NMI welcomes Don Young

On behalf of our people throughout the Northern Marianas Community, we take the distinct honor to welcome US Congressman Don Young to the NMI. As chairman of the US House of Representatives’ House Resources Committee with oversight jurisdiction on insular areas, we are grateful for your taking the time to visit the NMI.

We do not mean to bombard your ears with the severity of the NMI’s economic contraction as a result of the Asian Crisis. But this regional phenomenon has forced the closure of over 1,080 tourism-related businesses here. We look for solace from friends like you to help us save the last major economic sector–apparel manufacturing–that scaffolds local government revenues today. The forced departure of this industry through fatal federal policies spell economic doom for fragile island economies like the NMI.

The NMI is part of the greater American Economic Community and as such, it has the right, like any American community throughout the country, to find its rightful place and role in wealth and jobs creation for its people. It is unfortunate, however, that our partnership with the US Department of Interior hasn’t seen any constructive engagement to strengthen both our rights to self-government and the establishment of lasting investments via stable federal and local policies.

But we understand where Interior and our detractors are coming from and whose special interest they have chosen to protect over fragile and resource-poor island economies like the Northern Marianas. Interior has used US taxpayers money to trump-up its investigation of the NMI on perceived human rights abuses and subsequently turned into a full-time lobbyist against the Northern Marianas. We challenge them to right the wrongs against workers in garment factories throughout California where abuses on wages and work conditions abound in violation of pertinent federal laws.

We hope that in your short stay here, you would be able to gather a balanced view of economic reality in the NMI. We are hopeful too that you’d be able to assist us protect the balance of the local economy for it now boils down to our livelihood. The NMI isn’t a beneficiary of any form of representation in the US Congress. And it is because of this setback that we appeal to you and your dedicated staff to allow yourselves the opportunity to see economic issues through our lenses. In doing so, you’d get a greater appreciation of the difficulties island governments must endure to provide jobs for its people.

Welcome to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas! We hope you’d enjoy our humble island hospitality as you commence the work of your delegation. Bien biahe, Si Yuus Maase yan ghilisow!