TO OUR READERS

The year in review started with a big bang — inauguration of the powers that be — Governor Pedro P. Tenorio and Lt. Governor Jesus R. Sablan. Amidst the pomp and circumstance, a bigger bang subsequently muffled the joy of this auspicious occasion: the wreckage of the local economy by the Asian Crisis.

From the outset, the newly sworn-in titular head was preoccupied with the mounting deficit, the wreckage and subsequent contraction of the local economy, and the relentless agenda by the US Department of Interior’s OIA for a federal takeover of the NMI’s basic policies on immigration, taxation, minimum wage and labor granted it under the terms and conditions of the Covenant Agreement.

All these had the govenor admitting, with a sense of humility, that his third trip to Capital Hill is the most difficult of his terms in office. There’s the closure of 1,080 plus tourist related businesses, pleadings from the private sector for some form of incentive in order to stay afloat or they too would close shop, and the blurred vision of how to deal with this issue and still stave the plummet in revenue in double digit figures.

Severe economic contraction has seen the reduction of work hours in hotels, construction companies and other businesses here or the gradual cut back in manpower because business has turned to the resuscitation level. We look toward Japan for answers, any answer of good tidings that would allow tourism planners to look ahead with some sense of optimism in economic recovery that would eventually benefit the NMI’s critically ill tourism industry. The prognosis is quite discouraging: things would turn for the worse before they get any better. What happens then to the balance in tourism related businesses who’re struggling to stay solvent between now and the year 2002? The answer to this question leads right back to city hall and we hope that through deliberative discussions we could jointly find some middle ground to ensure that our sources of revenue aren’t suffocated because leadership has decided on political solutions on economic problems.

For the first time too, we begin to see the prohibitive and inhivbitive impact on business expansion and investment by the imposition of strangling laws and regulations. If lasting investments mean job creation and revenue generation, it stands to reason, therefore, that we repeal all strangling laws and regulations so we allow the liberalization of the free enterprise system to take its natural course. Albeit difficult, it’s a test of leadership and unless the public sector comes to terms with this matter, economic recovery would be protracted beyond our wildest imaginings.

It is a difficult task, indeed, and we too had to scramble beyond normal journalistic responsibilities to keep an accurate pulse of the NMI economy. If anything, both sectors share a commonality: The regurgitation of identifying the same old problems. We have identified and agreed what these problems are and further agreed that we must do something concrete to salvage what’s left of the local economy. Now, we must meet and agree on how to approach these issues for the “tide waits for no man”.

Throughout the year in review we were bombarded by the national media with President Clinton’s sexual escapade which has resulted in his impeachment by the US House of Representatives. It almost instantly dwarfed the celebrated O.J. Simpson murder case and that of the ravaing effects of the Asian crisis. It still is the focus of attention nationally or the entire global village for that matter. It’s now in the US Senate for disposition. Indeed, we had to contend with several substantial wreckage between here, the Asia/Pacific region and Washington. Despite it all, these isles remain (at least in the figment of our imagination) paradise and we’re ever thankful for the grand opportunity to be of service to our Northern Marianas Community.

Finally, we turn the magnifying glass on ourselves. As we tried to keep in step with the technological advances, we found the way to deliver the news through the Internet. The endeavor has brought us tremendous pride because it not only put Saipan Tribune within a computer click away from a worldwide audience, who, by the way, have incredibly grown in numbers since, but crushed the wall of divide between the indigenous people abroad and their islands. We fumbled at the start, all right, but quickly we collected our feet and came in sync with the online rhythm. Now, we proudly lay claim to having the best page makeup among purveyors of news in the Pacific. So stay with us. The journey has barely begun.
Si Yuus Maase` yan ghilisow! May the New Year draw us closer together to resolve these issues with a sense of purpose, resiliency and commitment.

John S. DelRosario, Jr.

Publisher

Beverley A. Lomosad

Editor