902 talks on track, Sablan says

Lt. Gov. Jesus R. Sablan, head of the CNMI 902 panel, yesterday said talks with the United States will push through this month amid growing apprehension that consultations might face another delay because of wide gap in the agenda.

According to Sablan, discussions will proceed on January 18 on Saipan as proposed by President Bill Clinton’s special representative, Edward B. Cohen.

Some members of the panel, however, said they are worried that Cohen’s proposal to touch transition to federalization of local immigration and minimum wage would push back talks since it is not within the parameters of discussion envisioned by the commonwealth.

Clinton’s top aide echoed the commitment of the US leader to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio that the White House is willing to consider further measures to achieve this and help pull out CNMI from economic distress.

“We hope talks will take off even we have differences on how we view the problems in CNMI,” said a member of the local panel, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “But I believe it’s better if we allow discussions to go on and hear what Mr. Cohen has to say.”

The local panel previously drafted a broad agenda it hoped to discuss with Cohen that include immigration, minimum wage and customs associated with the local garment industry, economic assistance, waiver of matching requirement for Covenant funds, sovereignty over submerged lands, military land use, 200-mile economic zone, and non-voting delegate status in the US Congress.

This month’s resumption of bilateral talks between CNMI and the US, the commonwealth’s main economic provider, will be the third attempt of both sides to revive the stalled discussion aimed at repairing ties soured by Washington’s federal takeover plans.

The White House has sponsored a bill seeking to clip the Northern Marianas’ power to control immigration and set wages due to what it claimed mishandling of these functions by local officials that have allowed the unhampered entry of guest workers and labor abuses.

The bill has been marked up by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources chaired by Sen. Frank Murkowski.

Sablan said meetings between other officials and members of the business community and Cohen are being arranged to give him a clear picture of the economic condition in the Northern Marianas.