To protect CNMI interests in Washington, the island government needs to hire a lobbyist that will effectively help local leaders in blocking fresh attempts to wrestle control of labor and immigration to federal authorities, Senate Floor leader Pete P. Reyes said yesterday.

A government body tasked to map out a comprehensive jail management in the Northern Marianas is hoping to complete a plan on the new prison aimed to ease overcrowding in the existing facility and help stave off the spate of jailbreaks in recent months.

Because of shrinking available jobs in the government, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio has prodded local residents to turn to the private sector for employment where they have more chances of getting hired.

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce and the Hotel Association of Northern Mariana Islands yesterday said the CNMI government must repeal a law that require businesses to provide subsidies in housing, food, transportation and medical treatment to non-resident workers if it would allow...