WITH the state of the commonwealth being bleak, I think that all the political infighting is something that citizens of the CNMI really want to see less of. From the shores of Pagan, to the power crisis of CUC, to the 13-year privatization analysis and talks of CUC, to Harry Blaylock’s stalking of former Governor Babauta, to California resident Peter Pangelinan Perez (Pagan Watch) political bashing of Senator Frica and elected leaders for reinstating JG Sablan’s mining permit, to California resident Dr. Camacho’s $40,000 contract, to CDA absolving CUC from it’s loan, to the two hour load shedding blues, to the Tinian and Rota delegation receiving $5,000 in per diem, to CHC having shortage of blood, doctors, nurses, money, to the furloughs, to the double dipping old folks that continue to be employed within the government, to the declining revenues we are faced with every year, to the decline in tourist numbers we receive every quarter, to the possible criminal charges being looked at into former Governor Babauta, to the rising cost of power, to the rising cost of fuel, to the rising cost of Chamorro steak (Spam), and to God knows what else. Is there any light at the end of the rainbow?
First, I don’t think that anything will result from looking into or filing any criminal charges against former Governor Babauta for a couple of reasons. A couple of years back, there was also talk of possible criminal charges being brought against former Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio and nothing ever resulted. Also, in Guam charges were brought against former Gov. Carl Guiterrez but he was acquitted of all charges resulting in the negative publicity against the Attorney General’s Office and the waste of taxpayers’ money associated with the unsuccessful prosecution of the case.
Second, I think people are tired of Harry Blaylock’s constant whining over former Governor Babauta, and Harry’s past criticism of our local citizens and businesses such as Melvin Faisao, Fermin Atalig, Ana Demapan-Castro and her son James Castro, Roselle Calvo and the Marianas Variety. Honestly, Harry, people are wondering if you had a thing for the former governor and he rejected your advances and that’s why you are so upset or was it because you were expecting to join the ranks of your 62 white Americans who were not offered a job during his administration?
Third, the talks of privatizing CUC had been going on for more than 12 years now. Three past administrations of paid consulting firms, a failed RFP and guess what? We’re still back to square one. The islandwide blackout that was caused by a flame tree falling on the lines triggering the “malafunction” of the generators is a sign that I am concerned with. After all, weren’t all generators built with a safety trip mechanism that will automatically trip of the generators to protect them from any damages resulting from power spikes or as what CUC public information officer would say, “the trip mechanism was rusted and stuck because the part we bought was defective and the other trip mechanism parts were used as a replacement breaker for the other breaker and the other breakers had too much oil so that’s why the breaker did not trip.”
There are a few people mainly from California who have never really lived on island but have been critical of our elected leaders especially concerning the JG Sablan mining project. I invite them to come and relocate here for 10 years or so and endure some of the hardships that many of us are going through rather than make accusations of Senator Frica and Senator Reyes or the other elected leaders for their conflict of interest or what have you. Mr. Perez (Pagan Watch) you should have taken a more proactive role in the protection of those giant clams that were given from Palau but ended up missing in action or either ended up as soup or kelaguen and the shell used as a show piece. I’m sure that if we pack enough C-4 inside all the active volcanoes in the NMI we can have enough pozzolan to issue more permits for the mining of this raw material.

DANNY AQUINO JR.
Susupe, Saipan