Femme Fitial

“I am voting for Ben,” I told my friend, as soon as I heard the news that businessman (and former congressman) Ben Fitial was running in this upcoming mid-term election. “We can’t fail with Ben Fitial.”

Ben was one of the architects behind the CNMI’s original economic boom. He was in public office during our economic heyday, and helped to enact various liberal-minded political reforms to open up our economy to foreign investment, to great effect.

In this rough economic climate, we need proven leaders like Mr. Fitial–accomplished local businessmen who understand what it takes to get this local economy moving again. Ben is indeed such a man. He fully understands what businessmen need in the way of productive economic incentives, and what this all means for our local people, struggling, as they are, to keep afloat amid a rapidly sinking economy.

During my stint as the Local Affairs Coordinator with the Tan Holdings Corporation, I once had the opportunity to see Mr. Fitial in action. At the various personnel meetings I attended, I always relished Mr. Fitial’s acute business acumen. It was clear to me that here was one sharp fellow–not someone merely employed for political reasons, but a genuine contributor to the company’s success and advancement.

But there was something else as well. Ben was always in fine spirits, gregarious and imbued with a compelling, although sometimes rustic, sense of humor: just the kind of man we need back in public office, because–let’s face it–the current crop of leadership has utterly failed us in virtually every vital area.

Over the past several years, ever since Ben stepped down from public office, we have gradually seen our economic position erode. We have seen cumbersome anti-business regulations imposed, to the detriment of incomes and employment. We have seen abrupt changes in government policies, leaving our prospective investors thoroughly befuddled on the question of CNMI stability. Finally, we have also seen the federal government move against us, attempting, at virtually every turn, to deprive us of our freedom and local self-government, in favor of arbitrary federal paternalism.

The time for failed policies must now come to an abrupt end. It is time to bring Ben Fitial back too woo prosperity and regain our confidence in good government.

I encourage all of you to vote for Mr. Ben Fitial.

Strictly a personal view. Charles Reyes Jr. is a regular columnist of Saipan Tribune. Mr. Reyes may be reached at charlesraves@hotmail.com