Saipan — This month, the 24th Legislature of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will convene, and its members will deliver speeches and say things as if they have never been said before, while members of the public will applaud and nod their heads as if they have never heard the same speeches before.
On inauguration day in 2006, the new speaker of the 15th House of Representatives talked about how “so weary [he was] of the dire financial straits of our local government…. This is one of the biggest challenges facing each and every policymaker henceforth…. I need not belabor the issues and challenges that we face as we begin this year. We owe it to our people to work together to build real opportunities from planned wealth and job creations now waiting in the wings. Yes, I am also hopeful that as we come to terms with the obvious, [we will] streamlin[e] government expenses in the interest of being able to retire our deficit…while opening real opportunities for fresh investments. Therefore, seek revenues to pay for basic vital services.”
One of the more vocal members of the minority bloc, for his part, said, “The economy has to be priority number one. We cannot overspend. Deficit is a bad word. It is worse than a bad word, it is unconstitutional. The main question that is facing all of us in the commonwealth is: ‘Are we truly going to see ‘Better Times’ [as promised by the administration]…or will we struggle again with another self-serving administration that will lead us into the turmoil of ‘Bitter Times’? I am obligated to represent not only my constituents, but I am also obligated to make sure that our commonwealth does not become victimized by greed and corruption.”
In a general election three years later, this vocal member of the minority bloc became one of the staunchest supporters of the “self-serving” governor he had called “corrupt.”
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
During the inaugural session of the 16th House in January 2008, the economy was still in the dumps and, despite what the administration had promised, there was no “Better Times” in sight. The population was going down because of the declining economy, and so was the government’s revenue base. And yet, the 16th CNMI House gained two additional seats. Why? Because two very concerned citizens — one was a senator, and the other a future candidate for governor — petitioned the CNMI Supreme Court to reduce the number of House seats from 18 to 14. You’ve read that right. The petition was for fewer House seats. The local high court instead added two seats, citing year-2000 Census data, and never mind that the population in 2008 had already shrunk significantly.
“Good intentions” say hello to “unintended consequences.”
In his inaugural speech in January 2008, the minority leader (the former speaker) noted that the new legislature had “many young guns, both men and women, and I sincerely appreciate their thoughts and will accept comments from our newly elected members, primarily the youthfulness of their expertise.” Two of the new members were lawyers.
The new speaker (who would be elected lieutenant governor in 2018 and governor in 2022) noted that they “face a crisis of confidence in government. People will tell you that they have lost faith and that they see [Capital] Hill [the CNMI’s seat of government] as a place [where] well-connected friends are enriched, politicians make promises they do not keep, and decisions are made regardless [of] the consequences [to] the daily struggles and plights of families and businesses. Our people are deserving of so much more from [their] leaders.
"I call on all of you to restore the people’s confidence. We do this by making government a staunch defender of fairness and opportunity for all. We do this by making government come through on its promises for a better and prosperous commonwealth. We do this by making government a reflection of what is good and what is right about the commonwealth. We do this by making government an institution that everyone can be proud to call their own.
"When we say that the basic duty of the House is to serve as voice of the people, that is not mere rhetoric. It is the constitutional truth. Here in the House, our basic responsibility is to listen to the concerns of the people, to debate the issues, and, at the end, to resolve the problems we face. My colleagues, the time for action—the right action— is now. We need a plan to succeed, not a shoot-from-the-hip strategy destined to fail, but one that strives for sustainable growth. Let us…advance initiative[s] to put our economy on a way to recovery.
We need a fiercely competitive destination market; our tourism industry and promotional efforts must be enhanced by the unique and distinctive culture of the Northern Marianas. We must also develop and follow through the concrete plans to seize opportunities and take advantage of the military buildup in Guam. This will require additional promotional funding for [the Marianas Visitors Authority].
"Finally, we must not forget our constitutional commitment to our children’s education. When we do not provide basic school supplies, when we do not provide adequate facilities, when we do not place schools as a budget priority, we endanger our livelihood, our future, and our ability to inspire our young children to work harder and to strive to be better citizens. I challenge you, my colleagues, not to shortchange the education of our children.
"[This] legislature can be a start of a new and great commonwealth. As leaders, we must be open to the thought of thinking outside the box and trying new things. We must forge a way of new policymaking, a new way of prioritizing the needs of the commonwealth together as a whole. Saipan, Rota, Tinian and the Northern Islands; we are all together in this venture called the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. We must work together.”
Fast forward to December 2024. In a letter to the editor, a very concerned citizen wrote: “Two years into the current administration, frustration has reached a boiling point. CNMI residents like myself are grappling with a reality where life has grown increasingly difficult, and the promises of a brighter future remain unfulfilled. It’s time for the administration to take a hard look in the mirror and accept responsibility. The truth is clear — under their watch, things have gotten worse. It’s time for drastic changes.”
Change! A curiously old concept that, in politics, will never be out of fashion.
Zaldy Dandan is editor of the CNMI’s oldest newspaper, Marianas Variety. His fourth book, “If He Isn’t Insane Then He Should Be: Stories & Poems from Saipan,” is available on amazon.com/.
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