Administration begins “ABC” plan

Against the tide of a constant slide in revenue generation, the governor has ordered his cabinet members to submit plans for the following: A.) More cuts on individual department expenditure. B.) Reduction in work hours. C). Lay-off of government employees.

The substantial decrease in revenue generation would more than likely trigger full-scale implementation of the administration’s ABC plan, an eventuality that is now only a matter of time before it turns into an ugly situation. The effects would be devastating for such vital services as Education (Public School System), Departments of Health and Public Safety. Although PSS is constitutionally guaranteed certain percentage of the total budget, it means less money to muddle through the balance of the current fiscal year. The operations of the local hospital would also suffer tremendously, including keeping peace and safety in our community.

When a decision descends from local leadership to implement reduction in work hours or manpower, it must be prepared to supplement the budget of the Food Stamps Program to enable employees it lays-off the opportunity to feed their families. It must also be prepared to write to all banking institutions and the housing program to grant a prolonged grace period for those it lays-off and rendered incapable of paying for the monthly installment of the first family home.

However the deepening effects of the economic crisis, local leadership must not simply acknowledge with a well greased sense of complacency that it’s the ups and downs of the wild swings of an imperfect science now at its lowest. It must immediately join hands with the private sector to set a plan of action to stave-off any further assaults of the balance of the local economy where it counts the most–in Washington where our detractors seem to have succeeded in shutting down the last major economic sector here–the NMI’s garment industry.

The garment industry is the last sector that spurs any appreciable economic activity here, more specifically, some $60 million in direct contribution. Isn’t it worth our while to stand up and defend what now feeds the local coffers? Must we allow our detractors to turn the issue in their favor? Do we understand the subsequent domino effects of this complacent attitude? It means, gentlemen, an economic devastation of the worst order never before seen in the developmental history of the NMI.

The lives of many ordinary Chamorros and Carolinians will be severely crippled by the elimination of the government’s ability to generate sufficient revenues with which to run the government as a result of such economic devastation. That’s why all of you public servants are responsible to do what it takes right now to prevent this potential catastrophe from becoming a reality. Don’t wait for mañana. (Manma-elihe hamyo todos para in` setbe todo i taotao siha halom Marianas. Ahe`, ti para unos kuantos ha` na taotao.) You must fight for our rights to carve an economic future dictated by island realities under the greater umbrella of the American Economic Community.

But we must take this fight right into the ring–Capitol Hill–in Washington. That’s the appropriate venue where the trophy of survival and success are granted to those who can employ real professionals to do political jungle fighting right in the seat of power. Think about it. It has boiled down to our livelihood, so let’s do something now!