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Return to subsistence economy?
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Posted on Apr 18 2001
The Issue: The NMI may be on the verge of reverting to subsistence economy.
Our View: Hardship for many may be in the mail; are we ready to weather the storm?
Not only is the NMI a victim of its own shortsightedness on investment policies, it neglected its fiduciary responsibility on local control of conservation of public land.
Thus, an agency of the federal government stepped-in and took control of disposition of about 300 hectares of land in Marpi. Every conceivable planned development slated for the northern side of the island came to a screeching halt.
Who do we blame for this setback? Ourselves? The pertinent federal agency who slipped in when we dropped the ball? Leadership who simply acquiesced surrender of Marianas land because we failed to take heed of our responsibilities? Did leadership question the amount of land taken for purposes of conservation? Isn’t 300 hectares of public land a bit too large for conservation purposes?
We can’t point fingers at anybody in that the obvious neglect is ours. The taking of Marianas land for conservation purposes should have been dealt with several years ago given the planned development projects in the area. Is it fair that our economic programs are slammed into oblivion because of federal regulations on birds, plants, animals roaming in more than 300 hectares of land?
The combined strangling and prohibitive regulations from without and within have definitely taken their toll on economic expansion or current and future investments. We took our merry time in mañana fashion ruining everything along the way. As a result, current investments will more than likely downsize business operations while prospective investors will go elsewhere.
The mess, believe it or not, can no longer be blamed on scapegoats. It’s our fault whether we like it or not.
The reversion to subsistence economy would also be empty given the fact that post-war coconuts have died of old age. Fish in the lagoon have become a scarcity. And many would be dealt a hardship as the economy takes a further plummet below the 30 percentile level. Friends, paradise is in trouble. Has anybody seen the rescue squad? Si Yuss Maase`!
