CNMI Lowest Among Insular Areas

That is the title of the story run by Pacific Magazine, a Hawai'i based magazine, on today's headlines on both local newspapers. The articles reported that the CNMI had scored low in the recently concluded "Performeter" a study of the CNMI's financial health and performances initiated by the Office of the Insular Affairs.

Reports said that the CNMI's latest score is relatively consistent with that of prior years. "The Commonwealth scored 3.18 in 2002, when the Performeter study was first conducted by Crawford & Associates CPA. The score declined to 3.11 in 2003, and further plunged to 2.24 and 2.25 in 2004 and 2005," said the reports.

The report also mentioned that the CNMI has been relying more and more heavily on revenue it does not control, such as federal grants. "In FY2006, the CNMI had direct control over 68.4 percent of its revenues, down from 77.5 percent and 76.7 in 2004 and 2005."

So what could be the impact of this study to the CNMI and its relations to other US territories? What was the objective of the study?

Public Auditor said in the article that he is hoping that the local government would use the data constructively, instead of engaging in a blame game.