Letters to the Editor

It’s the mayor

I have read your “Points of View” column in your newspaper of April 22, 2002, and after considering the responses of the people interviewed about the subject matter asked, I concluded that there are residents still confused of who have been the doer of the beautification projects we are seeing these days in different places around Saipan.

Many of you can see nowadays work crews in green t-shirts imprinted “Mayor’s Staff-Saipan” on their back tenaciously working under all weather condition, bush-cutting overgrown weeds and cutting down over-hanging tree branches that obstruct the flow of traffic on secondary and village roads.

So far, three major island beautification projects have been completed by the Saipan Mayor’s Office which include, the beach on southern Garapan down to San Jose, Koblerville main road and inside the village, the Chalan Galaidi and Mt. Tapochau overlook. Work crews are now assigned in San Jose (Oleai) village. Two Saturdays ago the mayor’s general staff would have combed the entire beach road from northern Garapan down to San Antonio village picking up trash if it wasn’t the heavy rain by late morning.

There have been nine secondary road repairs completed in the last three months since Mayor Tudela assumed his mayoral duty. These road repairs include those that have been neglected over the years and became a menace to motorists and pedestrians alike. Of course, the Mayor also acknowledges the troublesome of paying too costly vehicle repair bills. Above all, Mayor Tudela wants to see Saipan become a safer and healthier place to live.

Watch for the men in green t-shirts and heavy equipment marked MOS and I bet you those are the mayor’s work crews around your neighborhood.

Tony A. Benavente

PIO, Mayor of Saipan

• • • • •

Desalinating wage issue

What is CUC’s veridical view on the desalination plant? The desalination plant was put on an RFP previously, yet never progressed, which was a waste of taxpayers money and a waste of time, effort, and money for those who have bided for the proposed project.

If there is a need for the desalination plant, and if the people want it and if we have the money to do it, then, CUC should just do it.

On a different note, regarding the tiered-wage system, I’d like to ask what good will this do to our economy? The only thing this so called “tiered-wage” will do is draw labor into one particular industry, or possibly two, mainly the ones with the highest pay. Just like how it is in the government. Locals are attracted more to government jobs because our government is seen to pay better than the private sector. Don’t get me wrong. I believe that it is time to increase our minimum wage, but moderately. The idea of having a tiered system merely is nonsense. What is its main objective? I would think that there are many other methods of improving our wage system, or our economy other than implementing a tiered wage system.

Our government leaders – both in the administration and in the legislature – were elected into office because of their competence. I hope they use it.

L. Reyes

Oak Park Apts.

• • • • •

Thanks, CHCVA

On behalf of the people of the CNMI, Gov. Juan N. Babauta, Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente, and the Department of Public Health, I want to thank all the hard-working members of the CHC Volunteers Association for their continued commitment to volunteerism and service to our community. I would like to extend a special Un Dangkulo Na Si Yuus Maase to Mrs. Susan Tudela Palacios Schwarz, for her leadership of the Association for many years starting from its inception. her commitment to service and charity to CHC and our community is exemplary.

For many years now, our people have benefited from the multiple contributions to the CHC Volunteers Association has made to our hospital for purchase of essential equipment to help provide quality medical care and to make CHC a more comfortable experience for all our patients. The Associations role as a partner in the provision of quality health care to our community is vital. The Governor, Lt. Governor, and the management of the Department of Public Health look forward to working with you and the members for the next several years. We, respectfully ask all members of our community to follow the example of the members of our community to follow the example of the members of the Association and volunteer their time in support of our patients and only community hospital.

James U. Hofschneider, MD

Acting Public Health Secretary