Happy Veterans Day

Sacrifice. This is the word that is deeply embedded in our hearts and minds on Veterans Day. No sacrifice goes unnoticed or unrewarded, because God is always watching. God bless our troops and thank you for your sacrifice.

STM

Corruption. It is a word that has become quite common in our daily discussions. Corruption has been addressed as being one of the biggest contributors to the degradation of our islands. In his most recent State of the Judiciary Address, Chief Justice Miguel Demapan stated that government corruption is “too prevalent” and that it hinders the CNMI's ability to provide basic services, from public utilities to public education.

I used to think corruption was the biggest problem plaguing the CNMI. I think I might have been wrong. You see, there seems to be a greater underlying problem here in the CNMI, something that has yet to be addressed in forums, debates, or letters to the editor. It is a condition known as short-term-memory, or STM. People who are affected by STM retain information in their memory banks for only a short period of time, and then it is gone. STM seems to be in its most infectious stage right before elections, and it appears to mostly affect those given political jobs, sole-source contracts, or special political favors.

While studies of STM in the CNMI are still in their formative stages, I have been doing my own research on the condition. Before Governor Fitial decides to declare a state of emergency on STM, I would like to share, free of charge, some of my findings on its prevalence here in our community. Here are three prime examples of STM in action:

-Charm and charisma and STM. Not too long ago, Governor Fitial was widely unpopular with our Filipino community when an entourage of U.S. officials, including U.S. Rep. Donna Christensen, visited the CNMI Guma Hustisia to hear testimonials for and against federalization. Outside the CNMI's courthouse, Governor Fitial was alleged to have told a group of demonstrators holding banners and signs to go home. Inside the courtroom, Governor Fitial told Christensen and her colleagues to ignore the demonstrators because they were all “illegals who needed to be deported.” How unpopular was this comment with the Filipino community? At a concert held at American Memorial Park shortly thereafter, Governor Fitial was booed by thousands of Filipinos when his name was announced. Filipinos were also upset because Governor Fitial never supported or even entertained Rep. Tina Sablan's bill, which was aimed at improving the status of long-term guest workers, most especially those with American children. While Governor Fitial has done nothing to improve long-term guest worker status and wants to keep the status quo of keeping guest workers in the CNMI for decades with no hope of ever becoming naturalized American citizens, there are groups of Filipinos supporting the re-election efforts of Fitial. One of my kababayans told me that he is supporting Fitial because he met him at a party and he shook his hand and was “very charming and funny.” What was most disconcerting to me was that a year earlier, my kababayan wanted Fitial impeached.

-STM thrives in political ecosystems. A friend of mine was once a proud Republican who would tell me all the reasons why Governor Fitial was one of the worst governors to ever serve the CNMI. He explained how he came to that conclusion and also talked about how daily power outages were killing his business and how Fitial neglected small businesses like his and only entertained corporate giants. He spoke about how shameful it was for people to sacrifice integrity for political jobs. Sadly, he eventually closed his business. A few months ago, I saw him at a roadside waving alongside Governor Fitial. I couldn't believe my eyes! How did he go from a Fitial foe to a Fitial fan? I was later informed that he had been given a job under the Fitial administration. There are several cases just like this, and this pattern shows a connection between political positions and STM. However, there is hope for him and several others: a popular prognosis for this condition is that his memory will be fully restored should Fitial fail to get re-elected.

-Roadmap to STM. For evidence that STM is thriving here in the CNMI, we need look no further than Governor Fitial's “Roadmap to Better Times” platform from four years ago. While I could write volumes on how Governor Fitial failed to follow his “roadmap” and on how he needs a new navigational system as well as a more reliable map, all we really have to do is open our eyes and look around us to see just how bad things are today. Throughout his campaign, Governor Fitial promised to deliver better times to our people. He promised economic bliss. He promised that investors would come running as soon as he became governor, but apparently all the investors ran right past us to our neighbor island of Guam, which just so happens to be federalized! (Lucky we didn't get trampled.) He promised fairness and transparency. He promised us the heavens when elected, but today it seems we are somewhere between purgatory and hell. We recently experienced a series of numerous power outages, and while Fitial blames old engines, he forgets to mention one of the main culprits of our power woes: DCM. DCM was given a sole-source emergency contract to repair and rehabilitate CUC's engines very early in the Fitial administration. DCM failed, and to this day, the AG's Office has not pursued the penalty clause for DCM's breach of contract. Had DCM completed their scope of work, Aggreko would have never been needed, and we could have avoided the agonizing months of daily power outages, and we could have channeled millions of dollars spent on Aggreko and a DCM-replacement on something else, like maybe paying the broken CNMI Retirement Fund. After spending millions of dollars in handing out sole-source contracts and bypassing procurement protocol; after lying to the people that local funds would not be used in his federalization lawsuit and then making it worse by never disclosing exactly how much was being spent and what account the money was coming from; after removing local law enforcement from working with DEA even though crystal meth or “ice” is reaching epidemic proportions here and is destroying families, most especially our youth; after humiliating demonstrators in front of U.S. visiting officials; after decimating CHC through mismanagement to the point where our local hospital has no nephrologist, no pediatrician, no lab director, doctors suddenly leaving, only two remaining ER doctors out of an original eight, and a yet-to-be-opened dialysis center that ballooned from an original $5 million to $22 million; after failing DPS officers by bypassing protocol and failing to promote police officers fairly, which led to more than 20 DPS officers filing a lawsuit; after dishing out public lands to shady investors for pennies on the dollar, only to later find out that they have yet to “show us the money” and start on their plans of building their proposed resorts; after failing to spend CIP money but still having the audacity to ask the U.S. for more federal aid; after hundreds of families left our islands during the Fitial administration to seek greener pastures in the U.S. mainland; after circumventing CNMI law by failing to appoint an Attorney General for more than a year; after failing to go after more than $6 million reported by OPA in misused and abused funds; and after all our pain, suffering, hardships, and the utter failure to deliver the promises of better times, there are still Fitial supporters who apparently forgot all of this and are now telling the general public to just “Let it Be.” Let it be? Really? I seriously doubt the average person could take all of this in and still support Governor Fitial. He was given four years to improve our lives, so, are we really better off today than we were four years ago? Undoubtedly, the few doctors left at CHC would arrive at a diagnosis for the affliction: STM!

Now that we are more aware of the symptoms of STM, what can we do to safeguard ourselves against it? While we await clinical trials and the testing of vaccines for STM, there are some ways to try to prevent it from spreading. Studies have shown that those who continue to keep themselves informed and educated on the issues affecting the CNMI have developed antibodies and a resistance to STM. There are rumors going around that some rabble rousers are using their DNA to produce the vaccine.

So while we await the cure, let us all keep a close eye on STM and do daily checks on our family members to make sure they don't have it. If they show any symptoms of STM, take them immediately to CHC. But bring a book. You may have to wait six to eight hours before you are able to see a doctor.

Winners

Congratulations to every single candidate who ran in this election. More than a hundred people ran with their own vision, ideas, and principles. More than a hundred people ran because they believed that they could make the Commonwealth a better place to live. Many sacrificed their jobs, faced public criticism, had their lives examined and scrutinized, and spent a small fortune in campaigning.

All the votes have been counted, and the results are in. It is important to remember that there are no losers. Every single person who ran for public office should hold their head up high, regardless of whether they finished first or last, regardless of whether they got 8,000 votes or 8 votes. It takes tremendous courage to run for public office, and for that, you are a winner.

Hasta la vista, baby

Dear Friends,

It's been a while since I last posted. The truth is, I think my blog has run its course. Maybe one day I will have a change of heart and will post again, but for now, I am pretty much done.

I originally started blogging as a way to express my thoughts and opinions. I enjoyed commentary from many of my visitors, cruel or not, bland or not. It was nice to see dialogue, debate, and discussion.

I have had my fair share of personal attacks against me, and I allowed it, because turnabout is fairplay. I have criticized our government, most especially the Fitial administration, and have created my share of enemies. That is the price you pay for being outspoken. But there are unintended consequences to my criticism. While vile things were said about me, I drew the line when some of my stalkers began to say disgusting things about my parents, my wife, and my children. I have never once attacked Governor Fitial's wife, or children, or anyone else. There are lines we just do not cross...ever.

While some have said to keep the posts to show the mentality of Fitial's supporters, I opted not to, because my family is off limits. If anyone has a problem with me, let it be with me.

I paid a visit to Saipan Middle Road's blog tonight and was saddened by what I saw. Over 280 comments on a post about Angelo running for mayor, and the majority of the posts had nothing to do with Angelo running for mayor! They had to do with anonymous attacks on various people, from Bruce Bateman to Glen Hunter, and everyone else in between. I haven't commented on any blog, including my own, for quite some time now. While I champion freedom of speech, I am shocked and saddened by the cowardly commentary that has offered no solutions or intelligent exchanges of ideas. All it has done is thrown gasoline over a fire, and it has caused more division and animosity in our tiny community. I'm done with it.

I have stated my beliefs and opinions, and whether you like them or not, they are mine, and mine alone. Don't like it? Ignore them or challenge them. But know this. I say where I stand on the issues, and I put my name behind it. I have never had a ghostwriter, nor have I ever written for someone. I am simply someone who believes our islands are worth saving. If it means I am going to take hits and insults, then so be it.

I have made a lot of mistakes in my quest for change. But such is life. We learn from our mistakes. We learn what works and what does not work. I can assure you, I have learned firsthand that you can't bring change by bulldozing over others. In my calls for change, I forgot the most important rule, which is, "Real change comes from within."

To those who believe I am bitter, they obviously do not know me. To those who believe I support people for political jobs or big contracts, they certainly do not know me. I have learned as a young child that if you want something, you must work for it. I thank my parents for this. While growing up, I couldn't understand why I had to mow lawns and wash cars for an allowance. Or get a part-time job if I wanted to have spending money. I understood later that my parents were simply trying to instill in me good work ethics and lessons in independence.

I am so thankful for the guidance and the lessons learned from a loving father and mother, who have, to this day, given me their unconditional love. They have been there for me on my best days and on my darkest days. I pray to God that I can be as good a parent as my parents have been to me.

I still may write letters to the editor when I feel inspired, or there is a topic I wish to address, but until then, I am taking a sabbatical.

To all of you who have dropped by this blog, take care and God bless. Life is what you make it. May you make the best of yours.

Sincerely,

Ed Propst

Questions Uncle Ben and Tony Muna will never answer...

Another excellent letter to the editor by Dr. Thomas Arkle regarding the real cost of Aggreko in the Marianas Variety today. Here it is in its entirety:

Err...how much was that?

A STATEMENT on Friday, attributed to Tony Muna, executive director of CUC, claimed the following: Besides the initial $6 million contract, Muna said CUC incurred no additional costs for the Aggreko deal. “They’re paid in full. And whatever we agreed upon, that’s what we paid for,” he said.

It was further revealed, for the first time in public print, that Aggreko had installed EIGHTEEN generation units. The original contract called for TEN units — and $6 million in lease rent. Did Mr. Muna lie when he made that statement on Friday (“no additional costs”)? CUC is a government operated PUBLIC utility of grave concern to the citizens of the NMI. Its service is a basic life necessity; it is paid for by the public — and that public has a RIGHT TO KNOW how it is operated, from top to bottom. Therefore, I ask again, and based on the below quoted contracted conditions: Did Mr. Muna lie when he made that statement on Friday?

A continuing, and now questionable, “state of emergency” declaration is not a reason for this government to continue its “cover-up” of the real costs of the Aggreko contract. Now that the contract is finished, all those questions that have for too long gone unanswered MUST now be answered. It’s called “accountability” and it is the RESPONSIBILITY of any government. This letter in no way is to belie the fact that Aggreko DID accomplish its end goal, but that does NOT justify hiding its real cost.

Responsible parties within the Legislature must now use their authority and yield to the people’s right to know and seek out, force out if needed, every transaction made by CUC and the NMI government concerning Aggreko and power on Saipan — and show HOW the expenses incurred by this contract has affected power rates, not only on Saipan, but on ALL islands served by CUC in spite of a lack of service by Aggreko to other islands.

Contract No. 12305-Q001-SD; (CUC) No. CUC-PG-08-C016, dated June 19, 2008:

1) Called for the initial installation of TEN (10) one-megawatt generator units (with two additional units as “spares”). Since eighteen (18) units were eventually installed, was the original contract modified in any way? Was a separate, as yet unpublished, contract entered into? Did the additional 8 units add any cost to the lease rent of $6 million for the 52 week period? Please clarify the difference between the $6 million “lease rent” for one year and the guaranteed minimum “energy charge” (at .05 cents per kwh) of $84,000 per week.

2) Section 2.3 states that Customs examination and all import and export clearances as well as governmental statutory charges shall be paid for by CUC. WHAT were the charges for these services? Additionally, WHAT was the cost in time, labor and inter-departmental involvement of EPA’s inquiry and the responses made to EPA regarding the use of these non-CCA compliant units?

3) Section 2.4 states that all duties, levies, taxes and other charges in relation to the importation and exportation of the plant, equipment, tools, spare parts, consumables, testing and monitoring equipment that are in accordance with the laws rules and regulations of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and arise out of the performance of this contract are for account of CUC. WHAT were the charges incurred for any of these provisions?

4) Section 4.1 states that CUC shall pay to Aggreko as “energy charge” an amount of (U.S. dollars) $0.0500 per kilowatt hour subject to a “guaranteed minimum weekly offtake” of 1.68 gigawatt hours. This rate translates to a “guaranteed MINIMUM” weekly charge of $84,000 (at 1,680,000 kwh x $0.05). WERE these charges paid for by CUC according to contract specifications as outlined in point 5 below?

5) Section 4.3 states that for purposes of this contract a “month” shall consist of 28 days. It further states that the FIRST energy charge for the first 4 weeks of operation in the amount of $336,000 shall be paid “upfront, prior to mobilization” and, after payment of an additional 8-week, $772,000, “security” deposit, the second and subsequent payments shall be paid every “month” (FOUR weeks) thereafter. Aggreko will present invoices monthly and CUC will make the payments within 14 days thereafter. ALL such invoices for energy charges, showing the total amount of actual power produced and consumed, and any CUC payments made thereto should be made available immediately to the office of the public auditor in accordance with section 10.17 of the same contract. HOW much did CUC pay in “energy charges” during the 52 week contract service period?

6) Section 5.3 states that CUC shall prepare the site and all civil works for the erection and operation of the plant and shall undertake those works and the provision of 24-hour guards at CUC expense. HOW much was the site preparation expense and the cost of the “24-hour guards” for one year?

7) Section 5.4 states that CUC shall supply a main earthing connection terminal point for Aggreko to connect the plant at CUC’s cost. HOW much did this cost?

8) Section 6.2 states that CUC shall obtain at its own cost all necessary visas and work permits during any period when Aggreko employees are required to work in the NMI. HOW much did any required work visas and permits cost?

9) Section 6.3 states that CUC shall supply SIX unskilled laborers during the mobilization and demobilization phases. For HOW long were ANY workers supplied by CUC during all phases of operation and HOW much did these personnel cost?

10) Section 6.5 states that CUC shall be responsible for disposal of used engine oil, drums and filters. The costs of the foregoing items and any additional costs are excluded from the service charges and shall be paid for by CUC. HOW much did these provisions cost CUC?

11) Section 7.1 states that all fuel, fuel storage and potable water for the plant shall be supplied and paid for by CUC. HOW much did these items cost?

12) Section 8.6 indemnifies Aggreko for ANY loss or damage incurred to the plant or any person(s) injury or property damage and CUC shall be accountable for any such claims. HAS CUC been held liable for ANY such claims of injury or damage to persons or property, including workers compensation insurance, and, if so, HOW much did this cost CUC?

13) WERE any additional cost items incurred by CUC that were or could be attributed to operation of the Aggreko plant (such as equipment, trucks, personnel, spare parts, consumables, poles, lines, office personnel or paper clips and postage stamps)? If so, HOW much did these items cost?

It is time that CUC now accounts for the ACTUAL cost of the entire Aggreko contract. The people have a right to know.

DR. THOMAS D. ARKLE JR.
San Jose, Tinian

A Tribute to g00$e, Uncle Ben's lapdog (err, lapgoose?)

Amazing. No matter how bad a job Governor Fitial has done, no matter what wrongs he has committed, his blind faithful continue to praise him for...hmmmm, the status quo? Wait, I apologize. Things are worse off than they were four years ago. So, by saying status quo, I believe I'm giving credit where credit is certainly not due.

Goose has laid golden eggs, but in the form of lies and political propaganda. For these reasons, I salute Goose, for he has remained true to his shallow self. It takes true shallowness to defend a governor that has lied and betrayed his people. From CHC to CUC to DPS to anything with 3 or 4 letters in it, Governor Fitial has done a horrendous job running the CNMI.

But hey, don't take my word for it! Just open up the archives in either newspaper, and you can read all about Fitial's follies. So what does Goose do? He challenges people to lay out a list of how things will be different under a new administration.

So, new rules on MY blog. Yes, that's right. Last I checked, this blog was created by me, and I can set rules the way I see fit. Now, if this blog belonged to the government, then that would be an entirely different story. Wait, the government belongs to the people, or does it belong to Governor Fitial? Hmmm. Interesting topic to write about in the near future.

Anyway, I digress. Every single comment put forth by Fitial's freedom fighters that attack me will simply be REJECTED. You see, if they really want to come after me, they aren't going to do it here on my own blog. Where can they do it? I'd suggest the newspapers, because they would be forced to put a NAME on it.

While Marvin Pangelinan and Alexandro "Colonel" Sablan criticized me in the papers, I give them praise for putting their names on it. It was their comments and opinions, and they owned it. I applaud them for it, and have far greater respect for them than I ever would for Goose.

So, in closing, the g00$e's gig is up, and he can run along and play with himself, or grow a spine and write a letter in the papers. I will post his comments when I feel he has something intelligent or funny or interesting to say. Otherwise, g00$e will have to find another playground.

The same goes for the boneheads that write crude commentary 30 times a day to me. It is really old, dull, and the insults lack something beyond originality...they lack sophistication, and intelligence.

This blog will continue to welcome any and all anonymous comments, but insults that are directed at my family, my children, my wife, and my parents are no longer welcome. In all my attacks on your beloved Governor Fitial, I have never once insulted or attacked his family. Not once. There are certain things that are sacred and certain things that are off limits, and innocent family members have no place in our debate or disagreements.

So, with that said, the new rules are in effect, and eventually g00$e will disappear, just like how Uncle Ben will fade off in to the sunset when he packs his bags and leaves the office of the governor come January. 2010 will be a new year, and a new chance to restore confidence in our government.

And if a new administration does not embrace transparency, accountability, and equality? Well, they will find themselves serving only one term, just like Uncle Ben.

Good governance is not a far-fetched goal. It is attainable, but we will have to stay the course, and we will have to wither the g00$es of this world.

Until then, I hope everyone stays safe and I pray the typhoon misses us.

Only 54 more days!

Hooray! Only 54 more days until Uncle Ben and his misadministration is booted out of office! Can't wait til November 7!

Indictment coming soon?

The CNMI is abuzz with talk about a federal indictment coming soon involving high-ranking government officials from the CNMI and Guam.

Thank God for the federal government. It's the only time actual arrests are made and CROOKS are prosecuted!

I wonder who it could be...hmmmm. Once a CROOK, always a CROOK. Just ask Jack Abramoff...

More power outages! And AGGREKO is still in da howse!

Wow, two power outages within 24 hours in Susupe! I wonder what Uncle Ben's excuse will be this time...

So, let's get this straight. Aggreko is still being used until September 12, yet we are still having power outages. Hmmm, anyone want to take a guess what's going to happen when Aggreko leaves?

LIES, LIES, LIES. No more! Let's see what are the excuses for the power outages this time.

Can't wait until November 07 to vote out Uncle Ben!

Quote of the WEEK!

“Bear in mind that Aggreko was already paid for half a million dollars this month and its engines are more efficient than Power Plants 2 and 4." - Tony Muna

CUC STILL SUCKING POWER FROM AGGREKO!

My anonymous stalker is going to love this. Haha! CUC didn't disconnect yet, and now they are saying they will disconnect mid-September! Hey anonymous, I guess you were wrong and I was right! Add to the fact that you are a moron? PRICELESS!

For everything else, there's Ben Fitial...

Read about it here.

Can't wait til we vote out Uncle Ben and his Bitter Times Brigade on November 7!

BYE BYE BEN!

Reason # 9,487 to Give FITIAL the BOOT this November 7...

Well, well well. No wonder Uncle Ben and his "volunteer" attorneys Howie and Deanne and the rest of his Bitter Times Brigade fought like dogs from disclosing the financial details about their federalization lawsuit!

According to an article in the Marianas Variety, Jenner and Block, the Washington-based firm representing Uncle Ben in his federalization lawsuit against America, billed the CNMI close to $1 million within 10 months.

Hmmm. If you can recall, Uncle Ben once told the people of the CNMI that he wouldn't use local funds in his federalization lawsuit. Guess he was banking on the undisclosed "sympathizers" eh? Well, he also promised the CNMI "better times" and a removal of the CUC surcharge, so what's one more lie, right? Then he says that the lawsuit will cost the CNMI $50,000 a month.

I'm so confused. Uncle Ben says he can't disclose the amount being spent on the lawsuit because it will weaken his case, but he already disclosed the amount when he said they would be spending $50,000 a month on the lawsuit! LOL! Ummm, Uncle Ben? Why is Jenner and Block billing the CNMI $1 million?

Okay, $1 million in ten months = $100,000 a month. That's double what he said it would cost the CNMI. So, basically, UNCLE BEN LIED TO THE CNMI ONCE AGAIN!

What could $1 million do for the CNMI? Well, we could have hired a few more doctors. Or raised DPS officers' salaries. But it could have also gone to more political hires, but hey, that's already ongoing.

NO MORE LIES POT FABOT! Give Ben the BOOT on NOVEMBER 7! Sorry Uncle Ben...

Fool us once, shame on Uncle Ben. Fool us twice? Shame on us. We won't be fooled twice, fo shizzle my nizzle!

Bitter versus Better

I want to thank Marvin S. Pangelinan and Alex “The Colonel” Sablan for their letters to the editor which addressed some issues I wrote about recently. Obviously, we have differences of opinion regarding the current administration’s performance, and I applaud them for speaking from the heart.

Before I make my rebuttal, I want to take this opportunity to let the Colonel know that I am a fan of his. He is a Commonwealth icon and a treasured local musician. The last time I heard him sing and play his uke was at a political fundraiser two years ago. It was the highlight of the evening for many of us in attendance!

Colonel, I know you have health issues, and as a fellow Christian, I pray for your health and for your family. Regarding your letter, I do want you to know that I have never attacked or tried to intimidate the employees of CHC, from the doctors and nurses to the kind cashiers. They all work in a very stressful environment, and they should be appreciated for all they do. If you read my letter again, I simply stated that our fine doctors need the necessary tools to their job, along with adequate rest.

Colonel, have you ever met or had any exchanges with some of the doctors who departed suddenly? These are doctors that came here with the best intentions, yet they are mistreated or disrespected. Some of them have to wait as long as five months before they receive their first paycheck! Is this how we take care of our doctors? As I stated in my previous letter, doctors are to be treated with respect, for they are here to help and heal our people.

Regarding Marvin’s differences of opinion with how CUC has been managed, or mismanaged, I want to let him know that I am always willing to sit down with him and open up a few contracts to dissect and discuss, and we can start with DCM. I’d also like to explain to him why Aggreko was not the best choice, and while it temporarily improved power production, there were other options on the table that could have been hooked up just as fast, for HALF THE COST! My friend, part of good governance is making the right decisions by putting people’s interests first instead of friends and familia.

I think it is safe to say that there has been some unfairness when it comes to the way CUC customers have been treated. How is it possible that certain customers and corporations never got their power cut by CUC, even though they were in payment arrears? Yet, the one time someone is a bit late in making a payment to CUC, they are cut off immediately. Some are cut off without an explanation. Case in point Marvin, my power was cut off at my office a couple of years ago. I produced documents at CUC and showed that I still had a week to pay my CUC bill. I was told that I would have to pay my balance and pay a reconnection fee, regardless of whether or not my power was cut by mistake. I was told I could file a complaint and try to settle it later, but if I wanted my power to be hooked up immediately, I had to pay. So what did I do? I paid for it, and for the sake of my blood pressure and sanity, I took the loss and never went back to CUC again. So what is the problem here? MANAGEMENT. The frontline must be empowered to make the right decisions by their managers, and they must be trained and equipped to ensure that customers are treated fairly and with proper respect. As a friend of mine in the hotel industry once told me, “The customer is not always right, but the customer is the customer, and therefore must be treated with respect and kindness.”

Marvin, you called me “Bitter Ed.” I chuckled when I saw your article. As my dear friend from Sicily often says with a smile, “To know me is to love me!” Marvin, I am not bitter. I am simply a local island boy who cares deeply about the dismal state of our Commonwealth. I do not write because I am bitter—I write because I want things to become better! Ignoring problems will not make them go away. When wrongs and COVER-UPS are committed, they must be addressed and exposed in order for them to be corrected. Sadly, all the suggestions good citizens make to this administration continue to fall on deaf ears. But that doesn’t mean we will stop. I have learned that change is a gradual process, and it doesn’t happen with one meeting, or one forum, or one hearing, or one protest, or one rally. It is perseverance mixed with humility that will eventually conquer the status quo.

As for this administration’s defenders, they are quick to point out that Governor Fitial is not to blame for all the problems the CNMI is faced with today. And they have a valid point to some degree, because he did inherit some problems. But that is not why he was elected. Governor Fitial, being the “businessman” that he is, knows full well that new CEO’s are hired when a corporation is on the verge of collapse, or is having financial problems, or needs a new direction. Governor Fitial had four years to set a new course for the CNMI and to make decisions that would help not just his supporters, but every person living in the CNMI. Now tell me, is the CNMI better off today than it was four years ago?

Marvin, since you really don’t know me, please allow me to tell you a little bit about me. I think I can say I am from Saipan, especially after being a resident here for 36 years. I grew up in Navy Hill and Susupe and am a product of the public school system, a proud MHS Dolphin. After attending NMC for a couple of years, I went off to Hawaii to get my bachelor’s degree, all the while working three jobs while attending classes full-time. I amassed a ton of credit card debt along with student loans and lived off of canned tuna and soba the last two months I was there. I was fortunate to come home and find a job. Sadly, many are not as fortunate. I’ve seen former students and friends who left the CNMI to get their college degree, only to come back to their home and find out they can’t find a job. Why? Because more often than not, they apply for a job they are highly qualified for, only to find out that it was given to a political supporter who is less qualified as “payback.” Don’t we want our children to have a fair chance to find a job when they come home? Sure, they can work from the ground up, which is certainly admirable. But what was the point of going to college for four or five years and incurring a huge college debt, only to come home and make minimum wage? Part of the reason of going to college is to find a good job and to be considered management material, not entry-level material. Marvin, would you consider this a fair statement?

Here’s something that I have been thinking about lately that I want to share with you, Marvin. I have Godparents living in Oregon right now. They would like to come home. But they have some health issues, and CHC is ill-equipped to address their health concerns right now. The same thing can be said for hundreds of our people who have sent their parents to the U.S. so that they may live longer, or live more comfortably. So, as they grow older, we get to visit them once a year, if that, because the cost of travel is insanely high. Marvin, if we want our parents and aunties and uncles and grandparents to come home to live in the CNMI, we MUST have better technology and doctors who specialize in caring for their needs, along with emergency care. Do you know why it is difficult to attract the golden market from Asia to come to the CNMI and retire and buy or lease condominiums and homes? It’s not because of visa problems, or Article 12. It’s because of inadequate health care. Can this be fixed? Certainly. But it won’t be as long as we have an administration that shoots for the status quo instead of shooting for the stars.

And speaking of shooting for the stars, there was once a president of the United States who spoke of putting a man on the moon, something that seemed unattainable at the time. In 1962, in a speech given at Rice University, President John F. Kennedy stated, “We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win...” President Kennedy had a vision and set the stage for space exploration, and by 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon!

To put things in perspective, if the United States can put a man on the moon some forty years ago, then the CNMI should have no problem in fixing CUC, CHC, building its tourism base, and finding REAL investors.

Marvin, please know that one of the many unfulfilled promises made by this administration’s “Road Map to Better Times” was TRANSPARENCY. While this administration ignored a lawmaker’s request to see the financial records of how much was being spent on the governor’s lawsuit over federalization, she was denied access, even after the superior court ruled in her favor to disclose the financial records. To add insult to injury, this administration fought Rep. Tina Sablan all the way to the CNMI Supreme Court. Thank God our Supreme Court had the wisdom to agree with her and to order this administration to produce the documents. All the thousands of dollars wasted on court litigation could have been averted had Governor Fitial come clean and produced the documents in the first place. What is he hiding?? And spare us the nonsense that it will hurt the CNMI’s federalization lawsuit. All Rep. Sablan and the rest of the CNMI taxpayers wanted to know was, “How much was being spent?” and “Where was the money coming from?” This is only one of a thousand “differences” that I have with this current administration. I’ll save 30-day government employee contracts and the Flame Sako fiasco for another time and another letter.

In closing, I wish Marvin and the Colonel the very best in life, regardless of our differences of opinion. While we may be separated by political ideologies, let us remember we are bonded in our faith and in our love for our homeland. If we relentlessly pursue and debate all that is in the best interests of our people, I am confident we will eventually find ourselves on the same side.

May God bless the CNMI, and WELCOME HOME TROOPS! Hooah!

An Open Letter to Mr. Antonio Muna

Today's letter to the editor that appeared in Saipan Tribune by Fe Calixterio...ANOTHER REASON TO GET RID OF UNCLE BEN AND THE STATUS QUO BRIGADE...

An open letter to Mr. Antonio Muna

On Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, I left my home early for the cathedral. At noon when I came home I found out that I did not have power and water. I said to myself, “One of those things again.” I left to have lunch at Shirley's in Susupe. I took my sweet time because of the situation in my home-no power and water. I came home and said to myself, “How much longer is this going to be?”

At about 4:30pm, my grandson came was surprised to see me sitting with a fan in my hand. The family lives next door. He said there is power and water. He called his dad to help me.

My son-in-law called the trouble desk and they talked. The trouble desk suggested he check the meter if there is a black thing in it. True enough that was what he found. It was too late. The only thing left was to wait until tomorrow. I had to sleep in a warm room in the first floor of my house with a fan in my hand. I was drenched with sweat. I had to change clothes twice during the night. I got very little sleep.

I woke up early in the morning. I was in front of the CUC office at 7:25 and I was the first one to march into the office. I pay my bills through my AMEX so that I am assured of being able to pay on time while I travel, which I do frequently.

I was told that the card was declined because of the change of expiration date. I was guaranteed by AMEX that there won't be any interruption in the service. The CUC staff concerned did not give me a call. Even before the disconnection, I was not informed at all. I was totally in the dark.

Instead of making it easy for me and for CUC, CUC chose to make it difficult for me. A telephone call about the expiration date could have been solved through one phone call.

I have not been delinquent in any of my payments. This is why I have direct payment with my credit card-to guarantee payment on time.

Instead, my food in the refrigerator was spoiled and the contents of my freezer thawed.

CUC sent someone to disconnect early in the morning but sent someone to reconnect much later the following day.

It seems that it is easier for CUC to punish than to help. A little concern for your clients could have averted what happened to me. A telephone call about my credit card expiration date and information about the impending disconnections should have given me the chance to react positively. Instead, CUC did what they did without due concern and consideration to customers.

On the same day a similar situation happened to a friend of mine. There was confusion in her payment for her utilities that she missed paying one of her bills. A CUC crew for disconnection arrived to cut off the service. No notice, they were just there to disconnect the service and no amount of negotiation and promise will stop them because they were ordered to disconnect.

My friend promised to go then and there to pay but to no avail. The disconnection happened. She had to pay the reconnection fee and some more in a matter of less than an hour.

The above are just two incidents that indicate that clients are not treated well, that customer service is needed, not customer disservice.

May I suggest and recommend that CDI of NMC help your agency by developing a customized customer service training for your whole staff. Let us have a heart.

Thank you.

Fe Y. Calixterio
As Terlaje, Saipan

BETTER LIES

My wife Daisy and I feel truly blessed with the birth of our new son, Kaden, who was born at 4AM on Friday, August 21. I would like to thank Dr. Taro and the CHC doctors and nurses who showered and pampered my wife and son with tender loving care.

We are thankful for the many kind wishes we received through phone calls, e-mails, texts, and of course Facebook. Family and friends also dropped by and brought food, gifts, and flowers. How very thoughtful and loving, and how wonderful it is to be interconnected with family and friends around the world. The world indeed has grown smaller with the advancement of communication technology!

Everything seemed perfect as we checked out of CHC on Saturday and went home. We were so excited to bring our new baby boy home. Alas, all good things must come to an end. You see, the power in our village went out at 3PM. 4PM came, still no power. 5PM, taya power. 6PM, frustrated parents and sweaty kids. 7PM, we got tempted to call CUC Trouble Desk but realized that would be an exercise in futility. Finally, at 8PM, the power went on. A FIVE-HOUR POWER OUTAGE!

I don't care if a brown tree snake caused the 5-hour power outage, or falling tangan tangan, or whether a car or a flying pig hit a power pole, the point is, a 5-hour power outage is a 5-hour power outage.

Perhaps I should build a house right next door to Governor Fitial, so that every time the power goes out, I can run a long extension cord and "borrow" some of his power. Why not? I've been paying for his power bill for his mansion all these years as a taxpayer. Am I not entitled to some payback?

The next time I hear Governor Fitial claim that CUC is "no longer broken," I will also think about how he once promised the people of the CNMI he wouldn't use CNMI taxpayers' money to sue the U.S. over federalization.

Forget about Better Times. It is nothing more than Better Lies when it comes to this administration. See you at the polls in November Uncle Ben! Until then, you might want to forget about having Aggreko leave in September.

Ed Propst
Dandan, Saipan

Change we can't believe in...

CAMPAIGN season is in full swing. New jobs, new promises, and new slogans. While everyone is busy putting up political signs, I would like to address a few issues that still matter to each and every voter:

CRIME. Crime is running rampant. How bad is it? A friend parked their car outside my parents’ house, and they stole, of all things, the AIR BAG! Forget the stereo. They took the air bag because we were informed that some auto shops pay more for an air bag than a state-of-the-art sound system. An air bag?? Are you serious? I hope they don’t find out how much a good kidney is worth on the black market!

The scum who break in to our cars are the same scum who break in to our homes. They are the same scum who traffic and deal ice and try to sell it to our children. They are the same scum who will beg, borrow, and steal to play poker at 3AM in the morning while their children are asleep in their car parked outside. They are the same scum who will blame everything and everyone for their failures and their shortcomings in life without ever once looking in the mirror and taking an ounce of responsibility.

Since our judges are well-known for their compassion and acts of mercy via their slap-on-the-wrist sentencing, isn’t it time we pass legislation for mandatory sentencing? How about a Three-Strikes Law? How about mandatory sentencing for violent criminals? Sex offenders? Drug dealers? Whatever happened to “You do the crime, you do the time”? It seems to have been replaced with, “You do the crime, you say three Our Fathers and three Hail Mary’s and all is forgiven.” We are a kind people, but aren’t you getting sick and tired of having to add barbed wire to your fences and putting iron bars on your windows? IT IS WE, THE LAW-ABIDING GOOD CITIZENS OF THE CNMI WHO ARE BECOMING THE REAL PRISONERS!

HEALTH CARE. That’s a bit of an oxymoron here in the CNMI, isn’t it? Anyone been to CHC lately? Don’t you dare start talking about how lousy the doctors and nurses are. We have some great doctors, and it is sad to see several of them leaving so soon and so suddenly. If you want to blame someone for the sorry state-of-affairs at CHC, blame this administration. While political hiring is on the upswing and every government agency is seeing new faces and new contracts, CHC continues to be neglected. Two ER doctors left at CHC instead of eight. God forbid, what happens if there is a car accident and eight people are rushed to CHC in critical condition? Can CHC handle such a scenario? Hell no. They can’t even handle outpatient care. When we open up a state-of-the-art dialysis center that went from $7 million to $23 million, and no one is being arrested, we know we are SCREWED. Can you say change order via biba koruption? So, we will have a $23 million dialysis center, yet, we still do not have a nephrologist. No big deal. Hey, at least the dialysis center looks nice, and the air-con is pretty cold too!

Whatever happened to PREVENTATIVE measures? When it comes to diseases, it is far cheaper to prevent it than to treat it. How about getting with the rest of the world and passing anti-smoking legislation? The House passed it, and now it sits in the Senate, collecting dust. Why is that? Is it because some of our Senators are smokers? Is it because they think it is anti-business? If they read the evidence presented to them, 99.99 percent of businesses do better when they ban smoking. And to all the bar owners who think it is up to the customer and that they should have a choice of whether or not to go to a smoke-infested bar, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Have you ever for once thought about your worker, who is subjected to secondhand smoke day in and day out? Do not such workers have the right to clean air? It reminds me of the time when I saw an eight-month pregnant woman working in a bar as a waitress. How sad and how unfair, and how shameful that workers like her have no say when it comes to the safety of their heart and lungs. Wake up and smell the coffee. Tobacco kills, and it is a major contributor to all of our diseases and health problems today. If we can’t enact common sense laws that protect the health and well-being of the innocent, then we can forget about progress and change in the CNMI. When I see someone light up a cigarette next to my children and my very pregnant wife, I want to take the cigarette and extinguish it on their forehead for lacking common sense.

Here’s another thought. Why don’t we start treating doctors like medical professionals rather than political hires? How about we treat our doctors with the respect that they deserve? Anyone who goes to school for more than a decade and can save lives deserves a bit of respect, don’t you think? Stop treating them like cattle. They are not here to campaign for any politician. They are here to improve our health and well-being. We give a great deal of respect to our spiritual healers, our suruhanus and suruhanas. Let us extend that respect to our medical doctors. They are not miracle workers, but they have been known to perform miracles when given the right tools and an important thing called REST. Having a doctor work 12 to 16 hours a day? Not a good thing.

CUC. CUC is no longer broken?? I beg your pardon? We rented our generators via Aggreko when we could have BOUGHT brand new equivalent engines for less money. We could have saved millions had we brought in the unused generators from Tinian that we currently own. There were other options on the table, but we went with Aggreko. If CUC is no longer broken, why did we have two power outages in my village last weekend? Why do we still experience power outages? Oops, I forgot. Falling trees! That blasted tangan tangan always gets the best of us.

Supposedly, 53 megawatts of power have been restored, and Aggreko is scheduled to leave in September. How long will those 53 megawatts last? Probably shorter than an ice dealer’s prison sentence (that means less than a couple of months, just in case you didn’t know).

We had a three-day energy summit a little over a month ago. It was brilliant. But what has happened since then? As one of the presenters stated, “There is no magic bullet when it comes to energy.” The CNMI needs to get out of power distribution and open the market to independent power producers, and we need to make sure that any government official who tries to influence or benefit from these independent power producers via kickbacks will be tarred and feathered and caned by every single frustrated CUC customer who has been overcharged, disconnected, and disrespected. Yes, put that in the RFP please, and please allow me to be the first in line.

Historically speaking, the problem in the CNMI hasn’t been a lack of planning. It has always been a lack of execution and enforcement. It will continue to be this way until the day we actually see accountability, transparency, and equality in every corner of our government. Until then, the status quo will always exist and we will always be given change we can’t believe in. I am confident we will see change come November. I’ll bet my stocks in Aggreko on it.

Solving CHC

Commonwealth Health Center under the Fitial misadministration:

CUC Update # 452

This just in...

Fallen tree in Tinian causes island-wide Saipan power outage.

GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS!

Okay, the good news is, the power is back on.

The bad news is, Uncle Ben is still Governor.

LOL! Okay, on a serious note, can someone please name one government agency that Uncle Ben has not run in to the ground? Just one please.

CHC- Doctors leaving faster than beer being drunk at a Covenant Rally.

CUC - Needs no explanation.

DPS - 26 police officers file lawsuit, and counting... Unfairness, political promotions, but hey, what else is new with Uncle Ben's misadministration?

DPW - $56 million unused in CIP projects. Good to know they are finally using it. Can't wait to see if there are any "sole source" contracts of course...

DPL - Demolished MPLA because of alleged corruption and scandals. But of course, the Marpi Massacre was a good thing, right? Fast-tracking normal policies and procedures to put up homesteads? Hmmm, an election must be around the corner...hehehehe.

I could go on all night, but I just got done fanning my kids for two hours, so I am ready for bed.

When 2,000 people get together and shout "Four more years" I do not get worried...I actually get amazed at the power of political hiring and fear mongering.

Good to see that Ed Deleon Guerrero is with the Covenant Party. Oh well, birds of a feather...

Can't wait til November, when Fitial loses. I wonder how many of these Republicans-turned-Covenant will be running back begging for a job.

One more week, and this blog will be back in full swing. My mission? To say what needs to be said, and to work with the underground to get rid of a governor that has decimated the CNMI. There are no better times with him, and we can be guaranteed the WORST OF TIMES if we have four more years of lies, deception, sole-source contracts, greed, and of course, "volunteer" attorneys.

My chant up until November is, "NO MORE YEARS! NO MORE YEARS! NO MORE YEARS!" LOL!

TRAITORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Traitors...liars...you know who you are. SHAME SHAME SHAME!

More to come later.