Reflections on 2004

The proposed bridge from Saipan to Tinian by Sen. Luis Crisostimo is a fine example of “wisdom and vision.” A bridge connecting these two islands will do wonders to improve the quality of life for many, if not most, of the people on these two islands. Jobs will be created to build the bridge, the doubling or consolidation of the two landmasses and populations will be a tremendous increase in the potential for economic growth.

To those who might laugh at this idea, be reminded that most of the inventions and ideas that we benefit from today were more often than not laughed at when they were first introduced. The bridge is already a part of the CNMI’s future because it has been conceived and we all know it will eventually be needed, the only questions is, if not Sen. Crisostimo then who, and if not now, when? We should support the idea because the people of the CNMI have everything to gain and virtually nothing to lose from the completion the bridge. We have already settled for being second to Guam primarily because of our smaller size but a bridge from Saipan to Tinian will change that paradigm forever.

We should also consider all the positive side affects of a bridge. The cost of living on Tinian will decrease dramatically because goods and services will be cheaper. Every tourist that visits the CNMI and every citizen will want to travel across the bridge to see the other island. Goat Island will also become a viable island to begin developing or leasing. There are endless opportunities that will open up with the opening of a bridge from Saipan to Tinian. President Kennedy once said, “Some people look at things and say why, but I dare to look at things and say why not.” These words of the president launched us into the space age and now Senator Crisostimo has dared to look into the future of the CNMI and to set a course for our future development—a vision with wisdom.

The recent rejection of the Azmar proposal comes as a disappointment but more important is what will happen now. Are we going to do with Pagan like what we did with Sugar Dock—run the investor away and forget about it? Prosperity usually comes at a price and the sentimental attachments to Sugar Dock only served to cause grief, block progress and prosperity (new jobs and lower prices on Tinian) because the dock is still slowly deteriorating and the water quality was already bad from the boats. Wisdom tells us that “Prosperity waits on no one and rarely seeks to find anyone,” meaning we still need to continue with our efforts to find a mining company to do the job.

I was for Azmar but I’m also for the entire CNMI achieving prosperity and if Azmar can’t work out an agreement, I still want to see a mining company doing responsible development on Pagan. The community came together in two occasions last year to stop progress but wisdom tells me the community should also organized to create progress. The CNMI needs your help, PaganWatch, so if PaganWatch wants to prove they are worth their salt, help the task force created by MPLA to find out the true value of the pozzolan and find investors that meet all the requirements and expectations. Wisdom dictates that PaganWatch should now stop watching and try to help. The CNMI has a $100 million debt that is still growing. What can PaganWatch do to help because your children and ours will be faced with this debt and more if we don’t start doing something to create new revenues.

The people aren’t left out of the decisions about the land, as MPLA has the consent of the people to represent their interest. If PaganWatch is only concerned about our right, then respect the decision of the “silent majority” who chose to leave the decision up to MPLA. The framers of the U.S. Constitution also left it up to “factions and special interest groups” like PaganWatch to be the mechanism for the people to exercise their right to promote or oppose issues in our society (see The Federalist Papers for the wisdom on this matter). Pagan Watch is a mechanism for the people. We are just lucky that no group opposing PaganWatch was formed, which could have really made things ugly. I have read some of the ugly personal attacks on others and myself, which lacked respect for opposing opinions. I stopped writing about the issues because I found out that PaganWatch was writing letters to the editor and getting people to sign their names to create the appearance that there was big support for the group and I don’t respond to ghost writers.

We need special interest groups and I commend PaganWatch for their efforts and concern because their efforts to inform the people are needed and appreciated. But they didn’t offer any solutions—just negativity about Azmar. They also divided the people and government with nothing tangible to show for their efforts, leaving us right back where we started. The Pagan issue is not over because nothing was proven to be right or wrong about the actual mining and it’s much too soon for anyone to think they deserve a pat in the back. A task force has been created to complete the job that PaganWatch started by definitively establishing the “risks and benefits” on what should really be done about Pagan. Wisdom dictates that PaganWatch should become a part of the solution by helping to find the best possible deal that will benefit the entire CNMI. Doing nothing with Pagan is no solution and is an option for MPLA alone to decide.

Ambrose Bennett
Kagman, Saipan

Editor’s Note: This is a continuation of a letter to the editor that first came out on Monday, Dec. 27. The length of the letter required that it be printed in three sections. The last part will come out tomorrow.