Senate leader defends stay-limit bill

Senate President Paul A. Manglona defended their move to pass a legislation imposing a three-year stay limit on foreign workers on the island despite mounting pressure from local businessmen worried over the worsening economic crisis here.

He said the proposal is designed to curb the influx of mostly Asian workers into the CNMI at a time when the indigenous population faces potential layoff and difficulty in finding jobs on the island.

“It might be considered anti-business but we’re also working to control our immigration here,” Manglona told in an interview. “We need not lose sight of our objective, which is to come up with the necessary reforms.”

The crucial bill, proposed by Sen. Juan P. Tenorio, passed the Senate without deliberation on the floor inspite of the protests from the private sector which had earlier expressed objection over its impact on their businesses.

The CNMI Legislature appears bent on amending existing laws to address labor and immigration problems amid increasing allegations from some Washington officials alarmed by the large alien worker population in the Northern Marianas.

But the private sector, led by the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and the hotel association, had called on local legislators to consider the current economic conditions before enacting laws that will restrict business growth here.

Senators pledged in a hearing last September to look into the concerns and consider the recommendations, but the measure was approved two weeks ago without amendments. It now heads to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio for action.

Under the proposal, nonresident workers, regardless of industry category, will be required to leave the commonwealth after being employed for three consecutive years and shall be barred from seeking another job for three months.

Manglona maintained the action will discourage alien workers to stay for unlimited time and take up long-term residency without being granted citizenship.

“The message there is to tell guest workers that when they come here, it’s not permanent job that you are here for,” he explained.

Legislators had said that the bill was proposed to deal with the federal government’s concern on the growing number of foreign workers and to prevent them from living in the CNMI as disenfranchised residents whose children become U.S. citizens and the indigenous people becoming a minority in their own land.