Weathering the calm before the storm

First MPLA was abolished, then CDA’s board of directors got targeted followed by CPA, and then CUC came under DPW’s wings for a brief period. Oh but that’s just for starters, for more sacrifices are in the making. Now let’s not forget our local fishermen and farmers who received notice that what was previously promised them is now reserved for another more lucrative venture. Then, when we all thought that the fire might just simmer down, along came the news of intended salary cuts by 10 percent. If this weren’t enough, now our government retirees are facing a tremendous threat surrounding their pensions as a result of the CNMI Retirement Fund being focused upon. Finally, let’s not forget our most precious and cherished investment of all—our children’s education coupled with their dire need for financial assistance that is currently threatened due to lack of available funds.

But who is to blame for all these multiple sacrifices that we’ve been experiencing, currently experiencing or about to experience? Certainly not the Ben and Tim administration, right, because we were all told publicly ahead of time that things will definitely get worse before they get better. So who then should absorb the blame for all these sacrifices that currently affects us? We certainly can’t blame the previous administration anymore either because they’re now history and life has to move on right?

The answer lies within our very conscience, and has been for many years. It is us (you and I) each time we exercise our constitutional right to elect what each of us thought would be the best leaders to put into office every two and four years. We are just as accountable for the actions taken and decisions made (good or bad) by our elected leaders because we put them into office. We are the ones who failed ourselves. It’s true that some of our internal problems had indeed been caused by outside forces beyond our control. But for the most part we created our own crisis as a result of electing leaders who are more prone to self-interest, special-interest groups, and love to practice fiscal mismanagement rather than look out for the interest of our Commonwealth and people. That’s just the bottom line and fact as we know it. Now we can only weather out the calm before the storm, so to speak. Now let me see if my observations with respect to “Better Times” have so far been correct:

1. We were promised that the surcharge would be abolished shortly after assuming office should victory be theirs. Well, they indeed accomplish their desired goal, and here we are four months later and are now being told that the surcharge is in fact going to be abolished, but the catch-22 is that the CUC rate will be increased.

2. They claimed that we have a bloated government and promised to drastically trim down its size, yet the legislative minority are questioning the administration’s continued hiring which they (administration) claim to be just replacements.

3. They promised to act in the sole interest of the Commonwealth and its people, but they have so far denied local fishermen and farmers a site that was promised them, for other prospective ventures that they believe would generate more revenue.

4. They intend to cut 10 percent of government salaries mainly upon those local residents who are barely making ends meet, in order to prevent payless paydays or other such calamities. Yet certain highly paid others with the exception of essential personnel will be spared from such cuts.

5. They are now focusing on the CNMI Retirement Fund concerning an issue that will critically threaten our local resident retirees’ pensions in the future if they pursue such objectives.

Now given all of the above so far, and others which I hadn’t mention but are sure to take place sooner rather than later, I sincerely feel a major sense of sadness for the 72 percent (plus or minus) who will now have to go through the storm after they had already experienced the calm. I understand that sacrifices have to be made to resolve our current dilemmas. But the real question that has yet to be answered is: For how long and to what extent before we say enough is enough?

Jack T. Quitugua
Garapan, Saipan