Disorientation in paradise

We’ve watched with dread how the local Senate has toyed with people’s sense helplessness at a time in our developmental history when the economy has plummeted into the 30 percentile level.

It demonstrates, in crystal clear fashion, the obvious lack of basic economics on the part of senators who are pushing for a salary increase amidst severe decline in revenue generation.

Mind you, the intent of any appropriation measure is as good if and when there’s money to defray the cost of the issue at hand, in this case, the salary increase for government employees. Let us, however, review what revenue decline has done to these isles:

• Deficit Spending: The deficit of the local government has ballooned beyond our wildest imaginings to the extent where we can’t pay it off as mandated by the CNMI Constitution.

• Effects of Deficit Spending:

• The scholarship program, despite all the towering speeches you have delivered about education, has seriously suffered when funds were cut for on-island students attending NMC.

• Health providers in Hawaii (hospitals where we send our acute patients) have refused to render medical services to our sick people because we are in arrears in our medical bills.

• The local government can’t meet its obligation (contribution to the retirement program) by millions of dollars, posing a threat of payless bimonthly pay days for retirees.

• The tourism industry has suffered severely both as a direct result of the Asian crisis and protectionist measures that were approved in the previous legislature where you too had a major role.

• Amidst the deepening economic crisis, you apparently felt it appropriate to raise the salaries of public sector employees at the expense of productive private sector employees who put 18-hour days.

• The major setback of serious decline in revenue generation would translate into less money in the public coffers for basic needs. Yet, you find it fitting to offer the moon when yours is but a tin-roof boat! When would you ever sail among the stars in a tin-roof boat?

Either our assessment and reading of these isles’ serious economic decline is wrong, or you must have been seeing UFOs in cyclopic fashion as to brave ignoramus at the expense of fast forwarding the local economy into a total meltdown. Now, isn’t it equally your responsibility to learn to be responsible amidst an economic hardship that is shared by all in these isles? I agree with colleague Charles Jr. that those who push for eventual total economic meltdown deserve the boot in next year’s election.

Gee, I never knew that disorientation could be turned into a powerful tool to further subject the masses into deeper financial straits. It’s time that the voters elect fully rounded people who have an inkling of the very essence of policy-making from A-Z. No Mas! This forte in quick-fixes must now come to an end. And this should be the basis of our individual decisions when we march to polling places next November. Si Yuus Maase` yan ghilisow!

Strictly a personal view. John S. DelRosario Jr. is publisher of Saipan Tribune.