The Three Year Question
The Issue: The see-saw debate on the three year limitation needs realistic and lasting solution.
Our View: The Senate’s quick-fix solution isn’t the answer either; NMI must get its act together.
If we may reiterate a case in point which we seem to have conveniently neglected since the inception of our constitutional government.
• The arcane labor laws we had adopted during the transition period (1977) from the old TTG days had focused keeping guest workers out.
• In the process, we neglected the flip-side of the issue–upgrading the skills of local workers to eventually move into jobs being held by our friends from distant shores.
• It was only this year that the CNMI proactively put a training program together–our salute to the Northern Marianas College–to ensure that locals are given the opportunity to secure lifetime skills.
• This program is what local policymakers need to focus upon to strengthen the planned training programs that would enable a good portion of the local work force to upgrade their skills in the various vocations.
• The quick-fix and seemingly hatred building political approach isn’t the answer either nor would a half-cocked study address and resolve an issue we’ve shoved aside all these years.
The CNMI must realistically address and resolve this issue so it gets its house in order. All roads lead to NMC’s training programs. Policymakers must rally behind it to ensure that it is successful in meeting the needs of locals who deserve training opportunities to learn lifetime skills.
After all, the higher learning educational estate are professionals who aren’t concerned about the politics of this election year. Theirs is the long term vision of ascertaining that in fact the local work force is given the opportunity via training programs to secure lifetime skills.
It instills pride in grand fashion for each local who benefits from these programs. It is at this level that the phrase “meaningful employment” takes on true definition. Let’s rally behind NMC’s efforts. It’s for the good of our local work force and it begins with the proverbial first step. Si Yuus Maase`!
