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Scam committed vs. workers
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Posted on Jan 12 2001
The Issue: The loss of thousands of dollars in savings by workers from various apparel companies
Our View: We strongly urge industry managers to assist workers with their hard-earned savings.
How despicable that a young Chinese couple has seen fit to bilk fellow countrymen of their hard-earned savings.
Perhaps out of their enthusiasm to increase their savings, unsuspecting workers fell prey to the scam the couples have worked up to defraud apparel workers of their savings.
Someone should have raised a red flag warning authorities that the couple are engaged in a financial scheme when their business is about jewelry. This fact should have been obvious from the outset and probed to the hilt to protect the innocent.
Such fraudulent scheme makes imperative that the CNMI government gets on the ball to visit all businesses a year after establishment to determine their progress or something or other. These visits should enable pertinent local authorities to discern if something fishy is taking place. Any suspicion, i.e., of operating a clandestine business operations would have served as the perfect alibi to probe unscrupulous businessmen.
For instance, it is obvious that many businesses here have evaded tax payments via a scheme that warrants critical review of imports, sales and profits. The importation of an item in bulk certainly would gross some sales. It is here where Revenue and Taxation ought to closely monitor sales and tax dues from these sales. Definitely, this aspect needs immediate strengthening.
Following the paper trail is a difficult job. But it is the only way to strengthen financial leaks that should have gone into the local coffers.
We hope local authorities have taken the requisite steps to hunt down the couple one of whom has fled the island. He or she should be extradited to the islands to restore justice in the fraud they have allegedly committed against apparel workers. If need be, let’s ask the US State Department or appropriate federal agencies to assist. Si Yuus Maase`!
