NMI Senate's kangaroo court
It isn’t surprising how Election Fever 2001 can prompt politicians to engage in political show on, i.e., the controversy that has emerged over operations of the Outer Cove Marina. Specifically, the bone of contention pertains to fee rates being charged by Marine Revitalization Corporation (MRC).
The public auditor noted that the basic problem is in the submerged land lease agreement between MRC and the Department of Land and Natural Resources. It involved the failure to set definite guidelines on what and how much fees can the MRC collect from boat owners as well as factors that should be considered in establishing fee rates.
Despite falling short of building 76 slips under the agreement estimated then to about $1.2 to $1.5 million, the company built 40 slips at the cost of $3.6 million. MRC must pay back interest on the loan to the tune of $1.7 million annually or must incur paying more if monthly installments are not paid on time.
OPA also recommended an alternative–government pays-off MRC and takes over operations of the Outer Cove Marina–a recommendation we don’t subscribe to given the poor financial posture of the local government. The better alternative is bringing both sides to the negotiating table to hammer out an acceptable guideline on fee rates enabling MRC to meet its monthly installments.
We couldn’t agree more that the Senate Hearing was a Kangaroo Court where the only beneficiaries are the news media who relish good copy and sound bites. We are not convinced that the committee, headed by Senator Pedro P. Reyes (Slow), can resolve this issue over the more realistic recommendations of the public auditor. Why hold a wasteful hearing that only satisfies the bloated ego of the useless “we few?” It lacks substance and definition!
