The hearings: why we are here

My dear U.S. legislators, why are we here? What are we doing here in Washington, D.C.? Why have we traveled thousands of miles and spent thousands of dollars to appear before your congressional oversight hearing today?

Make no mistake about it, we are here because of the dastardly efforts of the U.S. Department of Interior. We are here because Allen Stayman and David North sought to discredit our quest for local self-government.

We are here because certain highly partisan members of the Clinton administration (possibly including Mr. Jeffrey Farrow) have been engaged in a filthy smear campaign against us–because wretched lies have been told against our islands and our indigenous peoples, all for the benefit of protectionist labor union special interest groups and the advancement of a left-wing political agenda.

The evidence is quite clear on this point. High-ranking employees of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs abused their positions and exceeded their legal mandates. The Hatch Act was obviously violated. Stayman and North actively sought the political destruction of Republican members of the Congress–members friendly to CNMI self-government and CNMI economic self-sufficiency.

David North wrote letters and press releases on behalf of Democratic congressional candidates. He informed his superior, Mr. Stayman, of his illegal political activities. Not only did Stayman offer no objection, he also actively participated in Mr. North’s political crusade to discredit the CNMI and its federal allies: the U.S. House Republicans.

We appear before you today as victims of a despicable political conspiracy involving the U.S. textile labor unions, the Clinton administration, the Interior Department, and the liberal U.S. media. We are here because they have sought to destroy our local garment industry. We are here because they have chosen to sensationalize–and greatly exaggerate–CNMI allegations of labor abuse.

You have been told that the CNMI is in desperate need of “reforms.” And to its own economic detriment, the CNMI government has instituted “reforms.” In spite of a an all-out Asian recession, the Teno administration has imposed a labor moratorium, along with other restraints on business and foreign investment, merely to appease our critics.

You have been told that the CNMI minimum wage is substandard. You have not been told that the actual, the adjusted, minimum wage is at or near the federal level, taking food, transportation, living and full employee medical expenses into account.

We are here to refute the unfair allegations which have been directed against our islands for years–for political purposes. We are here to defend ourselves against injustice.

My fellow Americans, if the world were fair, and if people were just, we really should not be here today.