Strange swells up ahead
I happened upon a friend, a very successful self-made businessman, who’s just sold his business to head home where the grass is greener.
Said he: “This is the time to move on while I can still sell my business. I hate to leave the beautiful island I had decided to call home, but when there’s hopelessness up ahead, it’s either I move on or suffer bankruptcy out of indecision”.
My good friend worked the clock with his wife, 18 hour work days, Monday through Saturday. This is a stateside couple who have given their all contributing positively to the local coffers and have given locals employment opportunities.
They had to leave for the US mainland where the economy is thriving. Here, it’s the complete reverse–sputtering to near death–sputters that grow uglier and louder by the day. I felt for their sentiments, rapped by complacency from the public sector to help small and large businesses muddle through these difficult times. They have left along with what colleague Ed Stephens Jr. calls the “Luggage Squad”.
The business couple’s departure grabbed my attention, specifically, on how many more small, medium and large businesses would be calling it quits as we head towards rock bottom in the current crisis.
I honestly lose sleep over this negative economic phenomenon knowing full that unless some drastic measures are taken to help the business sector, many would be more than happy to sell-out their operations and head for the jetway. It is a quiet though bothersome phenomenon that hardly meets the eye. It is this aspect that I find most troubling.
Definitely, the NMI can no longer bluff the “business as usual” attitude amidst a worsening economic crisis. Hope too that the day will never descend upon these isles where we line-up along beach road selling pencils, empty beer cans, etc., while we equally see the upward spiral of crimes from one end of the archipelago to the other. I’ve given it my all to remind leadership of the need to converge so to organize or chart how do we sail the rough seas of the current economic doldrums. I’m sure that I have succeeded. This failure, too, is very troubling, personally.
Coupled with this troubling signs of the time is the sterling mañana attitude that seem to be headed to full bloom when we least we need it. I hope this laxed attitude isn’t what someone has dubbed “Island Style”. No sir, complacency was never the trait of our ancestors nor should modernity be used as a convenience to claim such ugly trophy.
How I wish that my view on this issue is the product of happenstance or inconsequence, but I know deep down in my heart that something’s awfully wrong with the natural effects of revenue decline and the consequence that we must endure as we attempt to sift through this maze.
Elsewhere in these isles
In the local political arena, I share the frustrations of Speaker Ben Fitial as he tries to push legislation through both chambers, key legislation to rebuild the local economy. As good as his intentions may be, political gamesmanship has taken the front seat over what’s good and lasting for these isles.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the upper chamber would come down to its senses and work on substantive measures that warrant proactive review transcending political provincialism. It’s embarrassingly humiliating to watch the political tit for tat on substantive measures calling for sober and real leadership. Hope it isn’t Island Style either. A frustrating reassessment of our fits of frustrations, huh? Be good!
Strictly a personal view. John S. DelRosario Jr. is publisher of Saipan Tribune.
