Before the wildebeest overruns the old cattle fence, let\u2019s tinker with disquieting fundamental issues getting torched under the scorching Sun of Negligence of recent past.<\/p>\n
There are huge planned development programs on the wings, e.g., 2,000-room hotel, another 700 rooms under the former Nikko and yet another project of about 200-plus rooms for a total of about 2,900 rooms. All are slated for construction up north of San Roque and As Matuis.<\/p>\n
With the economy in shambles, piling into heaps of fiscal crisis, I wish the planned projects could be fast tracked to rake in direly needed infusion of wealth and jobs. It\u2019s the perfect recipe to salvaging complete bankruptcy of the local government. But there are potential glitches ahead.<\/p>\n
Nervous and servile policymakers mistakenly placed the bull atop the bull cart. Now they\u2019re complaining that their pet beast is too big and heavy. When do we rid ourselves of the hazards of \u201cadvancing to the rear\u201d? Why skip the more thorough review process of \u201cdue diligence\u201d? Lazy? Is dalliance with terminal ignorance on substantive issues the new culture now?<\/p>\n
Infrastructure: And so the island now boasts a casino industry! Fine! Next: Could any of the three be built within a reasonable timeline given the obvious lack of basic infrastructure on the northern part of the island? Wouldn\u2019t the cost of basic infrastructure entail federal CIP funds upwards of $250 million? Was due diligence undertaken to figure this aspect of the planned development? Do you see how we\u2019ve simply slammed these projects as a result of dystopian ma\u00f1ana?<\/p>\n
The lack of a water table up north means these projects must employ use of \u201creverse osmosis\u201d\u2014process saltwater\u2014for water needs. Not only is the desalinization system woefully expensive, the 70 percent effluent must be disposed of and EPA would guard the disposal aspect full press court. It means the likely use of city water that would adversely impact the three villages.<\/p>\n
Is there a sewer system up north? Now we begin to meet \u201creality check\u201d in real time. Would there be sufficient power for the impending projects? The power generation plant at Lower Base begins to break down big time to even meet current demands. How does it meet future demands when it\u2019s caught pants down (must resolve federal consent decree) trying to make good on various violations? So CIP funding is a major hurdle from A to Z! <\/p>\n
Obviously we failed to do \u201cdue diligence\u201d time and again! Any adverse impact up north would definitely turn villagers into real enemies of the casino industry, including over 2,500 applicants waiting for residential homesteads. The lack of \u201cdue diligence\u201d creates self-inflicted setbacks and deterrents for investments! When do we plan for projects to succeed?<\/p>\n
Generous Sunshine<\/strong> Beyond the servile standing ovation for BS\u2019 bloated generosity, did it occur to management that the informed and poised citizenry wish to know who among four gubernatorial candidates would benefit from its \u201cSanta Baby\u201d scheme? Will it be Hofschneider, Babauta, Guerrero, or just who? Moreover, is the innovative though dastardly scheme the new mode of investment in the CNMI\u2014tethered to political connections? Strangely interesting the long shadowy patronage!<\/p>\n A lot has gone wrong in paradise, right? Moreover, the government of the Republic of China has instituted full investigation into corruption in Macau. Wouldn\u2019t this probe adversely affect investment in the Saipan casino? As responsible citizens, it\u2019s our duty to seek clear answers from queries raised herein. We need to be both smart and wise guiding the needle of growth so it doesn\u2019t become the very tool of indigenous displacement.<\/p>\n Dangerous fiscal crisis<\/strong> Magoo asserted that the annual financial need of the NMI is upwards of $256 million. \u201cWe collected this amount in revenues during the boom years.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo how much are we now collecting in these \u2018doom\u2019 years?\u201d asked Binganu<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s around $135 million per the FY 2015 budget now before the Legislature,\u201d noted Magoo.<\/p>\n \u201cHas anyone done critical research to pinpoint the culprit in the huge loss of revenue streams in recent past?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNah! And therein lies the very troubling aspect of the degenerative effects of revenue losses,\u201d Magoo pointed out.<\/p>\n Said Binganu: \u201cIf what we make is only a third of the actual needs of this government, it\u2019s obvious the domino effect is one disastrous economy that triggers financial and fiscal crises and other crises.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor as long as we overlook the need for a comprehensive set of plans with positive policies to move the needle of growth forward, fiscal crisis would rule in perpetuity. Is it really hard bringing all the key players from both sectors to organize a set of plans with goals and objectives designed to allow the NMI to pull itself out of the current fatal economic doldrums?\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not hard aspiring what\u2019s good for the NMI. But do we have the resolve to do it? It\u2019s the difference between spouting off aspirations in what\u2019s known as \u201cin stand\u201d versus \u201con stand\u201d by placing our foot forward to begin anew.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Before the wildebeest overruns the old cattle fence, let\u2019s tinker with disquieting fundamental issues getting…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[988,256,508,257],"class_list":["post-175963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinion","tag-best-sunshine","tag-casino","tag-fy","tag-nmi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=175963"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175963\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=175963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=175963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=175963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nStunning the generosity of Best Sunshine doling out millions of dollars to pay for the 25 percent in pension pay cut by Gov. Eulogio Inos, including delinquent CUC clientele. It\u2019s unheard of in any U.S. jurisdiction! Is this unconfirmed commitment for the duration? How about a 24 prcent tax in what could be treated as \u201cearnest funds\u201d and leave disposition to the local government?<\/p>\n
\nBuddy Magoo is miffed that Binganu ignores his views on issues. He insists that I engage our other friend in a discussion. Always open for fresh ideas, I invited Binganu for coffee at the lanai at home. I listened to my friends go at it.<\/p>\n