Creation of Interagency Group

As the Clinton Administration works its last two years in office, there’s a plan to establish an interagency group on insular matters to ensure that the voice of local governments are heard in Washington.

Under this arrangement, it is envisioned by Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt that federal agencies can become more “responsive” to problems of insular governments. Supposedly, it is President Clinton’s plan to turn the consideration of policy inclusive of the sentiments of local governments.

If anything, tidings of the establishment of this interagency group is encouraging in the sense that for the first time in over 50 years we now see a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel for constructive engagement between federal agencies and insular governments. And if there’s any policy that we subscribe to under the Clinton Administration, it is the commitment to strengthen wealth and jobs creation for all US Citizens.

We’re tickled to death at the prospects of being included under this policy in that it could not have come at a better time when our primary industry (tourism) has been ravaged in all corners by the Asian crisis. However appropriate our eventual inclusion under this policy, there’s a need to have a fresh start by ensuring that federal agencies understand their roles from day one: Theirs is limited to law enforcement of federal laws and regulations where applicable.

This is vitally important given the fact that most of the territories have attained local self-government whose primary role could be augmented by assistance from federal agencies. Any attempt to micro-manage self-governing territories would be tantamount to the infamous phrase “federal interference”. There may be some rough sailing as this group begins its task. However, federal bureaucrats must humbly accede and defer to the considered sentiments of self-governing insular governments. It’s the only way to refine and strengthen our democratic institutions by allowing governance their rights to self-government.

The strengthening of our democratic institutions entails a long and arduous process. Even to this day and despite the good intentions of the founding fathers of our US Constitution, we still see the ugly faces of discrimination and racism throughout the country. But it remains a better country than most other countries where freedom is a foreign term. Let us begin anew and let us take advantage of President Clinton’s policy of wealth and jobs creation. We too deserve nothing less that opportunities present under an umbrella of wealth and jobs creation to build our tomorrows.