The road to prosperity—Part I

We are in a deep recession. People are running away, prices are daily escalating, tourism is down, and businesses are closing everyday. The incredibly high CUC power rates are adding greatly to this demise of our economic life. Their rates are killing so many businesses that no one can say how long he will stay in business. Daily we are watching the destruction of a community once proud and once on the road to prosperity. Even frustrated potential investors are standing at a distance holding their decisions whether or not to invest in the CNMI.

Though most of the problems cannot be solved instantly, they can be solved step by step if we begin with examining ourselves. We must stop relying on outsiders to solve the problems for us. Let us stop dreaming that casinos will cure our dilemma. Has the casino on Tinian brought prosperity to the community over the last 10 years? Have federal grants helped the community they were intended for? Cure begins with a strong desire to help ourselves!

When I visited Tinian on Labor Day, I noticed that the one major project under construction, which is totally funded by the U.S. government, had 100 percent guest workers employed. When I visited the new casino sites under construction, I noticed that 100 percent were guest workers also. Please explain to me how all this investment of money will benefit the community when all the labor is done by outsiders and all the money spent on the projects will not remain in the community? Most of this money will be remitted to the guest workers’ home country. Meanwhile the Tinian residents stand outside as though looking into a bakery shop smelling but not able to buy.

Has the federal annual subsidy brought prosperity to us? Only the people employed by the local government are able to enjoy it through their payrolls. It is as though they are being subsidized through these grants. I love it when someone in the government tries to justify his junkets by saying: “Most of the trips were paid by federal funds.” I really love that excuse. The insult gets bigger when the individual returns and has nothing to share with his fellow co-workers except what he/she bought in the malls.

The first step to overcoming the above dilemma is to begin developing ourselves. We must become concerned with the lack of “human capital” that we should have developed a long time ago, but did not. Consider what the situation would be like if the minimum wage for employees were $8 or $10.00 or no minimum wage. When we need a plumber, or a carpenter, or a painter, or an electrician, or a mason, or a locally qualified beautician, whom would we call? Are there any qualified resident workers to do any of those jobs regardless of the salary rate? We just don’t have the skilled trade people.

Being in business on Saipan almost 25 years, I have noticed the lack of motivation in our people to work seriously and a lack of desire to learn a skill or a profession. But I don’t blame our people. No one has ever tried to motivate them. The few of us who are fairly successful are so because someone motivated us and guided us. Otherwise we too would line up for food stamps. We need to motivate each other to become educated and skilled.

Over the years the greatest yearning of all of us has been to land a good job in the government. There for the next 20 years, we can remain cuddled and pampered and showered with various benefits. Rarely are we ever motivated to improve our performance. After 20 years, we retire and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Should we desire an extra income, we can go back and double dip “because I am sorely needed and there is no one else that can do my work.” Huh?

We have created a socialist class without realizing it. When the government spends about 75 percent of its budget for employees, how can it be a government “of the people and for the people?” It caters to about 5,000 people and acts as a sycophant (good word—look it up).Why? Because it wants their votes every few years to stay in power. Plainly put, our government is distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done. It forgets that its proper function is to govern, not operate industries.

No one cares if any work is done; no one cares what the quality of the work is that is being done—just get on the payroll for the next 20 years and don’t make waves. This can easily be seen by the negligence of all of the government’s physical plants and transportation vehicles. No one cares or has pride otherwise they would polish and keep their equipment in good condition so that it would last a long time. Instead we squander our resources and then ask for another subsidy.

Just last week I was in Los Angeles and several times passed Public Works men and equipment repairing several roads. Honestly, I stopped my car and walked over to the crews who were wearing smart identify apparel. I introduced myself and remarked on how sharp they looked and remarked on how clean and polished their road equipment looked. My only regret is that I didn’t have my camera. Why can they be so sharp and we so shabby? No! It is not lack of money. It is lack of pride in our work and in ourselves!

This comment above is not meant to criticize our Public Works only. If the truth were told many of our other government departments have the same attitude. Please understand these remarks are generalizations. There are some very dedicated individuals working in the government. Unfortunately they are in the minority. To those who are truly dedicated, I salute you! To those of you who are freeloading, I beg you to move on and get a life.

And of course the CUC farce—careless neglect for the past 25 years! The blame for this serious problem which is slowly killing all economic life goes to all the previous governors and all the previous CUC boards and all the previous executive directors. All of you turned a blind eye and a deaf ear over the years to one of our most important needs. All of you failed us! How could you not know that the CUC needed care? How could you be so uninterested? You all should apologize for your lack of actions and for bringing us to this road of destruction.

Plainly put, the government is distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done. It forgets that its proper function is to govern, not to operate industries.

Forgive me for preaching the same thing again and again. But if we don’t start solving our problems by ourselves immediately, outsiders will not come to our rescue. We must stop relying upon “investors” and start investing in ourselves. But how do we do that?

Next week I will outline several programs and activities we can do that will begin to nourish and restore us onto the road to prosperity again. In closing, please begin to examine ourselves. Begin to have pride in our abilities again. We can and must succeed! The late Earl Nightingale defined “success” as “the progressive realization of a worthy goal.” Let’s set the goals and move progressively towards them. Let’s get back on the road to prosperity. See you next week.