Legislators, Cohen meeting breaks ice

Some members of the House of Representatives and the Senate called on the federal government yesterday to extend assistance to the CNMI in an effort to calm bilateral relations strained in recent years by differences on labor and immigration issues.

They also reiterated their opposition against a White House proposal that will wrestle from the commonwealth its immigration and minimum wage-setting powers in a meeting with Edward B. Cohen, President Clinton’s special representative to the ongoing 902 consultation talks.

While they did not reach into an agreement, the meeting on Tinian had allowed an open exchange of views on contentious issues that have widened gap between Washington and the CNMI, according to Senate Vice President Thomas P. Villagomez.

“It’s just good timing that he came out here to visit the CNMI and break the ice,” he told in an interview.

Villagomez said Cohen declined to express his position regarding a federal takeover agenda that had underpinned the talks provided in the Covenant weeks prior to its resumption last Monday after nearly six years.

“It’s too early to come up with any position,” the senator quoted Cohen as saying during the brief meeting with local lawmakers.

Senate Floor leader Pete P. Reyes raised to the White House envoy a proposal by CNMI leaders to intensify cooperation between the two governments in a move to deal with Washington’s concerns on alleged failure by local officials to reduce their dependence on alien work force.

Although reforms have been put in place by the island government in the past few months, the Office of the Insular Affairs remains indifferent and still insists on the federalization plan, he said.

“We are trying to do everything we can to address their concerns,” Reyes explained, “but there are some conflicting federal laws that have constrained us from enacting local laws.”

In particular, he cited their desire to curb the growing number of babies born in the commonwealth to nonresident workers who eventually acquire U.S. citizenship.

“There is a federal law that adheres to civil rights, so we can’t just ask them to leave the CNMI if they get pregnant,” Reyes added.

But Reyes and Villagomez expressed confidence that a result of the 902 talks would benefit the interests of both Washington and the CNMI, hailing Cohen’s “openness” in discussing problems with island leaders.

“I hope that my observation is correct that whatever position we present, it will see fair judgment… that a rational and fair analysis will be done,” Reyes said.

“It’s not something that will change everything, but at least this is a small step towards resolving some of the issues,” Villagomez pointed out.

Meanwhile, House Federal and Foreign Relations Committee chair Melvin Faisao urged the U.S. panel to tackle recommendations in a federal report by Commission on Immigration Reform, saying it could provide the “best basis” for future discussion.

He said a commission represented by both parties will also help in making “objective recommendations to (U.S.) Congress and to the CNMI government regarding policies and legislation that should be considered.”

Local lawmakers earlier have expressed hope that the resumption of the 902 discussion would provide a venue to iron out misunderstanding arising from CNMI control of its labor and immigration laws.