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Where did the cheeseburgers, $350K go?
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Posted on Nov 03 2005
Several of our World War II survivors had written in support of Mr. Philip Mendiola Long’s hard, untiring support and the welcoming of them to our island. However, little or none was known that the luxurious treatment came from the hard working people who were less fortunate than the heroes of WWII. Even though the funding came from the U.S., it is still the people’s taxes that made it possible.
During the tenure of former Mayor Herman Manglona, Tinian and Saipan hosted a number of WWII veterans but with far less expenditures than the $350,000 spent in August 2005. I found it hard to believe that $5,000 was spent on cheeseburgers as I was told. That $5,000 could have been spent on feeding 3,000 WWII veterans, but I believe probably less than 1,000 attended. Even if the burgers were purchased in Japan or in the U.S., I would still find it impossible to believe unless all the people of Tinian were included on that truck load. My question to the OPA would be: Who is the beneficiary of the $5,000 worth of burgers?
Secondly, was the money specifically spent on WWII veterans ONLY and none other than its intended use? So, no family members of Long traveled to the CNMI? No vacations were taken from Tinian to their desired destination? Was the money used for political reasons? Who was the authorizing authority? If there was or is one, then I would like the OPA to question that individual on how that $350,000 was spent.
To you veterans, I hope you guys can come back again in the near future. But as for the time being, I, with all due respect, request that you stay out of our affairs until the “burger investigation” is settled.
Gil Borja
Veteran
Port Orchard, WA
