Gag order in 902 consultation talks

There’s a gag order to limit press coverage of the 902 Consultation Talks in presentations by the various sectors here, i.e., tourism, garment, labor and immigration, etc. Perhaps there’s a legitimate reason for keeping the free press out of these talks. And the only reason I raised such an issue is because we’ve missed the grand opportunity to see the reaction of the delegation from across the sea in all that they have heard in what’s known as reality check.

I have the greatest respect for the President’s Special Representative, Mr. Edward B. Cohen, for being a real professional by coming into his side of the table ready to LISTEN to factual presentations from all sectors of the NMI community. I have the strangest feeling too that he’d be returning to Washington a bit troubled by all the sensationalized news reports about serious labor abuses quite contrary to reforms the local government has taken to right these concerns.

It takes actual experience to be able to discuern perceived versus real conditions out here. Or if I may employ an analogy I often use in reality check: Only when you sail in our lagoon and have secured your share of wind and sun burn can you come to understand and appreciate what living on a resource-poor island is all about.
It used to be that as host of many stateside friends, we’d play our ukulele underneath coconut trees until our guests are drunk to their wits but very happy, indeed.

Through the years, this has changed a bit and now we too expect our stateside friends to strum our ukulele and serenade us too as the sun sets out west. In short, it’s now equal footing and both deserve nothing less. I agree with Mr. Cohen to shove aside our rhetoric in the media so we can both come to terms with discussing and resolving specific concerns. It’s a good attitude in re-establishing a sound working rapport between the NMI and Washington. Let us shelf our rather contentious relationship and begin anew by deferring to the basic tenet under the Covenant Agreement.

This must always be the basis in our relationship so to enable the permanent guardians of these isles the real exercise of strengthening our democratic institutions. Certainly, it pains us too that we have overlooked qualitative issues that affect both resident and non-residents alike. But this misgiving is all part and whole of the exercise of self-government. That Interior’s OIA disagrees doesn’t change the basic tenet that it is in the governance where government rightly and best resides. No more, no less. I wish you a safe journey home as you ponder the stark difference in what the liberal media has portrayed versus your actual experience. The United States is God’s country. God Bless America!

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Interior must reconcile its punitive attitude against the NMI. It must learn to come to terms with the fact that the creation of the Covenant Agreement was basically done to assist the indigenous people learn the very exercise of self-rule. This very exercise would be compromised if every time we falter, the federal government steps in to clean up our mess. The NMI is into its 21st year in the actual exercise of self-rule or constitutional government.

We understand equally well how the end of the cold war has shifted our strategic importance in the defense needs of our mother country in the Pacific. Thus, we are left with a set of circumstance to dwell in silence what the future holds for these isles over the next millennium.

I hope that a less confrontational relationship is given a chance for no one deserves the perpetuation of neo-colonialism in the next century. It belongs in the ash heap of history. Let’s move forward with a sense of optimism and mutual respect with less fedral government interference in the political and economic affairs of the NMI. Let freedom ring “from sea to shining sea”.