Part-time government

Senate President Joaquin Adriano says we might as well have a part-time judiciary and executive. I agree. Look at our history compared to other areas of similar population size. You’ll see that the CNMI founding fathers chose the most expensive form of government possible. They did this because the U.S. federal government structure was the only model they considered. Look at the duplication. We have a full-time, three-branch state government. In addition we have mayors and municipal councils for each island. We the taxpayers pay for these government employees. Sure they are our relatives, but maybe a full-time job in the private sector would be more satisfying to each of them. They could be proud to say, “I don’t have to be related to anyone.”

Employers must take the initiative to pay a liveable wage before we can winnow this very top heavy and costly government. If employers continue to offer low-paying jobs, they get no interested local applicants. This is an enormous drain on our infrastructure, which we pay for. It’s going to take a new mindset for all of us. I look forward to a government that meets the needs of our citizens, but doesn’t cost us our dignity. A government that makes us proud to work for it on a part-time basis. The only full-time employees we need are those who supply public education, public health services, those that keep us safe, and those that maintain the infrastructure.

Roger N. Ludwick
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