Assertion: Biz not pro-local

The assertion that the business sector isn’t pro-local merits review. If I may ask that we step back a little so we could jointly dissect it. In no way is this view a criticism as much as it is an historical review of the piles of inconsistencies that we allowed to pan out because we’ve failed to see the larger picture..

If you recall, salary raises became the holy grail of half-cocked politicians since days gone by who employed it happily to catapult their weak-kneed political career. It’s fodder for political dimwits who offer grand entrance to the pearly gate they’ve never even seen nor visited.

Statutory salary raises were granted by local social liberals who emerged into the limelight just as the coconut economy was supplanted by the money economy. What’s interesting though was the fact that none of those who offered the keys to the pearly gate even know whether in fact it exists.

In short, they offer it like there’s no tomorrow, but can never deliver through fruition because there’s money to fork out of a financially troubled local government. Take a quick glimpse at the deficit spending we’re in today. I praise the governor though for reducing it from $80 to $66 million. It’s a difficult act to beat at a time when revenue generation has spiraled downwards into the 30 percentile level.

Most statutory salary raises were funneled to the government or public sector. It became a vicious cycle where private sector employees end up slaving for their counterparts in the public sector. If you have any doubts, take a closer look at all the government workers between Saipan, Tinian and Rota. It remains a myopic issue we’ve never been able to fathom given our penchance for quick-fixes. It is simply a grand perpetuation of years of failure.

All through the years, we’ve treated the private sector as the leper in the family we keep at a distance with a ten foot poll. We never really come to grips with the dangerous setbacks such a sentiment would trigger down the stretch. As is the case today, we even accuse others for all our inadequacies. Unfortunately, there no longer is any room for scapegoats. We all must settle down to figure how do we address and reasolve our inadequacies employing reality check.

Our ill-conceived protectionist policies have done nothing but fuel the venom of disdain or hatred for foreigners who mean well and have openly established themselves here to partake in the growth of these isles. As much as I’d like to see locals partake in the spirit of entrepreneurship, only a few are willing to take risks in the provision of goods and services.

There’s no consideration at all to businesses who struggle daily to make ends meet. We want locals trained but never for a moment figured out that such undertaking requires money and lots of it too. We ignore the real requirements of the business sector in favor of politically correct solutions. But then, we ignore that salaries in the public are far higher than in the private sector. This is the very issue that politicians must rethink and rethink and rethink until they arrive at some concrete and realistic answers. Otherwise, the assertion that the business community isn’t pro-local would continue to be as disoriented a debate or one grand case of dog chase tail syndrome. Dios miho!

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