LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Yes to Dino’s bill

First we, mother and wives, would like to congratulate Congressman Dino M. Jones for introducing H.B. No. 11-426 to make adultery in the Northern Marianas a crime. We agree with him that it is time to do something about preventing, controlling, and minimizing divorce and parents separation

We have seen from the statistics the increasing number of broken families, parents separation, and divorce with adultery as one of the major reasons. It will not be surprising to find out that many if not most of the child support cases have to do with adultery.

Faithful fathers and husbands and caring for their children will certainly stand up and support H.B. No. 11-426. Naturally those who don’t will either hide or escape the subject.

We have confidence that our Congressmen will push for the passage of H.B. No. 11-426 and lobby at the Senate and the Governor just as they did with the prostitution law. This law affects women while the adultery bill will affect men.

Your YES vote to the adultery bill means a greater Commonwealth and stronger family relationship. Again, thank you Congressman Jones for introducing the adultery bill. Mothers, wives and children of the Commonwealth support you. Maryanne T. Camacho

Boosting tourism

This is a suggestion to increase tourism. We all know that many tourists visit Saipan to enjoy and relax. Any thought about increasing fishing sport activities? Politicians can cross partylines to find ways to finance and promote this popular sport. Eating fish instead of red meat and pork is a healthy substitute for the body also. Why not increase commercial fishing in the area? Good Luck. B. Heidman

On Mr. Geisinger’s ramblings

In reading Mr. Mike Geisinger’s advice about casino on Rota, he leaves the impression that he may be a management guru in the league of Peter Drucker, Ayn Rand, Greenspan and Rubin. He sounded as though he’s reviewed the books of Tinian Dynasty, including a desk audit of management of the entire operations to render the opinion that management is the problem.

Mr. Geisinger, if Tinian’s gaming industry is struggling to stay afloat, would opening another facility on Rota guarantee a successful casino venture? It goes to show the depth of your management skills, if any. It isn’t an issue of business management as much as the fact that the facility opened just as the Asian Crisis started making destructive headway into the CNMI crashing-in on our first major investment on Tinian. Then there’s the lack of basic infrastructure and other promised breaks by the local government which changed when the current administration took office.

Your viewpoint reminds me of non-hydrologist who insist that more wells be dug-up around existing wells where the aquifer has disappeared for years. In other words, one more well within a garden of empty wells isn’t going to guarantee more water, sir! Seriously, though, I’d like to know your background and expertise for the benefit of the reading public. And thanks for your views however shallow and incoherent. Si Yuus Maase,Taotao Tinian

A bad joke

This is in response to Sen. David Cing’s comment on his readiness to call in the Red Cross to help the Rotanese people. If Sen. Cing would only try to understand what Rota’s mayor is implying he would not be so sarcastic but unfortunately that’s his character – a strange person.

Sen. Cing is better off spending his energy to build the badly needed airport infrastructure to support Tinian’s gaming industry rather than wasting it in his usual negative political tactics.

Having a small-scale gaming industry on Rota would complement the gaming industry on Tinian via the “Spirit of Good Luck”. The reason being complementing, is that when a player is not having such good luck in Rota, the player will eventually decide to try his/her luck in Tinian because it’s another closest casino site, and vice versa. The decision of the people of Rota to have a gaming industry in their island will help Tinian as well.

The people of Rota are proud and they want to be able to substantially contribute to the CNMI’s general fund. I personally salute the Rota leadership for exploring ways to revive and stimulate Rota’s economy as promised. Keep it up. Wilfred Taisacan, Rota

Letter to ABC’s 20/20

ABC’s 20/20 historically has shown an utter disregard for ethics in journalism. In the piece entitled “Shame in Saipan,” Brian Ross demonstrated a dubious contempt in his role as an investigative reporter. He failed to make an explicit representation on the basis of solid facts.

The piece revealed the systemic abuse and hypocrisy that journalists have increasingly come under fire for. Mr. Ross’ pathetic manipulation of sources was a purposeful invention designed to obfuscate and engender an illusion bent on limiting the collective voice of the people of the Northern Mariana Islands.

More significantly, his propagandistic portrayal was designed to bolster the position of those who underwrote the program. Much of the coverage centered around outdated sources, factual inaccuracies, innuendoes, sensationalistic and rumor-mongering, and cantankerous reporting that was absolutely baseless.

Brian Ross’ piece is a sad commentary that epitomizes the state of journalism in the U.S. which the San Francisco conference of editors have come to scrutinize earlier this year. Worse of all, it is another in a series of calumnies that the people of the Northern Marianas Islands have to endure.

The conclusion of the editor’s conference speaks for itself; that is, the media’s credibility is in question. Whether ABC recognizes this systematic abuse, the blatant disregard of journalistic standards has further marginalized the media’s stature with the American public. Name withheld upon request