A strong advocate for the people and our issues

[B]By JUAN T. LIZAMA[/B] [I]Special to the Saipan Tribune[/I]

My dearest people of the Commonwealth:

From the beginning, I committed myself to a campaign based on issues. I have expressed my positions on significant issues at various pocket meetings and will continue to do so until Election Day.

I will stay course and will not attack anyone, no matter what. We must uphold what we preach to our children. The word “respeto” will have no meaning if our actions show otherwise.

I have been asked the following questions and my responses follow:

[B]1. Are you in favor of federalization? Why?[/B]

I am opposed to federalization with some qualifications such as national defense and security. Defending and securing our borders requires that we have adequate power generation for our islands. I view power blackouts as fundamental to that mission, and would work with the various federal agencies, such as the departments of Homeland Security and the Interior as well as the U.S. military, to resolve our power generation problems.

Unlike Guam, the CNMI is not a federal territory. Through the Covenant, we have retained a greater degree of self-governance. Congress should not attempt to take control of local government functions. It is disturbing that Congress has provided us with a delegate seat only after passing laws that the delegate could have effectively influenced before passage. The CNMI has never had an effective voice in the lawmaking process in Congress. The result is that Congress’ recent enactments do not adequately consider the CNMI’s unique history and economic conditions. If elected, I will change this by speaking clearly and frequently in the halls of Congress and the federal agencies to stress our point of view on the issues and offer alternatives to “federalization.” I would also stress that any federal laws or regulations that specifically apply to the CNMI must meet two requirements. First, the law must be tailored to suit our local conditions. Second, the timetable for enforcement of such laws must account for our unique economic and historical circumstances.

[B]2. Are you in favor of retaining Article 12? Why? [/B]

Yes, I favor retaining Article 12, and believe the CNMI Legislature should refrain from amending it. I strongly believe that allowing persons of Northern Mariana descent the privileges of Article 12 for another 55 years from 2011 is the right course of action. There are abundant reasons to maintain Article 12 and no good reasons to abolish it. Article 12 does not deter investment in the CNMI. Our own experience with Article 12 over the past 30 years irrefutably supports this. I do not favor increasing the leasehold interest to either 65 or 75 years. There is no compelling reason to change the leasehold interest at this time. It will not change the incentive to invest in the CNMI. There may be two facets of Article 12, however, that should be considered for change. One is the rules regarding condominiums. Changes in that area will help the investment climate. The other would be a policy to accommodate those who are not of Northern Mariana descent but who have made our islands their home and have resided here for a number of years. We are an accommodating people. But to remain a cohesive people with our own cultural identity and underlying economic stability, we must maintain the land tenure that Article 12 provides us.

[B]3. What should the CNMI do to improve its economy?[/B]

We must take better advantage of, and make improvements to what the CNMI has to offer in the world economy.

By way of example, we should focus on improving the Rota seaport. This could be a joint project with the military, resulting in local jobs and also in ferry transport between Rota and Guam. This in turn would give the military greater access to Rota as an island for rest and relaxation for members of the armed forces, their dependents and guests, and further increase local employment to support the increased number of visitors. The catalyst to an idea like this begins with building the right case and right relationships, which I would do in Congress, the federal agencies, and the halls of the Pentagon.

We must create a long-term strategic plan to promote our islands to the greatest number of investors and visitors. We should involve countries such as Russia, China, Japan and Korea to gather ideas on how to improve our economy and tourism. We must encourage more foreign students to study on our islands, and elders to retire here. Our strategic plan must use all the tools at our disposal to support our long-term goals. For example, we will need adequate laws, real investment opportunities, a planning agency managing a well-planned infrastructure, and consistent tax policies.

I also believe that it is time we figure out and implement rules that will provide preferential treatment for CNMI corporations in securing military contracts. This will be a boon to our local economy.

We also must bring another airline from Japan to the CNMI to boost tourist visits to our islands. I would give this a high priority, and work with the federal government and government of Japan to make this happen.

I also believe we must rebuild the villages of our islands with infrastructure using the uncommitted capital improvement funds. We can start a pilot project where the people can take part in development and receive training through these projects—develop and train as we go. I believe these types of local initiatives will draw Congress’s attention and enthusiastic support.

Finally, we must realize that investment in education is a long-term economic investment in our future. We must invest now in our youth by providing them with superior education that anticipates the needs of our local economy. This will be fundamental to providing a local well-paid workforce, and incentive for our children to remain in the CNMI.

[B]4. What should be done with CUC? [/B]

The CNMI government, whether through the CUC or another entity, has a fundamental responsibility to provide adequate electrical power to all residents. We need new power generators that will be operable for the next 50 years. Power generation should be overseen by a quasi-public corporation that with substantial private ownership. Ten percent stake should be reserved for people of Northern Marianas descent and funded by the MPLT. This corporation would have a board comprised of representatives from these three groups of investors. The executive functions of the corporation should be conducted by a separate entity under a performance-based contract.

Simultaneously, I will work with Congress, the federal agencies and the Pentagon to seek creative out-of-the-box solutions to resolve our electricity woes. To do this, I will highlight in Congress the strong link between adequate power generation and other areas that the U.S. government—like all of us—is focused on and cares about. For example, as I mentioned above, we need adequate power to protect our borders. Adequate power is also critical to operate our schools, maintain our port facilities, and take care of the environment generally.

[B]5. Why should voters choose you?[/B]

We need a delegate in Congress who will be a strong advocate for the people and our issues. I have been a lawyer for almost 30 years, and served as a judge of our Superior Court for 10 years. I respectfully believe that this experience, together with my passion for our islands, my deep understanding of the issues, and ability to build and maintain relationships, would make me the strongest advocate for us in Congress. Thank you for your support.