The mess at CUC and the Legislature continue

First off let me make it clear that the views that I am about to express are mine and mine alone. I hope that you will read them and then make up your mind as to what is right and wrong.

First, I will talk about CUC. One again the governor and the director of CUC have shown their lack of understanding as to what a utility company is all about.

It was bad enough that they pulled up a two-year-old RFP and issued a contract on it without letting the rest of the bidders having a chance to re-bid on the project. A lot of things change in two years. But to issue a contract without specifying that the generators that were to be brought in would meet U.S. EPA specifications. That adds to the smell that this whole contract is dirty. But then what is new about that.

To the Legislature. For you to make such a fuss about being called a few names is childish. What you should have done is to figure out why people would think of you that way.

I have one more name to add to the list that you been called. That is GUTLESS. Let me expand on that. If you had any guts the lieutenant governor would be on leave without pay; and not draw his pay while he works on his court case against him. If he is found not guilty he could be reimburse for his salary. Second case, there is a law on the books that says that when an elected official decides to run for another elected position that he must resign from his current position, that includes senators.

On your privatization bill. What was the rush? You say that you were afraid that the governor would do a sole source privatization under his declaration of emergency. Why then did you not pass a resolution forbidding him from doing so? He would have vetoed it and you could have over-ridden his veto. That would have given you time to do your homework and come up with a bill that would have made sense. First off, you could have established the true value of the power plant. Not just pull a price out of thin air. But the whole plan is a mess. I will be very surprised if you find anyone stupid enough to buy the power plant and not the distribution system. It does not made a good sense to produce power and not be able to deliver to the customers. As fouled up as the distribution system is no one can guarantee that they can supply power to the island. We have seen that all ready.

To the governor. You said that you are going to sue the U.S. for the people of the CNMI. It is very strange that everyone that I talked to is opposed to you lawsuit. So just what people are suing you for? What is with your almost paranoid objection to everything federal? You object to the takeover of labor and immigration event though the FEDS gave the CNMI chance after chance to get their act together, all they got was broken promise after broken promises. So the game is over! Who do you have you got to blame now?

Look to the Legislature; that this is a good place to start. The Legislature is supposed to look after the good of the people and to keep the government operating within its means. They have done none of the above. The Retirement Fund is in trouble because the government has not been paying their legal obligation. Who’s responsibility is that? The Legislature of course, who else.

As I stated earlier we are all in trouble till we get a legislature that has the guts to make the difficult decisions to do what is right for the people and not what will profit them.

Before you get mad and tell me to get off the island, I ask that you take some time and think over what I have said. You may be surprised and find out that you agree with me.

Back to the governor’s lawsuit. In a few days we are going to elect our first representative to the U.S. Congress. Normally, this would be an historic event. Unfortunately, if the governor continues his la suit, it will not make any difference who we send to the U.S. Congress as he will be treated as an outcast from the very start. No one likes people who come asking for money with one hand and threatening a lawsuit with the other hand.

If you want to continue to get help from the U.S., then it must be made clear to the governor that the majority of the people, including the Legislature, oppose the lawsuit.

I strongly urge the Legislature that they send a strong message to the governor to withdraw his suit against the U.S..

Why can’t the CNMI utilize Sec. 902 of the Covenant to settle whatever problems we have with the U.S.? What ever happened to negotiating for what you want?