LACK Of Real and Meaningful NMD Participation in Decisions About Their Land
HAGÅTÑA — A Korean mountaineer, Kim Hong-bin, scaled the summit of the Broad Peak on July 18, culminating his long-awaited dream to scale all 14 peaks over 8,000 m. A crowning achievement, indeed. Only 43 climbers were blessed to possess this daunting record. Kim Hong-bin became the 44th hon…
NO matter where in the world you go, another island or other continent, travel is good for growth and understanding. The world is full of rich cultures and wonderful people, and the more of it we experience for ourselves the better.
THE late Hans Rosling, MD, in his brilliant book, “Factfulness,” noted that “fears that once helped keep our ancestors alive today, help keep journalists employed.” Rosling reminds us that the “world seems scarier than it is because what you hear about it has been selected — by your own atte…
IN a democracy, such as that of the United States and the CNMI where the people elect their own leaders, the constitution is the supreme law of the land. The constitution delineates the respective powers of the elected and appointed officials in each of the three branches of government. The …
THE Department of Lands and Natural Resources’ announcement last week barring bicycles along the Gov. Froilan C. Tenorio Beach Road Pathway stirred discussions throughout our community about road safety and the pros and cons of this directive.
BELIEVE it or not, the Governor figuratively wants us to think “the sky is falling” with his announcement to run again for office. Does he think that the majority of voters are gullible enough to vote for him again! FYI Governor, WE the People already saw this movie with Governor Fitial when…
JULY 26, 2021, marks the 31st Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA, in my opinion, is the greatest piece of civil rights legislation created for people with disabilities. Basically, the ADA prevents discrimination based on disability in areas such as, employment; acces…
“What looks like tomorrow’s problem is rarely the real problem when tomorrow rolls around.”
THE Governor’s Covid-19 Task Force has been aggressive in its vaccination campaign in the past several months to help the Marianas reach herd immunity.
THE South China Sea is an important gateway connecting the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and has close relations with Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN countries. So maintaining a peaceful environment in these waters is very important for countries in the South China Sea …
I TOOK a walk along the beach in the early morning. The sun emerged from its slumber, casting warm rays over me and the few vessels I saw in the water. I imagined what it must be like for the crews of those ships to wake this day, sleep in their eyes, coffee in hand, as they begin the endl…
THERE is often talk about the “end-of-days” in the religious community but it’s clear the Republicans in the CNMI are facing the “end-times” of their archaic dynasty or should I say “autocracy” (tyranny) as no one can say that WE the People have prospered in any way over the past two decades…
AS someone who has an insatiable appetite for politics and history, I followed Gov. Ralph Torres entrance into politics back in the election of 2007. He was running for a House seat in election precinct I of which he won decisively. His youthful appeal and millennial voters' hunger for gener…
ON Feb. 7, 1975, Marianas Variety included a news story regarding the State of the Marianas District message of the district administrator or DistAd, Francisco C. Ada. At the time the NMI was still one of the six districts of the U.S.-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. The …
THIS summer, the Marianas will be holding several festivities that will provide exciting experiences at the perfect time — as we launch the reopening of our tourism economy.
HAFA Adai Sen. Francisco Q. Cruz and members of the Senate Executive Appointment and Governmental Investigation!
HAFA Adai Sen. Francisco Q. Cruz and members of the Senate Executive Appointment and Governmental Investigation!
WHILE nations fight it out for control of the Pacific, below the waves there are other problems that demand attention. I am speaking of the eminent collapse of the marine life. Hopefully, over the years, I have established a reputation of being level-headed, not prone to rush judgments or …
THERE was a time when TV was considered the bane of modern civilization. Intelligent people called it the idiot box. For the sake of humanity, some concerned parents — and educators — wanted all of us to observe “No TV Day”…preferably every day.
ON June 30, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Vice Minister Seong-Kyu Hwang from the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport signed a historic agreement to establish a travel bubble between the Marianas and South Korea, the first of its kind out of Korea.
BEING a Political Scientist, it was obvious to me that some real education was needed to address elkapitan’s comments that were as long as my last Sunrise Report on “eating pudding or slop.” First and foremost, readers need to know that Politics is the ultimate “TEAM SPORT” driven by the ma…
WE often throw around phrases like “those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it” and “to understand the present you must first understand the past.” I just finished a book that breathes life into those words.
GENEVA — Fifty years ago, President Richard Nixon declared that drug abuse was “public enemy number one” requiring a “tough on crime” approach in the United States and abroad. The “war on drugs,” which expanded in parallel with the global political, military, economic, and cultural hegemony …
THE bills and resolutions introduced in the Senate of the Sixth Congress of Micronesia, which convened on Saipan in Jan. 1975, included measures to 1) appropriate $10,000 (worth about $50,000 today) for improving the facilities of the Saipan Farmers Market; 2) appropriate $15,000 (75,000 in …
THIS past week, the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers made a presentation in Tinian that further examines the potential of marketing The Marianas as a “Multi-Island Integrated Destination.” Gov. Ralph DLG Torres led the discussion as we shared our commissioned report with Tinian Mayor …
WHEN I moved to Saipan 12 years ago, Taeko Castro was one of the first people I met. It is no exaggeration to say I could not have survived without her. She taught me so much about islanders and life on Saipan and even about myself. She is an extraordinary woman with an island-sized heart.
BEING an African-American and seeing the official recognition of “Juneteenth” gave me pause to reflect and appreciate this small step forward in America for the evolution of African-Americans as being truly respected, appreciated and honored for their role in America’s History. But it’s just…
IN 1975, Marianas Variety was a three-year-old, weekly 12-page newspaper whose copies were sold for 10 cents each. On the front-page of the year’s first issue was a news story regarding the Trust Territory Committee on Gambling’s request for a moratorium on the purchase and importation of s…
THE Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers is on Tinian this weekend for its monthly meeting and the council’s Public Private Partnership project. Both events seek to actively engage Tinian in discussions about its important role in the efforts to promote the Marianas as a “Multi-Island Int…
AS a follow-up to last week’s account of our journey around the Keweenaw in Lake Superior, I wanted to share a particular aspect of our unforgettable run. As Nathan and I pushed forward against the sea, sometimes benign and sometimes malignant, it always reassured us to see the next lightho…
BEING an Economist, the recent CDA change reminded me of what one of my daughters told me when she was my student in high school, “they (our Government) don’t do anything until they HAVE TO” and it’s clear these Republicans with the help of Democrats were finally convinced to “formally addre…
INSTEAD of considering a “universal garbage collection” that will involve the CNMI government — the islands’ most notorious delinquent debtor — concerned citizens may want to look into Pittsburgh’s “Litter League” competition. Like most things useful and beneficial, it’s an idea from people…
OUR friends at the Marianas Visitors Authority launched the Hafa Adai & Tirow Pledge and are taking the right steps to ensure that we continue to provide authentic Marianas experiences for our visitors. Proposed by the Saipan Chamber of Commerce through its president Joe Guerrero, the Ha…
AT the point of no return, I started thinking I may have made a big mistake.
ON the front page of Marianas Variety’s first issue in Jan. 1974 was a news article regarding the Trust Territory government’s “standby plan for the rationing of gasoline on Saipan.” It involved the distribution of printed ration cards that “would identify the station from which each cardhol…
THIS has been a positively eventful week for The Marianas. The Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers thanks Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, Lt. Gov Arnold I. Palacios, and the entire 22nd Commonwealth Legislature for their valuable support in enacting Public Law 22-01 establishing the Commonwealth …
The following is the text of the remarks made by NMC's Class of 2021 commencement speaker to his fellow graduates at Saipan World Resort on May 21, 2021. He completed his Associates in Arts in Business degree this year.
The following is the text of the commencement speech of Eun Ho An at the Hyatt Regency on May 21, 2021. She has completed her Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Education, and is now working on her Associate of Applied Science degree in Business Administration with an emph…
I AM probably the closest thing to a “watch-dog agency” in the CNMI and being an Economist, I couldn’t help but to take interest in the recent disclosed “Recovery Plan” that is temporary and not one for the future as claimed. The Governor is gaslighting more than anything, as it aims to revi…
IF you are of the opinion that the Pacific stands on the threshold of major change, I agree with you. As the Covid era draws to a close, the next few years will bring changes that will affect the next several generations of islanders. Let us consider some of the major topics on the table.
ARE the Republicans under some kind of “Voodoo Spell” or what as they seem to only be able to think of Gambling for the CNMI. The recent assertion by Rep. Leepan T. Guerrero to try and institute “internet gaming” FOR IPI even though this matter is still under investigation as it seems he was…
“EDUCATION on Saipan and probably elsewhere in Micronesia is in a desperate situation,” said a Marianas High School teacher who was originally from the states. In a letter to Variety’s editor, the teacher noted that an “increasing number of students are entering our schools and the budget do…
THE Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers supports the establishment of the Infrastructure and Recovery Program or IRP to capitalize on the over $1 billion in funds for disaster relief and infrastructure projects. These funds will fast-track our economic recovery, mitigate the economic los…
IT is really MORE than the same thing over and over again (Déjà vu) with the Medical Referral Program because these Republicans have used what many Economists Call “Voodoo Economics.” How can you operate a “Government Program working under a Private Cooperation with costs into the multiple-…
THE CNMI is DETERIORATING right in front of our eyes when WE the People actually infers that the People really control our government. But I’m sure most voters are coming to the realization that WE the People really don’t control anything nor dictate Government activity under Republican con…
A RECENT story of a deadly shark attack in Australia got islanders talking. Are there sharks in the Marianas? Yes. Could something like that happen here? Again, yes. What can we do to protect ourselves? Much, because knowledge is power. If you remember even one of the following points …
The son of CNMI founding father Edward DLG Pangelinan, the author delivered the following remarks during the Memorial Day service in Astoria, Illinois this year before a large crowd of members of the American Legion, the Chamber of Commerce and citizens of the city.
THE banner headline of Marianas Variety’s June 9, 1972 issue was “GOVERNMENT CENSORING RADIO STATION NEWS.”
AS Rota warmly welcomed the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers with its famous “Aluf” or hand wave, its residents and leaders also welcomed our initiatives and projects, embracing the unified movement to improve the quality of life in the Marianas.
