News and commentary

DPS’ financial woes.

DPS Chief Charles Ingrams recently asked the legislature for more money to enhance his law enforcement operations. Part of the money he requests is intended for police officer pay raises. This request should be categorically denied.

According to OPA audits, some of the DPS’ staff members have already abused overtime payments, with some officers reportedly “earning” close to $100,000 a year in paid overtime. How many additional officers could we hire by diverting those egregious overtime expenses toward additional hiring?

A substantial portion of the DPS’ problems, moreover, have absolutely nothing to do with money. Did you know, for example, that there are firearm-carrying police officers who have been implicated in domestic abuse cases? Under a new federal law, no officer involved in a wife or girlfriend-beating incident should be allowed to carry a firearm. Yet this federal law has apparently been conveniently ignored; and what is still worse: there are reportedly officers still on the force who have been convicted of assaults (allegedly including criminals in custody), drug violations, and driving while intoxicated (Mr. Martinez?).

Additional funds should not flow to the Department of Public Safety–that is, at least until it reforms its wastrel ways.

CNMI casino gambling.

Much controversy currently surrounds proposals to permit Casino gambling on Rota. The folks in Tinian remain adamantly opposed to it, fearing that the Rota competition would only further harm casino operations on Tinian. My position is to allow casino gambling everywhere in the CNMI–including Saipan.

After all, we are all one unified island territory. Rota should be treated no differently from Tinian and vice versa, just as Capitol Hill should be treated no differently from Garapan or San Vicente.

Suppose the government passed a law stating that all gas stations, grocery stores, barber shops (you name the business) could only be located in Tanapag, or San Jose, or As Lito. Would that be fair?

I say we refrain from inter-island discrimination and allow free markets to work. The casino business should be treated just like any other business.

EEOC, go see.

The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has recently been targeting CNMI businesses for potential discrimination regulation and litigation. This oversight agency, which had its hands full with the Hooter’s restaurant chain a few years back, wants to ensure that federal discrimination laws are not violated in the CNMI.
I suggest that the EEOC start policing the legal brothels just outside of Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada, because the last time my friend Jeff Score was at the old Mustang Ranch, he sure didn’t recall seeing any disabled, senior-citizen, African-American, or male sex workers there. I do believe a hostile EEOC action could well be in order.