ABOUT TOWN By: Lee Andersen

Tectonic Talisman

Is there anyone who’s really listening? Some hack who wants to improve the economic wellbeing of the people? Shuck those antiquated anti-investor’s laws? Make a significant difference into the new millennium? Somebody who has a set of viable, fix-’emup plans? PLANS? Forget it. Or is there something really going on? A political savior, or haute talk-the-talk politics? Who is this masked-man to make such outlandish noise?

Welcome to House Speaker Fitial’s fandango.
With an eclectic buddy-list of elected officials at his party Benigno wants to be set loose among the disenchanted and particularly, the disenfranchised. You got it. The no jobs, the no businesses and the no futures. Here’s an inside tip: this is not just another electee sporting a fake mustache. I’ve been here long enough to know Ben is a battle-scarred vet of slamfest island politics. Well, don’t take my word for it…just look at him.
And this thing he claims, uh, leadership? So, he’s got it across the board with experience and connections (read: USA and Japan). So whets the big deal? What Fitial is saying in simple Lee-speak: new money. NEW MONEY, gachong.

You know, it means keeping us all out of the poorhouse. Something flagrantly neglected by the previous corpulent and content leadership somewhere on that lofty hill for the last three years. 10-4. Or has it been four years and counting? You get the point. New money will bring in the bacon to keep us employed, to improve the quality of life in everyone’s lives in sickness or in health–literally. And wouldn’t you know it. With eyes wide shut after slamming the door in the faces of the burgeoning Yuan/Renminbi-monied China market years ago our slowly reviving government can definitely utilize the fire our man, Fitial, to kick that port back open. And does he have another ace in the hole, a Chinese connection somewhere in the mix? Hey, how about this one: who is Willie Tan?

What I admire about our newly elected officials is that they have cajones. And its comforting to know Kumoi Guerrero, the senate electee, is at the same table. Get ready to rumble! Let’s all keep our eyes on–and fingers crossed–the new legislature, OK?

A breath of fresh air

Here’s something that has stuck to my neurons for months, now. Back then a letter-to-the-editor struck me as, well, refreshing. Who is Melanie Baker? Does she really believe by cutting back on the obese government workforce (to which 75% of the annual budget goes to, get ready for this: paying those salaries/wages and other dubious perks), and trimming to only able-bodied workers who’ll actually do their jobs (made-up of familial, relatives, friends, politicos, hangers-on), can or will happen? And from this wish list, will her suggestions help meet the budget (balanced? bloated? bananas? Do we have one yet?)? And, if everything does work out in her dreamstate will the powers that be actually release those durn rebate checks instead of diverting the monies to all of the above? Doesn’t Melanie understand the money is direly needed for, uhh, umm, infrastructure improvements, public services and a more efficient government?
Numbah one daughter of Baker, if you were one of those who voted out of office those sluggards you’re complaining about, I salute you. If you didn’t and still hold true to your lofty ideals, ohmygosh, girl, you must be new here.

Don’t Remind Me

Big write-up the other day about 2,500 businesses closed shop while 2,700 new licenses were taken out. Impressive, no? But just in case you haven’t gotten the word go see Michelle or Sonya over at Kitty’s Boutique on Ginza in Garapan. According to them, some of their neighbor-shops many times don’t sell a thing. Is that really possible? Even the bellwether of our state of the economy, the poker palaces, aren’t as smokey or stuffy with players as they used to be. Even friend, Fred, over at Bobby Cadillacs has been experiencing some s-l-o-w days.

Will the local economy get better? I have a good feeling we’ll see some significant changes come summer’s end. In fact I’ll bet on it!