Characters:
Chief Malo – The wise but increasingly confused leader of the island.
Uncle Tupi – The island’s storyteller and coconut wine enthusiast.
Miss Lani – The village’s most ambitious woman, who dreams of riches.
Mr. Wong – The slick, fast-talking businessman from overseas.
Captain Louie – The leader of the so-called “Helpers,” who arrived first with promises of an easier life.
Once upon a time, deep in the Pacific, there was a small island nation called Koro-Koro. It was a paradise where everyone shared, worked hard, and helped one another. Life was simple—the fish were plenty, the coconuts were free, and the sunsets were unmatched. Children played in the waves, elders told stories under the moon, and laughter echoed through the palm trees. There were no locks on doors, no hunger, no greed—only the harmony of a self-sufficient community. But one day, that all changed.
The Arrival of the "Helpers"
One bright morning, the islanders awoke to find a massive boat anchored offshore. It was the biggest ship they had ever seen, towering over their tiny canoes. From it poured hundreds of people—men in mismatched suits, women in sparkly dresses, and folks carrying strange rectangular objects they called phones. These people didn’t look hungry or tired; in fact, they looked… confident. Too confident. Their leader, Captain Louie, stepped forward, flashing an unnaturally wide smile that seemed to stretch from ear to ear.
“People of Koro-Koro!” he bellowed, his voice unnervingly smooth. “We bring help! You work too hard! Why fish when you can have fun? Why farm when you can relax? We will teach you the ways of the world!”
The islanders, intrigued but naive, welcomed the newcomers with open arms. Soon, the "Helpers" built new houses for themselves—tall, foreign-looking structures made of strange materials. But oddly enough, no new homes were built for the islanders. They introduced strange things like junk food, laziness, and bad TV dramas. They convinced Chief Malo to tax fishing but encouraged gambling. The islanders stopped working, got a little rounder, and spent their days playing a game called Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? which, oddly enough, no one ever won. Productivity plummeted, but no one cared because they had entertainment now. The once peaceful island was now filled with noise—loud music, endless chatter, and the constant hum of electricity.
The Arrival of the "Businessmen"
Just as the islanders were adjusting to their new, easier lifestyle, another boat arrived. This one was bigger, shinier, and carried men in gold-trimmed suits, carrying briefcases stuffed with paper. They walked with a swagger, their polished shoes crunching over the shells and sand like they owned the place already. Their leader, Mr. Wong, stepped forward and delivered a speech in perfectly rehearsed island-accented English.
“Ahhh, beautiful Koro-Koro!” he said. “You are so lucky! We bring opportunity! We will make you rich! All you have to do… is give us just a little bit of your island.”
Miss Lani, who had always dreamed of becoming wealthy, stepped up. She had seen the glamorous lives of people on the “Helper’s” screens, and she wanted in. “How much money?” she asked suspiciously.
Mr. Wong smiled, showing too many teeth. “Millions! Billions! Trillions! Just sign here.”
Miss Lani, eyes full of dollar signs, convinced Chief Malo and the others to agree. The businessmen built casinos, resorts, and shopping malls, but for some reason, all the islanders could afford were plastic sandals and instant noodles. The land they gave up? That was turned into a private beach, guarded by men with sunglasses who never smiled. The promised “billions” turned out to be nothing more than pennies, disguised as riches. The contracts were in small print, and no one had thought to read them.
The Great Fall
As the months passed, Koro-Koro changed. The once blue waters turned brown with garbage, plastic and waste choking the coral reefs. The once cheerful children now sat inside, glued to tiny screens, their laughter replaced by mindless scrolling. The coconut trees were replaced with billboards advertising things the islanders could never afford—perfumes, cars, luxury watches. The island’s name became a joke in international news: "Koro-Koro: From Paradise to Trash Island".
Uncle Tupi, the only one who still remembered the old ways, sighed as he watched Miss Lani argue with Mr. Wong about why her millions looked suspiciously like pennies.
“I warned you all,” he muttered to himself, sipping his coconut wine. “Smiling faces, empty promises… same old story.”
One day, the islanders woke up and realized the businessmen were gone. The Helpers had vanished. The fancy buildings were abandoned. The wealth? It never really existed. The island was left in ruins, and the people of Koro-Koro had no fish, no land, and no dignity. What once was paradise was now just another exploited, forgotten place.
The Moral
Chief Malo, now an old, tired man, stood before his people and spoke the final words of wisdom:
“Never trust boats carrying people who promise riches but take everything.”
The islanders nodded, but the lesson had come too late.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Don’t trust smiling faces and boats full of greedy people promising lies and riches.
AUTHORS PROFILE:
Zaji "Persona Non Grata" Zajradhara: A Voice for the Voiceless Zaji "Persona Non Grata" Zajradhara isn't just an author; he's a force of nature. A staunch advocate for American workers and Indigenous rights in the CNMI, Zaji's life reads like a gritty urban novel, filled with struggle, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to justice. Labeled "persona non grata" by the CNMI government for his relentless pursuit of truth and his outspoken criticism of corruption, Zaji has become a symbol of resistance against those who seek to exploit the islands and its people. As an unemployed Afro-American father, he knows firsthand the sting of the CNMI's dysfunctional labor market, its rigged political system, and the exploitation of vulnerable communities. His experiences fuel his activism, driving him to file numerous legal claims against companies for violating labor laws and discriminating against American workers. Zaji's voice, though silenced by the establishment, resonates through his writing, exposing the harsh realities faced by those on the margins. But Zaji's compassion extends far beyond the shores of the CNMI.
As Program Director of CNMIGA.org, a non-profit dedicated to providing humanitarian assistance in Myanmar, he leads a team committed to delivering essential support and resources to communities in need.
Zaji's story is a testament to the power of one person to make a difference. He is a writer, an activist, a humanitarian – a true urban warrior fighting for a more just and equitable world.
******** UPDATE, ON STOLEN FEDERAL FUNDS ********
HOW IS IT THAT THE CONNECTED CNMI FAMILIES, FRIENDS AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATES STOLE, WASTED, DEFRAUDED, AND TRANSFERRED OUT OF THE CNMI AND AMERICA TO THE PHILLIPINES, CHINA AND RUSSIA: TENS OF MILLIONS IN AMERICAN TAXPAYER FUNDS: AND THERE HAVE BEEN ZERO INVESTIGATIONS, ZERO CONVICTIONS?
HOW CAN A SITTING JUDGES SON RECEIOVE 4-5 MILLION IN TAX PAYER FUNDS, WITH ZERO ACCOUNATBILITY; AND THE NEWLY SEATED DELEGATE: KIM KING-HINDS AND HER PROSECUTOR HUSBAND SAYS NOT A DAMN WORD???~!!!
REPRESENTATIVE Patrick H. San Nicolas said he “strongly opposes” House Resolution 24-4, which “objects” to the Superior Court’s acquittal of businessman Shayne Blanco Villanueva. The resolution also urges the CNMI Office of the Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute the crimes related to Building Optimism, Opportunities, and Stability Together or BOOST program that former Gov. Ralph DLG Torres implemented in 2022.
Villanueva is the owner of Roil Soil Marketing, which the Torres administration contracted to administer the federally funded $17 million program.
Authored by House Floor Leader Marissa Flores, H.R. 24-4 likewise condemns Judge Kenneth L. Govendo’s “demonstrated bias” against Assistant AG James Kingman, and denounces the “denial of due process with respect to the Commonwealth’s ability to effectively prosecute its case.”
In addition, the resolution urges the Judiciary and the CNMI Bar Association to review and investigate Judge Govendo’s “in-court comments that undermined public confidence in the judiciary's impartiality and [reflected] a personal bias that was unbecoming a member of the Judiciary.”
During the trial, the judge, who found Villanueva not guilty of contempt of Legislature, “advised Villanueva to be ‘more forthcoming’ if summoned to testify again because a future trial ‘might not end up in a not-guilty verdict.’ [These] comments by the judge, the House resolution stated, “directly contradict his verdict and underscore the lack of justification for the acquittal.”
Judge Govendo also stated that Assistant Attorney General James Robert Kingman “is a liability to this government. He is arrogant, he thinks he is omnipotent, and maybe it is time for him to head back to Texas.”
Separation of powers
In a statement to Variety on Sunday, San Nicolas said he strongly opposes H.R. 24-4 on the grounds of separation of powers.
“While I respect the right of all members of this Legislature to introduce and debate resolutions on matters of public interest, the proposed resolution intrudes on the fundamental separation of powers enshrined in our constitutional system," San Nicolas said.
He emphasized the following critical points:
1) Intrusion on executive authority when the resolution states, “urging the CNMI Attorney General to investigate and prosecute the former BOOST program implies a directive to the executive branch, which must remain free to exercise its prosecutorial discretion without legislative interference. We must not overstep our constitutional role.”
2) Interference with judicial independence as H.R. 24-4 “calls to investigate a sitting judge’s comments during a trial undermine judicial independence. Judges must be free to perform their duties without undue influence from the Legislature, or we risk compromising the impartiality of our judicial system.”
The Tinian representative also stressed that protecting the separation of powers is essential to maintaining public confidence in all branches of government.
He urged his fellow lawmakers to exercise restraint when dealing with matters involving the internal functions of the judiciary and the executive branch.
Judge Govendo declined to comment.
