Must probe abusive pattern

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As a House member, Biktot Hokog spearheaded a loan of $500,000 for the Rota Casino Commission. Have these funds been returned? Is the commission up and running or is Rota’s casino industry now in operation? OPA must do an ocular review how these funds were spent! The taxpayers deserve full accounting.

Didn’t Hokog vote for the Saipan casino that literally paralyzed the Rota casino? Is this the kind of leadership Rota has who kills impending opportunities for his people?

Coincidently, Hokog has begun orchestrating a path to give his consultant Robert Toelkes the $160 million RO project. Gee! There seems an established pattern here in Hokog’s role. Either this guy has no respect for the laws of the land and quickly takes his authoritarian rule in a position he never earned anyway or is ignorant of laws governing disposition of public funds.

Evidently, was there an RFP issued to buy the MV Luta? Why were procurement regulations skipped in this instance? Isn’t this an authoritarian disposition? So what’s the good of NMI procurement regulations? OPA and the AG must sink its teeth on this issue too other than constitutional violation of laws!

Responsibility: Friends, as difficult as it may be walking to the mound in search of justice in order to protect the innocent, we should join hands with courage to do so. It’s the only way to build and strengthen our democratic institutions. It’s the only way to jolt the attention of public officials of the equal application of laws.

They too must answer to any and all violations of law including following the constitutional mandate that all public funds are first appropriated by the NMI Legislature. Such is our individual and collective responsibility. Otherwise, our democratic government turns into a dictatorship where the powerful survive, the weak left to fend for themselves. We must be vigilant protecting the interest of our people especially the innocent.

Health program enriches rich

Wealthy and clever doctors have exploited Obamacare’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) to rake-in millions of dollars annually. To begin with the ACA is designed for the poor. The doctors saw legal loot.

So they practice medicine some 40 or more miles from home traveling to poorer communities taking care of patients who qualify for ACA. Even their trips to and from the clinic are paid for under the program. Each patient care translates to about a million dollars over a period of time. It’s all done at the expense of the poor!

From the get-go, Obamacare was riddled with lies like, “If you like your doctor…” Recently, more of the large health insurance firms have pulled out because of huge losses. The slow disintegration raised private health premiums displacing more citizens rather than providing “affordable” healthcare services. Even some retirees had to abandon their health insurance here and moved to Medicaid. What happens when Obamacare ends next year?

Moreover, a federal court recently ruled that funds for Obamacare are illegal. It basically returned the power of the purse to the US Congress. Obama can’t don dual roles as commander-in-chief and legislator at the same time.

There are certain aspects of Obamacare that I see as a plus like accommodating patients with what’s known as “pre-existing” conditions. In other words, you can’t be denied health insurance because you’re diabetic or have had heart bypass or kidney failure. There are other beneficial aspects that were excluded from us only half-cocked scientist who promoted it understood or did they? Seesuzzzz!

There’s nothing illegal how wealthy doctors gamed the system. But I’m stunned how Obamacare failed to guard against exploitation on the back of taxpayers many of whom are struggling to find affordable healthcare services too.

Relationship: The NMI is a permanent part of the US of A, subject to applicable provisions of the U.S. Constitution, treatise and laws of the U.S. A controversial issue—right to bear arms—emerged and ruled applicable here by the federal court.

Indeed, we may have all the cultural arguments against it but it’s the rights of US Citizens we can’t change via the legislature. There’s the supremacy of laws. The right to bear arms is a part of the U.S. Constitution (Bill of Rights) that is supreme over local laws.

Facts vs. Hearsay: Overheard Marianas Agupa Tinian Correspondent Jeff Borja present his opinion on the lawsuit I filed versus the NMI on the MV Luta funds last Saturday. Wasn’t this supposed to be a straight news item, sir?

Interesting his use of “source” on the issue. Source? Would that be Jeff looking into the mirror declaring, “According to my source?” How convenient but completely irresponsible the use of hearsay presented as if a set of facts.

The $400K isn’t Rota’s per your assertion but part of what’s known in budgeting as “NMI Resources”. Until it is appropriated by the legislature for a specific purpose it remains under “NMI Resources”. Otherwise, common sense dictates that the funds won’t be coming from the central government but the Rota municipality as locally generated revenue. But it’s furthest from the truth, right?

The warp report happens when correspondents lack journalistic discipline warranting verification of information. It’s a fatal mistake done by novices that fails journalistic standard. Learn to separate fact from fiction “in search of the truth!” You’re entitled to your opinion but not your warp conjecture!

Fruit Bat: Interesting that Da Big Boys get to eat fruit bat (fanihe) even when it’s not in season. The delicacy is eaten on Rota when Da Big Boys make visits or eat on island when the next illegal shipment makes it safely to shore. Wow!

It’s a scheme that allegedly involves the use of “government issue guns” to shoot down fruit bats so Da Big Boys could have festive dinner, illegally. Goes to show that some could go to jail while others are conveniently ignored so the bosses could eat illegal delicacies! Did someone say corruption?

John S. Del Rosario Jr. | Contributing Author
John DelRosario Jr. is a former publisher of the Saipan Tribune and a former secretary of the Department of Public Lands.

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