Meddlesome Interior ignores own ineptitude
It’s called “local affairs” under the terms and conditions of the Covenant Agreement governing the relationship between the NMI and the federal government. But it seems the learning curve is difficult to stem in this instance. And it boggles the mind that the Pinto Boys at Interior can’t understand its substance and essence under the umbrella of “self-government” so guaranteed the NMI.
Interior consistently chooses to meddle in the affairs of the local government. It audited lease of public land as though it is federal property. Recently, it audited expenditure of discretionary funds under the governor’s office and, like a moron, took on the role of a young kid tattle-telling with the legislature to define, well, they’ve learned a new term called “public purpose”. It’s comically an exasperating and meddlesome interference in local affairs.
Be that as it may, let’s take a quick glimpse at the performance of this lead federal agency in terms of its agility to meddle in local affairs versus its fragility when required to stick to its legal obligations. It includes:
• A sterling messy accounting of Indian tribal funds it can’t reconcile as to deny heirs their money many of whom have died without receiving what is rightfully theirs.
• OIA’s is under investigation for using US taxpayers money to prop-up its
private investigation of the NMI only to see it trashed by the US Justice Department.
• OIA’s use of US taxpayers money to form its own lobbying team to work
Capitol Hill against, well, the NMI.
• Interior’s role in the implementation of a discriminatory pay-scale during its reign of the former Trust Territory Government. Remember? $1 for Americans, $.33 for Micronesians and $.20 for the so-called “All Others?”
• Spending US taxpayers money to guard and protect the integrity of bird droppings in Navassa Island. Man, the Pinto Boys haven’t got much substantive things to do other than rewarding meaningless jobs to political stalwarts, yeah?
• Its sterling agility to ensure that President Clinton’s economic policy of a robust US economy “leaves the NMI behind”. This reptile attitude is a tale of how mediocrity can single handedly espouse discriminatory exclusion of this group of US Citizens.
• Its recommendation to divert CIP funds to cover its commitment on the impact of the compact even without securing US Congressional approval! Talk about ineptitude in public office as to presumptuously assume a role solely the purview of US policy-makers.
• The holding of a “fish scaling” program in the FSM to teach women how to scale fish. Man, no wonder it has jealously guarded its 37 years of sterling failure to help the NMI “attain a higher standard of living”.
• A moronic rain dance to the whims of the US Textile Labor Unions in slave-like fashion for being in their deep pockets as to compromise the economic livelihood of the people of these islands.
• The obvious intrusion into the role of the local public auditor, a fully rounded man at the helm who has done an exemplary job keeping politicians and bureaucrats in line. If it isn’t federal funds, leave it to Leo Lamott, okay boys? As simple a lesson in common sense, Interior must exit the 19th Century with reinvention of its arcane paradigms. After all, we’re now marching toward the 21st Century, boys.
Finally, learn to brush your teeth first before you tell others of their bad mouth odor, yeah? And before this century closes the curtain, can you please reconcile long neglected financial records of billions of dollars that belong to a certain Indian tribe? I think it’s your records on this matter that really needs serious auditing. Leave local affairs alone!
