A sad day across the Marianas Archipelago as Benigno Repeki Fitial resigned today as Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
(CNMI). Some of my friends from the
North may disagree with the first sentence of this post. Many love him, many hate him. To me, Governor
Fitial is one of the most interesting men I have had the privilege of working
with in my professional life.
I first met him while getting a Joint Communique of the
Micronesian Chief Executives Summit signed just days after his inauguration on
January 9, 2006. This kind man, somewhat of a
throw-back to the days of the Trust Territories of the Pacific was very firm
when I asked for his signature. "What's this for?", he asked me. I
told him it was for my former boss and then Guam Governor Felix Camacho and the
leaders of Western Micronesia. "Ok," Fitial responded."But since
the Governor sent you here and you are asking, I guess I better sign." He
signed the document with a coy smile. Not
what I expected from our first meeting.
The exchange was the start to a relationship that I will cherish always.
From our interactions at the Nine of the Chiefs
Summits from Yap to Saipan to Guam to Palau to many meetings on Capitol Hill and
the Federal Region IX in California, Governor Fitial has always put the needs
of the people of the CNMI first in his talks and foremost in front of every federal
bureaucrats. He and First Lady Josie were always great ambassadors of the
people of the NMI every where they went.
Also, Governor Fitial was a great storyteller, joke teller and karaoke singer. Though he has been troubled with back problems and other health issues, his smile has lit up rooms all over the region and the across the world in his travels.
But these anecdotes may only be footnotes in history of a
tumultuous term of a one of the most storied leaders of Micronesia. What was Fitial up against? The economy of
the CNMI was brought to its knees by a vindictive political machine in
Washington DC led by California Congressman George Miller who spearheaded the
increase of the minimum wage in 2007 and a federal takeover of immigration into
the Commonwealth in 2008-all linked to the CNMI's relationship with convicted
felon and disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
The end result was the loss of manufacturing and tax revenues. Additionally, neglect and lack of resources
placed Saipan's fragile power and water system in the crosshairs of federal
regulators which forced more controls and a lack of technical assistance to
give the people a modern utility infrastructure. The end result has been continued
rolling blackouts and brackish water. These
are just two of the myriad of issues facing this Carolinian and Satawalese
raised historian, businessman and dedicated family man each day since elected
Governor.
Toss in the fact that his first Lieutenant Governor was convicted on federal
fraud charges and the CNMI House of Representatives and Senate for seven years blocked the
creation of substantive local policy for the benefit of all the people of the
NMI, Governor Fitial governed to the best of his ability up into his final day
in office.
When the smoke clears from Ben Fitial's resignation, what is next
for the Office of the Governor of the CNMI?
I am a big fan of Lieutenant Governor and now Governor Eloy Inos. The two giants of the CNMI political
landscape have not always saw eye to eye.
Both have had disagreements-publically and privately. But now, with Fitial out the entire CNMI and
region is looking to Inos to move the Northern Marianas forward and improve
upon some of the good work the duo accomplished together.
How will the people
respond? Will it be better? Will it be much of the same? If it is the latter, no one can put the blame
of a people's woes on the back of one of Micronesia's great statesman.
We all wish Governor Inos and the people of
the CNMI luck as a new chapter opens in the Commonwealth's history. Inos does have his hands full. Let's see
where the new leadership takes the people of the CNMI.