Moving the island community backward

In Liz Del Mundo’s recent letter to the media, she stated that Juan Nekai Babauta inherited a $24 million dollar deficit with a shaky economy and unfunded obligations when he took office in 2002. She went on to say that the Babauta was a man committed to the education industry and one who will keep the island economy moving. In addition, she stated how the governor has enticed new investment and made sacrifices to stop the economic bleeding while moving the island community forward.

The private nursing program spearheaded by Sedy Demesa was also mentioned in Liz Del Mundo’s letter as being an investment that will benefit education and the island community.

An educational program concept that has not proven to be legitimate and accredited by acceptable agencies is worth nothing more than the paper it is written on. Before Demesa and this particular nursing program can be given any credit, it must be shown and proven that it is a bona fide one that is something other than a Saipan University, or the recent medical school plan that had questionable credentials in terms of legitimate medical school accreditation.

With respect to the budget for the CNMI, Liz Del Mundo alluded to the fact the onus should be placed upon the House and not Babauta to pass a new budget for FY06 which, according to the Commonwealth Constitution, should have been in place on Oct. 1.

Liz Del Mundo proclaimed that the House has passed the buck in terms of the budget for the CNMI. Quite the contrary, Babauta has been the one to “pass the buck” of accountability and fiscal responsibility onto the House led by Benigno Fitial regarding budgets for the Commonwealth. The buck stops at the governor’s office!

Moreover, under Babauta’s gubernatorial leadership over the past four years, there has only been one budget approved by Babauta. All the rest of the budgets that were established and passed by the House and forwarded to the governor were vetoed and a “continuing resolution” was utilized in place of it.

Liz Del Mundo has it backwards; the focus for the budget is not on the leadership of the House, but rather the acceptance and signing of a reasonable and sensible budget submitted by the House rests with the governor.

When Babauta took oath in January 2002, the deficit for the CNMI was just under $98 million. Over the past four years, the deficit has soared to over $120 million. The OPA substantiated in its report that $18 million of that staggering increase took place in one fiscal year. So I ask Liz Del Mundo, what is worse, inheriting $24 million or increasing the deficit over $20 million?

Liz Del Mundo is categorically wrong in her analysis of Babauta moving the government and the island community forward during his term as governor. Quite the contrary, Babauta is responsible for moving the government south in terms of financial stability and solvency. How can a government that has moved forward be in dire straits economically and cash-strapped and experiencing difficulties with its cash flow?

Thus Babauta is responsible for moving the economy and government backward in lieu of forward. To coin the cliché, Liz Del Mundo has her reasoning regarding Babauta “bass ackwards.”

And with respect to making sacrifices, it is the island community and not Babauta that have made sacrifices over the past four years. They have had to deal with a governor who has not made any significant contribution to improving the quality of life for everyone and making the financial disposition of the government stable and healthy. Ask anyone other than the people in the Babauta administration if they truly believe that the economy is pretty darn good.

With respect to Babauta stopping the bleeding during his term as governor, the island community has experienced more bleeding with the implementation of the surcharges and having to deal with the escalating gas prices at the pump. Furthermore, with the estimated $6 million dollars in travel expenses racked up over a four-year term, it would be appropriate to say that Babauta is responsible for bleeding the government coffers dry with the numerous jaunts all over the world with an entourage comprising several people. Unfortunately, none of Babauta’s excursions abroad with the entourage he took—perhaps unjustifiably—were ever challenged by anyone. Even if they wanted to, how could they?—he is the governor after all, right?

The electorate of the island community has a right to choose a leader to provide them with hope and a decent quality of life. They also have a right to expect that the person they elect into office “delivers” during their designated term. Since Babauta has not delivered in terms of the economy, education, and effective leadership demonstrating fiduciary responsibility, then it is time for the electorate to elect the right person who can deliver during these tenuous economic times in the CNMI.

Dr. Jesus D. Camacho
Delano, California