Elections in NMI not clannish

Mr. Jaime Vergara’s article that appeared on your Oct. 24, 2005 publication is appalling and I hope that he keeps his opinion about the local politics to the voters of this CNMI or political community. To suggest that election here in the CNMI is characterized by clannish mentality is hogwash. Such cock-and-bull story does not apply here in the CNMI. We are law-abiding citizens and elect our leaders according to the laws that we agreed to in our Constitution. Our constitutional framework is stable and evolving, hence as the lawful subject of our Constitution we have honored the American tradition of political democracy, which is our way of taking care of political and social affairs of our people. Leave our election to be decided by the lawful voters of the CNMI; we do not need your opinion that we elect by clannish inclination. We do not.

Mr. Vergara must be reminded once in a while to limit the perpetuation of such nonsense. We would correct the message so that we go on with our life and pursue the political community’s election process according to the rule of the game that we established in our constitutional framework. We imitate the election process of the United States because it is the evolving microcosm and birthplace of political democracy. Our Commonwealth has a young and vibrant social and political culture. We learned from the successes and lessons of contemporary political culture of the United States. From these examples that we learned to live peacefully among ourselves and lawful guest residents to these islands. Our political culture include the following preconditions:

First, political authority derives from the people, to whom the government is accountable and by whom it is elected.

Second, the law is human, not divine.

Third, people accept the outcome of elections as legitimate.

Fourth, citizens have an obligation of obedience to legitimately exercised authority.

Fifth, individuals not groups, have political rights.

Sixth, individuals are free in their political opinions.

Seventh, adult citizens, both male and female, have equal political and legal rights.

The political community of the CNMI agreed to the rules of the game on elections as you can see from the points I covered above. To say that the CNMI is clannish in its elections is an insult to the intelligence of the people of these islands and frankly, I would suggest that, if Mr. Vergara is teaching children in our schools about democracy, he should keep his opinions to himself.

Francisco R. Agulto
Chalan Kanoa, Saipan