Pension Obligation Bonds --HLI 17-1

The proposed amendments to our CNMI Constitution includes HLI 17-1, to allow Pension Obligation Bonds (POBs).

I've written a fairly neutral evaluation of the proposal, posted it at MLSC's Day In Court Blog.

Having started my study of the subject with no pre-conceived notions and being open to the proposal, I'm surprised that I am now completely opposed to this amendment.

I've read a lot of what Bill Stewart has written on POBs and on the NMI Retirement Fund. I've also read news articles by proponents and checked a bit on other jurisdictions that use these.

THE NMIRF: I feel for the retirees and those still working but in the retirement system who have actually worked hard and given good service to the CNMI. They are at risk of losing their retirement because of the mismanagement of the Fund. Whether you blame the Fund managers directly or the Legislature for its faulty design of the system, or the Executive branch and autonomous agencies that have failed to pay their contributions as mandated by law, it's clear that the Fund is not adequate for the purpose of pensions for all those who are in the system--part of the DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN (DBP).

The problem will be limited in time, however, because new hires of the CNMI government are not in the system. They are now essentially on their own, with the option to create their own IRAs. Eventually, the last member of the NMIRF Defined Benefit Plan will die and the pension system will cease to exist.

In the meantime, however, the unfunded portion of the NMIRF's liability to its members can grow because some are still working for the government. As the government continues to fail to pay all that is needed to cover its contributions for such workers, the unfunded gap widens. As events cause inflation and other problems, the unfunded gap can widen. If the Fund loses on its market investments, the unfunded liability can grow. Even the miscalculation on the estimates of the liability--if retirees live longer than expected, for example--can mean the unfunded liability will grow.

The need to address this situation for those CNMI employees who have already retired as well as those still in the pipeline is critical. While there are and have been do-nothing employees who have gotten the benefits of the NMIRF, there are real people who have done their civil service honorably, too. The fiscal soundness of the NMIRF is important to each of these workers for their future. It is important to the CNMI for its integrity.

Nothing in my opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment denies my recognition of the importance of the CNMI in meeting its obligation to its retirees.

Pension Obligation Bonds: The problems I have with the POBs is that I think the benefits from POBs are significantly less than the costs. They will not fix the retirement fund problem completely, but they could bring the CNMI to the brink of bankruptcy and most certainly would weigh down the next two or three generations with staggering debt.

The proposal bandied about says $200million in POBs, but the constitutional amendment imposes no such limit. Anyway, the $200million figure would leave about 25% of the NMIRF liability still unfunded. And the pressure to use POBs for the rest would be great.

While the amount of the unfunded liability can be estimated right now, it can also grow. But more significantly, the constituitional amendment is written in terms of what the CNMI owes the NMIRF (not the real "unfunded liaibility" which is what the NMIRF owes its DBP members). There is no ceiling on what that debt can become. If the CNMI fails to pay again and again, that debt rises; and then there can be greater amounts of POBs. And the CNMI will owe so much on the POBs, and nothing will be protected.

In balancing the needs and rights of the retirees with the needs and rights of future taxpayers of the CNMI, I just can't support the POBs.

I can't trust either our Government or the NMIRF to be fiscally responsible with a tool as dangerous and powerful as Pension Obligation Bonds when the past shows that both have been reckless and irresponsible with basic powers.

Even now, the Legislature keeps offering perks to retirees like double-dipping and early withdrawal without penalty. They have an interest themselves, as they want to get these benefits.

No--our children will already have to face the debts created by the government and NMIRF. If the Legislature thinks the POBs are a solution, they will do nothing to change. And the problem will not only continue, it will get worse, especially when we can't pay the obligation on the POBs.

We don't need to make our CNMI fiscal problems worse by borrowing money that MUST be paid back ON TIME. We aren't going to successfully borrow our way out of the NMIRF debt.

November 2010 Election

I'm passing on the following informative message (below) from our current representative to the US Congress, Gregorio (Kilili) Sablan.

Besides the election for his position, there are also three CNMI Constitutional amendments on the ballot. You can get some information about them from the MLSC blog, Day In Court. They are HLI 16-13, HLI 16-18, and HLI 17-1 (post pending).

On Tuesday, November 2 the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands elect their Delegate to the United States House of Representatives. It is an important election you should not miss.

...

Exercise your right to vote. Here’s how:

You are a registered voter if your name is in the voter list of the Commonwealth Election Commission. Click here.

Absentee Ballot
If you are registered voter who resides outside the Commonwealth, you must apply for an absentee voter ballot. Download the application form here. Then mail the completed form to:

The Commonwealth Election Commission
P.O. Box 500470

Saipan, MP 96950-0470

There is NO need to notarize your completed form. Your ballot will be mailed to you. This is important: Be sure your application includes the address where you want to receive your ballot. The ballot cannot be forwarded to another address; and the Election Commission cannot provide a replacement ballot if you change the address you put on your application.

Registration
You must be registered to vote; and voter registration ends September 3, 2010. If you have never registered or did not vote in the last election, you need to register. On Saipan go to the Commonwealth Election Commission in Susupe (formerly the U.S. Passport Office). Bring a copy of your birth certificate, current United States passport, or naturalization documents. The Election office is open Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Click here to download the Affidavit on Application for Voter Registration.

On Rota register with Ms. Lelanie I. Manglona or Ms. Josepha A. Barcinas. Tinian residents may register with Mr. Jose P. Kiyoshi or Mr. Donald M. Hofschneider. Residents of the Northern Islands register by contacting the Election Commission via the government radios maintained by EMO.

To register you must:

1. Be at least 18 years old on or before November 2, 2010;
2. Be domiciled in the Commonwealth;
3. Have resided in the Commonwealth for 120 days prior to the day of the election;
4. Not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction;
5. Not have been declared by a court to be judicially insane; and
6. Be either a citizen or national of the United States as defined in the Northern Mariana Islands Constitution.


For more information contact the Election Commission at 670-664-VOTE(8683) or info@votecnmi.gov.mp.

Remember: let your choice be counted.

Thanks, Kilili, for the clear and timely information.

Student Contest-Marine Protection

More details and contest rules are available through the Saipan Tribune's article here.

You can learn about the education and protection efforts of Guam Coastal Management Program at their environmental education website.

CNMI's Sex Offender Registry

The CNMI's Sex Offender Registry is now on-line. To get to a listing of sex offenders in Saipan, you take these steps:

1. agree to the terms of use
2. click on geographic search
3. type in the verification code that appears
4. in the geographic search area type in zip code (96950 for Saipan; 96951 for Tinian, 96952 for Rota) and click on the button to show within zip code
5. presto-a listing appears

I would encourage everyone in the CNMI to check out the listing.

If you are a parent, watch out yourself and show these to your children who may be vulnerable (provided they are mature enough to understand).

If you are dating, avoid these men. [I know-perhaps there is a gem in there who has recovered, but... We haven't yet learned how to address sexual offenders--we don't know the causes of their problematic conduct; we have limited-to-no success with rehabilitation; we see a lot of recidivism among this category of criminal offender. And sometimes there are years between episodes of criminal conduct.]

If you are a teacher, care-giver, concerned citizen, member of this community--watch and pay attention.

It's good we finally have a listing and some photos to go with it, and some publicity about this development. It isn't perfect--there are listings without photos; lots of listings where the criminal offense is missing [Hattori, Hernandez, Ikesil, Ilisari, Kaipat, Kosam, LImes, Lizama, Omar, Rabauliman, Reklai, Rios, Marce Romolor, JR Sablan, Santos, Sikyang, Taisacan, Taivero, Tamag, Tarkong, Valdez, Wisewell, Yamut). In the geographic search, Bamba shows up on the Saipan list, but he's in San Jose, Tinian; Iano an dAtalig show up on the Tinian list, but they're in Rota. --Kinks in the data input.

Some of the offenders are listed as "absconded"--meaning they have failed to register and there present whereabouts are unknown. They could be here or have left.

No doubt, also, there are other sexual predators who are not on this list, so there is no room for complacency.

Still, we are making progress in protecting our community and this on-line listing is one step in the right direction.

Liberation Day Parade

I've lived in Saipan for more than 25 years, and I've been to approximately three Liberation Day parades, before today. I don't much like crowds and heat, and the 4th of July festivities usually involve both. Today, I went to support Anna Rose and the rest of the Saipan members of the Pride of the Pacific marching band. Anna Rose plays trombone in the SSHS Manta Ray Band (advanced band 1).



The parade hasn't changed much in the 25 years since I've been here. There is still a shanty-town of plywood booths for the "festival" across the way. There is the temporary parade stand (elevated platform resting on old barrels) in bunting (typically plastic now, rather than palm and pandanus). The police lead off with motorcycles, a color guard and cadets. But there is no longer a bull pulling an oxcart.






This photo by Junhan Todeno, Marianas Variety

This summer, students from all levels of the Manta band, including those already graduated from school and now "former" members, and musicians from the Pacific Winds joined forces with Guam musicians to create an ad hoc band to march in the parade. Approximately 25 musicians from Saipan participated in the parade performance, including Atsuko Eck (on the small saxophone), who blended in with the students!



Ten musicians (all students, I think) came from Guam, along with Jayke Mafnas (Guam Territorial Band leader, UOG music major and marching band guru, drum majorette, etc.). Will DeWitt of SSHS and Max Ronquillo of Guam's George Washington High School directed the music preparation.







The musicians marched along beach road in the parade route from Saipan Office Supply to Kristo Rai Church. It rained at 10 AM, the parade scheduled start time. Then the sum came out and created a scorching steam bath from the water just dumped by the passing clouds. It was hot!







The band sounded great. When they got to the shaded platform for dignitaries and did their little special marching drill and playing, they maintained their formations, kept beat, and just did a great job.








Afterwards, they posed for some photos, cooled off in the shade and drank a ton of water.





The performance was the first time a "home-grown" marching band has performed in the Saipan Liberation Day parade.

They had learned their marching drills in about 3 days time--working from 7:30 AM to 6:30 PM, practicing their formations at the SSHS parking lot.







I'm reallly glad Anna Rose and the other students had the chance to do this. Thanks to Will deWitt, Max Ronquillo, and especially Jayke Mafnas for working with our students on this new endeavor.

And back at the parade grounds--I didn't stay for the rest. I had seen the color guard, the police cadets, and the JROTC. The Neighborhood Watch, in their green shirts, followed the band, and were waiting to get into the shade. As I was leaving, I heard the Falun Dafa group, with their gongs and music. But it was hot, so I headed for some air conditioning and a nice, tall glass of iced tea.

Happy Liberation Day. And happy Fourth of July.


EDIT/ADDENDUM: A big thank you, dangkolo si yuuse maase, ghilisou, to the Beautify CNMI team who cleaned up.

A Need To Know

Freshening breezes and some real rain (a downpour Sunday night/Monday morning and some passing cloudbursts since). Could be the approach of rainy season.
_____________________________

With the arrest of Angel Jess Santos, one of the alleged perpetrators of the rape of the Kagman girl, there's been a demand for more information, more accountability on what's being done by law enforcement here in Saipan. The other two alleged perpetrators remain at large. We have heard nothing yet on arrests for the rape of the girl in CK. We are waiting on other cases, too.

There is no internet access to the names on the sex offender registry; DPS only posts general information about this supposed enforcement tool. Wendy discusses the need for this to be made public and available to all in a recent blog post. We should be demanding better response from our DPS on this.

Without the registry, it's hard for the public to keep track.

This would be an excellent topic for a series of articles by the newspapers. They could list the names of all arrested for sex abuse, sexual molestation, statutory rape, rape and assaults with intent to molest or rape--by year, giving the charges made. They could let us know who was convicted, what cases are still pending, and what cases are over without convictions. They could let us know if cases were mishandled or dropped or dismissed. They could do a study of sentences handed out to those convicted. They could tell us who's still in jail and who is out--and what role parole played in the release of sex offenders. They could focus on sex abuse of minors. Or they could feature different types of sex abuse each day. We've got plenty to go around here in Saipan.

They could talk with experts about what parents and teachers should do to teach their sons to respect girls and women; what they should do to help girls stay safe and demand the respect they are entitled to.

They could talk with CHC officials about what a victim may experience once at the hospital. And tell us if the rumors that there are no unexpired DNA kits in Saipan is true or not. Besides getting evidence and taking care of physical injuries, what help is available to the victim?

There's a good start on the names of Saipan's pedophiles and alleged perpetrators/pedophiles at the Isa Drive blog. It only included 52 names. In April 2009, DPS said they had 122 names on their sex offender registry.

But we need investigative journalism. The 4th estate is essential to preserve our liberty. And being able to be a child and be free from molestation, to be a teen and walk to and from school without being raped, these are are essential aspects of liberty.

If you start clicking on the names from Isa Drive's blog, you'll find many, many of them are reports of arrest; if you try to find out what happened (do a search on the newspaper archives, e.g.), you get nothing. The newspapers are reporting arrests, and not following up.

It also seems that Isa Drive's list omits some names including Angel Palacios, Salden Manuel and Daniel Johnny, Denmar Malabanan, Geoffrey K. Cabreraand Michael J. Dodd (although he's left the CNMI).

And another news report from 2007 told us about two sex offenders from Guam who moved to the CNMI and failed to register. This is why we need a sex offender's registry. We the public can't keep track. We don't know who was convicted; we don't know who is still here and who has left; we don't know who has moved here from elsewhere.

And we need to know. Before more bad things happen.

Free Thespian Showcase Tonight

FREE SHOW! Please come.



Besides the play, the Team CNMI Thespians will present their individual event pieces for their competitions in tonight's showcase.

(Nice write-up in the Variety.)