CNMI readies reply to OIA report for Young team

The Northern Marianas shifts its preparation into high gear for a three-day visit by what could be the biggest US congressional delegation to arrive on Saipan after Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) confirmed his arrival next week for crucial talks with local officials.

According to Frank Rosario, the Governor’s public information officer, Young, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, will be on the island Thursday morning along with 22 lawmakers and congressional staff.

Under a barrage of attacks from federal officials for its failure to adequately reform in labor and immigration, the CNMI is hoping that Young’s visit would help stave off federalization of these policies after talks with Washington failed to close gaps in addressing problems tied to hosting of foreign workers.

White House negotiators to recent 902 consultations refused to accept reforms being implemented by commonwealth officials, saying US laws on minimum wage and immigration would have to be applied to the islands to curtail labor abuses, curb influx of guest workers and raise wages to federal standards.

The federal government is worried that the island economy’s continued reliance on non-resident workers, whose number have grown between 28,000 and 30,000 over the years, would make it difficult for CNMI to handle problems spawned by their presence. Guest workers hold more than 90 percent of the jobs in the private sector.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio told reporters yesterday the administration is preparing a response to the allegations of federal officials which will be presented to the congressional delegation to justify the commonwealth’s stand against takeover.

“Of course we are preparing to respond to the report submitted by OIA to the US Congress…because some of the information are repetition of old reports,” the governor said.

According to a schedule provided to media, Tenorio and members of the Legislature will brief Young on reforms put in place by local officials to improve labor and immigration systems.

The delegation’s 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, a plan which officials here said would further push the economy in distress.