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No need for emergency declaration
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Posted on Sep 14 2000
The Issue: A lame request from the Saipan Mayor’s Office for an emergency declaration this week.
Our View: We agree with the governor that there was no need for it and agencies must abide by instructions.
The request by the Saipan Mayor’s Office for an emergency declaration was denied by the governor. We thank our chief executive for reminding the municipal government that there’s need for an emergency declaration for road repair and clean-up purposes.
How embarrassing that it took the governor reminding government agencies to pool their resources together to get the job done. It’s a matter of fiduciary responsibility, therefore, work should have begun immediately with or without an emergency declaration.
Teachers never had to ask for an emergency declaration. As soon as they found their classrooms inundated with water, they postponed classes for another day to clean-up their classrooms. They rolled-up the leg trousers and shirt sleeves and started cleaning school facilities. It goes to show their sense of care for the welfare of their students. It’s a model other agencies’ employees must follow.
The obvious lack of coordination and grand sense of complacency among government agencies only demonstrate the inefficiency that is prevalent in all that we know of as government. Need the governor intervene to remind agencies that there’s no need for an emergency and that they can proceed with equipment rental to get the island cleaned-up?
It’s appalling too that when traffic lights go off, there’s no sense of urgency to get it back in proper operating order. The question that pertinent agency must answer is: If someone is seriously or fatally injured, are you prepared to cough out thousands of taxpayers money to pay for your negligence?
It’s time to get our acts together. We can’t imagine the chaos that would follow after a superstorm triggered by another lack of coordination by government agencies. Let’s get this simple matter resolved. Si Yuus Maase`!
