Touching people’s lives

He first came to Saipan a few years ago for a short rest and recreation. This time, he is back but with work in mind.

California-based Carl N. Gaspari, who is the U.S. Small Business Administration officer-in-charge in the CNMI, arrived on Saipan on Aug. 30, shortly after President Bush declared the CNMI a major disaster area.

He and his team of 17 people are expected to stay in the Commonwealth for 60 days so that affected residents can apply for federal disaster assistance.

“This place is beautiful. I was here for a short visit but this time we’re down to work. And this is an opportunity that I’m grateful to be part of—extending help to people at a most difficult time,” said Gaspari in an interview yesterday at the SBA Center at the Multi-Purpose Hall in Susupe.

Gaspari and his team, composed of representatives from SBA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local staff, work on weekends to accommodate more people into the program.

Gaspari’s job deals with accepting and processing loans to help disaster victims recover.

So far, he said, SBA-CNMI has issued 800 applications to small business owners. About 150 of them have been completed and submitted by applicants.

Gaspari said he is pretty much used to his disaster work assignments, having been connected with SBA for a decade now.

He said that, while he goes to a place during tough times, he enjoys the experience of meeting new people and learning about new places.

“It’s an interesting opportunity and you get to go places where you may not have the opportunity to visit. The downside to that is you’re visiting these places sometimes under very difficult conditions. And our staff are accustomed to that. It’s the nature of our work. We come here when difficulty strikes so we don’t come necessarily in happy times but by the time we leave, we leave it a stronger and better place because of the people we’ve been able to help,” he said.

Gaspari, a husband and father of four grownup children, said it is the families back home who may have to face a harder time due to their long overseas assignment.

“It’s difficult for families. However, my family fully understands my job and why I should be away that long,” he said.

Gaspari said his wife, Deborah, is actually familiar with Saipan because she is from Guam. Deborah’s family originally hails from Pampanga in the Philippines.

“We met during one of my work trips to Guam,” he said.

Gaspari, who is of Italian descent, was born in Massachusetts and raised in California. He took up political science as his major in college.

While he is aware that his SBA work involves touching people’s lives during disasters, he said that his own life is actually “touched” when he meets the affected people.

“It’s just fabulous when you see people smiling, pulling themselves together, and staying strong in the midst of trauma. I’m touched when I see them doing their best to help themselves,” he said.

He said he has had the chance to see the damage during an inspection of the island upon his arrival.

“We’ve seen a lot of damage. And the damage is really bad if it’s your home. You can’t minimize that. To a family that lost a house or property, it’s the worst disaster,” he said.

This is the reason, he said, why SBA and FEMA exist: to help the affected families get back to normal living condition, as soon as possible.

SBA grants home disaster loans, business disaster loans, and economic injury disaster loans. Homeowners can avail themselves of up to $200,000 loan for home repair or replacement, and $40,000 for personal properties. Businesses can get up to $1.5 million loan.

Loans are payable up to a maximum of 30 years with low interest rates.