Young, others arriving on Feb. 18

US Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), along with key members of Congress, is set to arrive on February 18 for a four-day visit in the commonwealth which officials here consider crucial after they failed to convince the federal government to set aside a takeover of local labor and immigration.

The Northern Marianas is hoping Young’s visit would provide an opportunity to win the sympathy of US lawmakers in light of plans of Washington to extend federal laws on immigration and minimum wage to CNMI.

Representatives of Saipan and Washington failed to bridge their differences in addressing concerns arising from the island economy’s heavy dependence on foreign workers, whose growing presence over the years has spawned a host of problems.

White House negotiators said they would craft a new legislation that will phase in a transition period to application of US laws on minimum wage and immigration in the commonwealth.

According to a tentative schedule provided to the Office of the Governor by Rep. Juan N. Babauta, CNMI’s representative to Washington, Young will arrive Thursday at 9:30 from Guam.

Young, who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee which has jurisdiction over the Northern Marianas and other US insular areas, will be briefed by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio and legislators on the reforms put in place to improve local labor and immigration policies and plans to diversify the island’s economy.

His visit will include also a tour of the Northern Marianas College, garment factories and housing for guest workers, as well as meetings with representatives of alien workers, federal and local officials, and members of the business community.

A tour to the island municipality of Tinian is also being arranged that will bring congressional members to federal leased lands, International Broadcasting relay station, atomic bomb pit, and ancient latte stones.

CNMI is badly seeking support from sympathetic Republicans, who dominate both chambers of Congress, in order to thwart fresh attempts of federal officials to take control of local minimum wage and immigration.

Edward B. Cohen, President Bill Clinton’s special representative to the Section 902 talks, had stood firm on the need to put these commonwealth functions under federal authority, saying local efforts remain inadequate.

But local officials vow to oppose such plans in fear this would exacerbate the present economic crisis, the worst to hit the CNMI in years.