CNMI youth edgy about federal takeover

In the event of a federal takeover, can anyone become a U.S. citizen and eventually run for public office ?

This was one of the questions raised by students of the Northern Marianas College when they met with the U.S. panel in the 902 talks last week.

President Bill Clinton’s representative Edward B. Cohen immediately allayed the fears of students that not everybody can avail of a green card because only skilled workers will be given priority to fill up permanent positions.

During the forum, Cohen explained to the students and professors that Washington has been concerned with reports of labor abuses on the island for the past years. Although the CNMI government and the garment manufacturers have carried out reforms to curb abuses and improve the living condition of non-resident workers, Cohen said the situation is still way below the U.S. standards.

“We want to bring labor conditions in the CNMI ultimately to the same standards of workers elsewhere in the United States,” he said. The attendance at the forum which was held in the College Cafeteria was disappointing as it failed to attract a huge number of students who are supposedly the next leaders of the commonwealth.

Alexis Kosack, House Speaker in the Youth Congress, said she believes that the CNMI has implemented a lot improvements in labor and immigration through the years. She urged the federal officials to help the CNMI by guiding the officials to carry out more reforms instead of imposing the U.S. laws on labor and immigration.

NMC President Agnes McPhetres noted that the federal government may assist the CNMI in terms of training the employees at the Department of Labor and Immigration to run an effective immigration program.

“As we introduce more leaders in this institution, I think the problem of the CNMI will be a lot better. Unfortunately, we do not have enough people here to run the government effectively, efficiently and control it like the U.S. would want,” said McPhetres.

Dan Sweeney, head of Fair Labor Standard Office of the Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor, said four investigators are currently in the CNMI documenting labor abuses on the island in various industries such as garments, hotels and restaurants who were not paid overtime, minimum wage and made to come back to do more work after they have clocked out.

With the presence of a huge number of non-resident workers on the island, there will come a time when the local people will become a minority in the CNMI,” warned Alex Gisser, associate general counsel, Immigration and Naturalization Service.

“I am intimidated right now that there are a lot of foreigners here than indigenous people,” said Shirley Santos, president of the Associated Students of the Northern Marianas College.

At least 16 percent of children in the CNMI were born by foreigners, a substantial number for a small island like Saipan, Gisser said.

“If you recommend to the President, will there be a federal takeover?” asked Kosack.

Definitely not. Cohen clarified that the U.S. congress will have to enact a law before the federalization of labor and immigration laws. When he goes back to Washington, Cohen said he will prepare a draft legislation which will spell out the transition process in the application of federal laws.

Asked what she felt about the dialogue, Santos said she was disappointed because Cohen and the other members of the U.S. panel were more concerned with the condition of the non-resident workers instead of the indigenous people.

While she believes that labor abuses must be resolved immediately, Zerlyn Alcazar, treasurer of the student council, said the situation still does not warrant a federal takeover.

“Our goal is to be financially independent, to give us a chance to correct our mistakes,” said Winfred Camacho, Vice Speaker in the Youth Congress. Camacho is not at all worried with the presence of a huge number of non-resident workers as long as they contribute to the island’s economy and do not stay here as illegal aliens.