Happy Birthday Northern Marianas

I was interviewing Delegate Sam Falaruw of Yap in the summer of 1975 (Micronesian Constitutional Convention) about the essence of his proposal–Federated States of Micronesia–when tidings came that former President Gerald Ford has signed legislation approving the Covenant Agreement.

My nationalistic sentiment and hope of partaking in nation-building was dashed. The Marianas delegation eventually left the convention. Their participation was basically academic. I stayed around for the duration as a staff of the convention.

A year later, the Marianas Constitutional Convention was held at the Daichi Hotel. I passed up the opportunity to partake in lowering the curtain, so to speak. I wasn’t prepared to deal with provincial issues. Furthermore, it was really anti-climax and had to move on.

The work of the MicroConCon was bogged down by money–how it should be divided–between national government and the various states. It eventually saw Palau and the Marshalls exit the perceived Micronesian union.

Money remains the most contentious case here in the CNMI–the constant feud over how to divvy-up scarce resources–between the larger senatorial district versus the smaller ones. It still is the case since 26 years ago.

Perennial feud over resources:

The basic infrastructure that was built right after the war–when these isles were shut down from the rest of the world for intelligence purposes–have since deteriorated and could not accommodate the boom of the late eighties.

Rota’s basic infrastructural needed be accelerated having been a sub-district of Truk during the TTG days. Although Tinian was a part of the Marianas District, it nevertheless suffered the same neglect. Today, all three islands have grown while basic infrastructure is far from satisfactory.

Utility services–water and power–remain a perennial problem. It couldn’t keep up with new homestead subdivisions. Thus, these residential homesteads are turned into tin-shack venues by new village homesteaders. Even Kanat Tabla remains on perennial water hours, including other residential areas here.

Over the last 26 years, we’ve also learned that many of the services we used to receive as freebies under the old TTG are no longer free. Today, we see families engage in fundraisers to help loved ones in off-island medical centers meet payments when their insurance policies run out. The last chapter in freebies is now closed, shut and bolted!

As we celebrate the 26th birthday of the CNMI, we come to a juncture when it seems nothing works to slow down the assault on revenue loss gobbling up our fragile island economy. It was really a matter of resolute leadership put to a challenge but buckled on its knees when tasked to face the music squarely. If I may say so, we’re headed into bankruptcy however in self-denial that paradise is in trouble.

However our trials and tribulations, I still say that our piece of the rock remain as beautiful as ever under the blue skies of paradise. Well, at least for the moment we can smile a guarded happy grin if anything but to say Happy Birthday CNMI! Have a nice day!

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