CNMI is at the crossroads

With the economy in a slump and a new administration preparing to take over the responsibilities of government, many of us in this community believe that the CNMI is at an important crossroads.

The choices that our new leaders make in these next four years could impact our quality of life for generations to come. It is clear that the CNMI is in desperate need of an economic revival; the real question is what kind of revival we want.

We in the CNMI know too well the consequences of shortsighted development. A stroll through Garapan or San Antonio or any other sad village slum, gives us a fresh reminder of the mistakes we have made. I know I am not alone when I say that I am tired of bad development and tired of quick fixes. If bringing in new industries means more environmental degradation, more low-wage jobs that locals can’t live on, and another population explosion of foreign workers that our limited island resources and infrastructure simply can’t sustain—well, maybe we don’t really need new industries, after all.

These difficult times present to us a golden opportunity to try a different kind of development, one that puts the long-term interests of the local community first. True development should be about improving our quality of life in sustainable and meaningful ways. It should be about cleaning up our islands, providing decent jobs at living wages for our people, and improving our schools, healthcare services, and infrastructure. Instead of bringing in new industries that may cause us more harm than good in the long run, let’s make the most of the resources we have now. There is still so much more we can do to promote local entrepreneurship and local jobs, to bring our tourists back, to manage our federal and local funds more wisely, and to give our skilled and educated young people living abroad reasons to come home.

Our new governor and lieutenant governor, and all our elected officials, certainly have their work cut out for them in the coming years. While I agree with the prevailing sentiment that we should set aside political differences and cooperate with each other for the good of the Commonwealth, I also believe that we owe it to ourselves to speak up when we see that our long-term welfare might be compromised by the short-term fix.

These are indeed critical and trying times for the CNMI; there can be no better opportunity to restore our faith and confidence in the future. I wish our new leaders well, and hope they are up to the tremendous challenges ahead.

Tina Sablan
Navy Hill