent judgment goes to illustrate the apparent lack of commitment by all those who affixed their signatures on the reprogram of some $100,000 for a grand picnic when most public services are limping in the sea of bankruptcy. Where’s your conscience to contribute to the well-being of the general welfare of the people of these isles? Nothing can be further from the truth! A taxpayers’ lawsuit may be in order to stem the wasteful spending of hard-to-come-by funds for basic public services. A` Saina na diskuido gi salape` publiko!

The Texas Road Mess

Every opening of school, Texas Road right behind the Department of Public Safety, turns into a venue of close calls with serious or fatal injuries by students who step on their gas pedals endangering the safety of pedestrians or other motorists.

Added to this before and after classes invitation to a mini-demolition derby are blind intersections as a result of overgrowth and failure of appropriate government agencies to clear them especially during the rainy season when wild weeds and tañgantañgan grow quicker than at any other time of the year.

Indeed, this public artery becomes a choice to traverse during peak traffic in the morning to avoid congestion along beach road. It’s more the convenient artery before and after classes what with buses competing to pull-in and out of Marianas High School. But safety becomes a problem as students use the artery to get to and from MHS.

There are pedal happy youngsters who really have no regard for the safety of pedestrians or factory workers on bicycles going to and from work. The rear exit from DPS is blind as a result of overgrowth. The same is true of Nauru Building and the STOP sign facing King’s Store in Susupe and the intersection near PC Auto-Clinic.
It makes driving defensively a useless exercise or responsibility.

Strangely, too, the STOP sign facing King’s Store inhibits and endangers traffic flow and should be placed on the side of the intersecting road. Or isn’t it true that longer arteries are allowed free traffic flow to prevent congestion? Perhaps the Department of Public Works needs to revisit the site to determine the appropriateness of the current placement of STOP sign. Without employing pride, it should relocate the sign forthwith for purposes of encouraging easy traffic flow.

By statute, the mayor’s office is responsible for maintenance of secondary roads. And, yes, a lot of work awaits the mayor’s office in the maintenance of village roads. Stop signs are inundated with overgrowth forcing motorists to second-guess whether to roll or hold.

Meanwhile, DPW must get on the ball and visit villages to ensure that stop signs are emplaced to encourage safety in the community. What happens when both offices neglect their fiduciary responsibilities? Liability lawsuits! Let’s do something, now!