‘Education industry still best’

Office of Insular Affairs economist Wali Osman still believes that education programs similar to the aborted Pacific Gateway project are the most ideal for the CNMI.

In his remarks during the Marianas Roundtable dinner reception Friday, Osman said that education is an area “that deserves serious consideration.”

He said there are also opportunities in telecommunication, film and movie making, health and wellness facilities and services.

“However, I think the area that deserves serious consideration is to think of making the CNMI, especially Saipan, a training center for this important region. By this, I mean what was known as the ‘Pacific Gateway.’ The initiative of the Northern Marianas College some time ago may open the path to a knowledge industry that, with careful nurturing, can develop into a major source of income for the Commonwealth,” said Osman.

He said that, as demand for American language and business education in East Asia rises, there is no doubt that there will be a greater demand for American-style education and training “that can be offered in a paradise-like setting.”

With its proximity to East Asian cities and other Asian countries, “Saipan could become the training center of the region,” he said.

The market for higher education and instruction in English is quite large, especially in Asia, where 60 percent of the world’s population lives.

Osman said English would remain the dominant language in international business, noting that majority of the material transmitted over the Internet is in English, and that employers would prefer employees to be fluent in English.

While other languages will become more important transmitters of Internet material, “the likelihood is that English will be the predominant business language in the foreseeable future. Given these realities, the CNMI may embark on a mission that appears imminently feasible,” said Osman.

Making this vision into a reality takes time and a lot of money, he said. “Lots of money to be sure, but as we all know, everything worthwhile in life takes worthwhile investment of time and other resources.”

Two years ago, Osman, who served then as Bank of Hawaii’s senior fellow for the Pacific Economies at the East West Center, described higher education as a potential new industry that could rake in money for the Commonwealth.

The NMC had, amid controversies, struck a deal to acquire the La Fiesta Mall effective January 2004, primarily for its Pacific gateway project, a revenue-generating scheme aimed to lure international students to study at the college. NMC officials later decided to abandon the plan due to serious financial problems. The property’s ownership was transferred a few months ago to the Governor’s Office.

Public School System officials are now mulling the idea of converting a portion of the mall into a school, as proposed by Gov. Juan N. Babauta.