The poor will always be with you Le Keqiang, China’sPrime Minister of China in his four-country (Ethiopia, Nigeria, Angola, Kenya) visitof Africa, is reported to be addressing poverty reduction and peopleslivelihood upfront in his pronouncements, as opposed to the EU and US’ rationalfor trade as promoting a country’s economic growth. No judgment here, just noting the differencein story. China’s trade is mostlythrough infrastructure like rails and roads, community health and universal education,plus loans for Medium and SME’s capital investment. In Le Keqiang’s case, also a hefty grant on environmentalprotection projects, which does not translate into a statistical abstraction ofa country’s GDP, but on the qualitative benefit on the population. At the World Economic Forum meeting in Abuja,capital of Nigeria, he added partnering with locals on high-tech businesses,e.g., aeronautics, to stem the fast exodus of African talents to the West. This was particularly relevantin fossil-fuel rich Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa. I was in Nigeria early 1980s, diverted on myflight from London to Kano on the northeast because of a sandstorm. I saw why it a misnomer to consider theeconomy as one. Nigeria of late not onlyhas not seen any economic growth in its primary export industry crude; it alsohas one of the highest unemployment rates in the continent. A powder keg, as 60 percent of its populationis classified as “youth”. The local folks in Nigeria’searly 80s were like those of Nauru of the same period who drove themselves intoobesity riding fancy cars and powerful motorcycles around the small phosphate-richisland. The government also invested itsresources in real estate in Brisbane, Honolulu, Manila, Los Angeles, Guam, and,yes, Saipan. We still call the rotatingrestaurant building in Susupe as the “Nauru building”, though Nauru disposed ofit long time ago. “Trade not aid” was achant we had in the 80s as the United States hammered “aid” in the form ofmilitary assistance to dictatorships we supported around the world. I saw how that pan out in Chile and Nigeria,heavily emphasized in Ferdinand Marcos’ martial law in the Philippines while Iwas orienting Peace Corps Volunteers. In economic algebra,the “poor” is not a part of the Wall Street equation. In fact, Christian folks who claim theauthority of Scriptures as their guide, if asked to quote a section on the poor(true of the Christians in Saipan as well), generally repeat the Gospel ofMatthew’s line: The poor you will alwayshave with you, but you will not always have me.” This results in the widespread idolatryon Jesus; the Messenger becomes the object of adoration rather than the message,which gets lost! Luke rectifies therecord with: “But when you give abanquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will beblessed. Although they cannot repay you,you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” This last verse is rarely quoted. In politics, we hear decriedthose who are in “entitlement” programs of government like many in the CNMI. These are allegedly the poor whointentionally stay that way so they can continue receiving government benefits,an argument often used to further the cause of sending former CWs and authorizedMicronesian off-island residents back to their home of origin because they area burden to tax-paying wage earners. USAID developmentconsultant David Korten (in Manila when I was there) wrote a book on “phantomwealth” not too long ago. He documents themeasure of wealth in terms of financial assets by an accountants’ assessedvalue rather than the actual production of real assets. His insight is reflected on the gain of 50percent of the action in one of NYC’s exchanges, made from smart investors’ purchasesin the stock exchange floor a split second before an offering is available inthe open market through advanced technology. The phantom wealth created is added to the accounted value of thenation’s economy, then charged in real terms on the back of actual laborelsewhere that depends on the US financial system. Broad strokes, the USeconomy involves 3 percent of its population on agriculture, 7 percent onmanufacturing, and 90 percent on services. In all, the gap between the “haves” (top 1 percent of population ownsthe equivalent of the lower 60 percent) and the “have-nots” has become soembarrassing that calling our system democratic is a public relations actrather than actual definition. Thedivide in the 80s was 15/85; now it is 01/99! In the US real estatemarket, the sale of homes for the wealthy is active, while the middle class marketis stagnant. Look it up. BTW, that is also true in China but that ishardly a consolation. “The poor will alwaysbe with you” is a systemic reality more than a category in the tolerated marginalizedmembers of an economic system. Sadly, ithas become an unquestionable part of our state of affairs, decried first beforeit is understood. Then there is “blessedare the poor in spirit”; these intentionally mendicant poor will always be withyou! j'aime la vie yesterday, appreciate; tomorrow, anticipate; today. participate. In all, celebrate!