Watching the Sunrise

Japan has ended its economic crisis with major structural reforms to its financial institutions, positive policy changes to deal with the new global economy, where acutely differing leadership joined hands to push through substantive policy matters.

Hope we’ve learned the difficult lessons of what happens when Japan sneezes: We not only catch the common cold, but a deadly flu too. Why the flu rather than the usual rainy-season inflicted cold? Because we have basically picked-up all the wrong over-the-counter medicines or re-prescribed prescriptions given by real MDs.

Although Japan has finally turned the corner (bad experiences of the 90s or “lost decade”), it will take several years before the benefits of its recovery descends on neighbor countries, including the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. And even with such good tidings, we can’t guarantee an accelerated rebound of local economic doldrums given new set of challenges Japan must wrestle with in the “new economy”.

Parliament has been dissolved for a general election. So Japanese voters will help determine the course of their county in the 21st Century–which set of leaders should “chart a course for the nation’s renewal–and take the lead in accomplishing that goal at a time of increasingly rapid changes both at home and abroad”. Voters will head to the polls on the 25th of this month. Getting the new leadership situated would also take time.

All these events in the Land of the Rising Sun would eventually play a key role in the economic future of these isles. For now, expect none in that it will take about three years before residual benefits begin flowing into these isles. What then must local bureaucrats and politicians do in the interim?

With a Senate committee Slow-Tracking the proposed Omnibus Economic Reforms Act–after securing a well-earned reputation of fast-tracking legislation–the hope of treating the hemophilic economic conditions of these isles isn’t going to improve anytime soon. By the time the Slow-Tracking tactical agenda pans-out, the Senate would have grandly forced hundreds now seeking jobs to sink deeper into abject poverty and hopelessness. I’m sure too that voters, young and old, will remember the real Dr. Slow-Tracking architect who’s made their lives so miserable because he’s placed greater importance on non-sensical intra-party friction at the expense of the multitude.

Si Yuus Maase` Pale` Gary

A week ago, the late Father Gary Bradley, S.J., came to see me about printing a letter on abortion, specifically, issues that have not been addressed by the Church. I told him to simply e-mail it to me and we’ll print today. He apologized that the letter would be a bit “longish”. I assured him that we look forward to his contribution on a very thorny issue that calls for deliberative discussion.

I looked forward to reading his piece. He has that special ability on simplicity, brevity, clarity and substance. I really wanted to find out how he would address difficult and complex issues raised by his students at Mt. Carmel High School. We discussed it briefly at the parking lot and one of the issues was: How do we resolve pregnancy of rape victims?

Who decides for its eventual resolution? What about pregnancy from incest? His contribution would have been of tremendous help not so much in the resolution of specifics concerns, but in drawing clearer understanding of the moral, health and economics of this controversy. How I wish he had stayed around much longer. I honestly relish his learned views and many of us would have benefited from his clarity of understanding of an issue most of us tread in deep blue waters. I’ve taken him to heart as a family friend. We’ve made appointments for lunch or dinner. We both had such awfully busy schedules that we never got to fulfilling either of them. He left as he uttered the words “Peace Be With You”.

I will miss his Sunday homilies for it was the only last thing that has driven me to attend Sunday Mass. What a treat that’s gone for good! May “Peace Be With You” too Father Gary as you head home to that golden castle in sky. For all that you are, Si Yuus Maase` for your wonderful words of wisdom!