Governor: Cooperation needed in tough times

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio on Saturday dropped strong hints disclaiming that he had agreed to work with Washington for a transition to federal laws of CNMI’s immigration and minimum wage systems, as he called on businessmen for stronger cooperation to deal with tough economic and political challenges ahead.

In a speech at the installation of the new officers of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, the governor underscored the need for a healthy working relationship with the federal government to ensure that local efforts in improving the island economy and the quality of life of the people succeed without a takeover.

“As I mentioned to President Clinton recently on Guam, the CNMI needs help to address the impact of the Asian crisis, and beyond,” Tenorio told businessmen ahead of the resumption of consultations with Washington officials on Tuesday.

He said he hoped that discussions under Section 902 of the Covenant will provide solutions to conflicts with the United States over control of local labor and immigration.

The commonwealth leader has kept mum since a letter from Clinton congratulating him for accepting a White House proposal to put CNMI’s immigration and minimum wage systems under the authority of the federal government surfaced.

The US leader sent the letter after his brief meeting with Tenorio on the neighboring island in November.

The federal government has been pushing to clip the commonwealth’s powers to control its immigration and set minimum wage on grounds that local officials have made little headway in reforming local policies that have spawned a host of problems because of the island economy’s dependence on guest workers.

But local leaders maintain that a takeover of these commonwealth functions at this time when the Northern Marianas is hurting as a result of the financial turmoil in Asia, CNMI’s main source of tourists and investments, would lead to economic collapse.

The private sector say applying federal laws on minimum wage to Saipan would force business closures and scare away investors.

“We all have a tough road to face. So let us roll up our sleeves and embrace the challenges,” Tenorio said, referring to the worst economic crisis to hit the islands in years and the federal takeover threats.