MAY I weigh in on the $4.7 million earmarked against anticipated poker fee revenues for fiscal year 2009.
In its wisdom the Saipan and Northern Islands delegation of the CNMI legislature passed House Local bill 16-10 that is, at least to my mind, a bit strange.
I am a teacher at Marianas High School in the Public school System. I have lived in the Mariana islands for over twenty years.
Every election year we hear from the politicians about how “our children are our future.” And every year, after these same politicians take office, they fail to appropriate enough money to run the public schools. In fact, invariably whatever little money is appropriated is then later reduced by a million or so dollars.
Each year the public schools must rely on the largess of the private sector through contributions to address the basic needs of the students such as desks, books…toilet tissue.
Yet each year these fine public servants and supporters of the educational institutions of the CNMI can find money for baseball, fishing derbies, carnivals, and whatever other insane pet project benefits the few and not the public.
I have never understood the mentality of people who out of one side of their face speak to economic prosperity and out of the other side send every dollar that they can out of the community. SHEFA and every other public scholarship (it’s really a loan) in their current configuration should be discontinued.
The CNMI sends hundreds of thousands of dollars off-island to other institutions while neglecting Northern Marianas College. A student with a scholarship from Hawaii doesn’t get to use that scholarship in California. One might argue that NMC doesn’t offer certain courses. Well, how about the student going to NMC for the first two years and then transferring with a scholarship to another school. We can then save millions of dollars. I wonder how many of our politicians’ relatives are taking advantage of these “scholarships.”
The people of Rota voted for gambling in Rota. If they want gambling there, I say “have yourself a grand old time.” But why is the district of Saipan paying for the Rota Gaming Commission?…Well?
I’d like to know why we are subsidizing money for a trade “institute” that isn’t at NMC. Not to put too fine a point on it, but this smells bad.
Are people lined up on Navy Hill to play at the existing baseball field? Are they rioting because they missed their turn to play? Are they turning to drugs because they can’t play at Navy Hill because there aren’t enough baseball fields?
Is the public going to the marina and tripping over themselves in adulation of the fishing competitors. OK, I can’t find one reason to make fun of this activity. It’s just stupid to give public funds to people who can afford the boats and gear for this activity.
I apologize because I sometimes tend to ramble, but in any case I think you get my drift.
Then to top this nonsense off, I read in the paper that Pete Reyes attempts to chastise Tina Sablan for being the voice of reason and clarity. I’m not even going to address that. The article speaks for itself. I will say that the mantra of “I support education. Look at me, I donate my salary to education/Scholarship office” is getting thin.
On another topic, I received a copy of the governor’s latest declaration of martial law...I mean state of emergency on Monday, but I didn’t read about it in the paper until Thursday, I think. What is up with that? Was the print media not informed? Did they not think this a newsworthy item? Have they become so used to the state of emergency idea that it no longer impresses them or gets their attention?
To paraphrase one of the greatest poets of our time: the people can’t hit what the people can’t see, float like a butterfly and …
As to the allegations against Tim Villagomez, it doesn’t matter if he is guilty or not, the very appearance of the lt. governor being led away in handcuffs to federal court should be enough for him to voluntarily resign from office. Lt. Gov. Villagomez should honor the integrity of the office if not his own personal integrity. I’m sure he won’t but I could be wrong.
JOHN H. DAVIS JR.
Fina Sisu, Saipan
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This editorial was published in the Marianas Variety on Monday, August 18, 2008. You may read the editorial online at http://www.mvarietynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9323%3Aletter-to-the-editor-poker-fee-revenues&Itemid=23
In its wisdom the Saipan and Northern Islands delegation of the CNMI legislature passed House Local bill 16-10 that is, at least to my mind, a bit strange.
I am a teacher at Marianas High School in the Public school System. I have lived in the Mariana islands for over twenty years.
Every election year we hear from the politicians about how “our children are our future.” And every year, after these same politicians take office, they fail to appropriate enough money to run the public schools. In fact, invariably whatever little money is appropriated is then later reduced by a million or so dollars.
Each year the public schools must rely on the largess of the private sector through contributions to address the basic needs of the students such as desks, books…toilet tissue.
Yet each year these fine public servants and supporters of the educational institutions of the CNMI can find money for baseball, fishing derbies, carnivals, and whatever other insane pet project benefits the few and not the public.
I have never understood the mentality of people who out of one side of their face speak to economic prosperity and out of the other side send every dollar that they can out of the community. SHEFA and every other public scholarship (it’s really a loan) in their current configuration should be discontinued.
The CNMI sends hundreds of thousands of dollars off-island to other institutions while neglecting Northern Marianas College. A student with a scholarship from Hawaii doesn’t get to use that scholarship in California. One might argue that NMC doesn’t offer certain courses. Well, how about the student going to NMC for the first two years and then transferring with a scholarship to another school. We can then save millions of dollars. I wonder how many of our politicians’ relatives are taking advantage of these “scholarships.”
The people of Rota voted for gambling in Rota. If they want gambling there, I say “have yourself a grand old time.” But why is the district of Saipan paying for the Rota Gaming Commission?…Well?
I’d like to know why we are subsidizing money for a trade “institute” that isn’t at NMC. Not to put too fine a point on it, but this smells bad.
Are people lined up on Navy Hill to play at the existing baseball field? Are they rioting because they missed their turn to play? Are they turning to drugs because they can’t play at Navy Hill because there aren’t enough baseball fields?
Is the public going to the marina and tripping over themselves in adulation of the fishing competitors. OK, I can’t find one reason to make fun of this activity. It’s just stupid to give public funds to people who can afford the boats and gear for this activity.
I apologize because I sometimes tend to ramble, but in any case I think you get my drift.
Then to top this nonsense off, I read in the paper that Pete Reyes attempts to chastise Tina Sablan for being the voice of reason and clarity. I’m not even going to address that. The article speaks for itself. I will say that the mantra of “I support education. Look at me, I donate my salary to education/Scholarship office” is getting thin.
On another topic, I received a copy of the governor’s latest declaration of martial law...I mean state of emergency on Monday, but I didn’t read about it in the paper until Thursday, I think. What is up with that? Was the print media not informed? Did they not think this a newsworthy item? Have they become so used to the state of emergency idea that it no longer impresses them or gets their attention?
To paraphrase one of the greatest poets of our time: the people can’t hit what the people can’t see, float like a butterfly and …
As to the allegations against Tim Villagomez, it doesn’t matter if he is guilty or not, the very appearance of the lt. governor being led away in handcuffs to federal court should be enough for him to voluntarily resign from office. Lt. Gov. Villagomez should honor the integrity of the office if not his own personal integrity. I’m sure he won’t but I could be wrong.
JOHN H. DAVIS JR.
Fina Sisu, Saipan
--
This editorial was published in the Marianas Variety on Monday, August 18, 2008. You may read the editorial online at http://www.mvarietynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9323%3Aletter-to-the-editor-poker-fee-revenues&Itemid=23
