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Teno hopes for the best
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Posted on Sep 16 1999
Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio said yesterday the government will make its specific comments on the provisions of S.1052 after U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Frank Murkowski asked them to do so during a hearing held in Washington D.C.
He expressed relief, however, that Murkowski “is very sympathetic” to the conditions on the island and has acknowledged his administration’s efforts to reform local labor and immigration.
“The chairman asked us if we can comment more specifically on the bill,” Tenorio said in a telephone interview from his hotel room in D.C. after attending Tuesday’s hearing.
The governor declined to answer questions on its outcome, saying only that Murkowski “is very sympathetic and acknowledged that we made some improvements on our immigration and labor.”
The committee, which has oversight of the Northern Marianas and other U.S. insular areas, asked the CNMI to provide detailed comments on specific provisions of the legislation which seeks to extend federal immigration laws to the island.
At the hearing, Tenorio presented his testimony, trumpeting reform measures he put in place since assuming office in January 1998 as well as appealing to the panel not to consider the federal takeover proposal.
“I just want to make sure that the CNMI economy will be taken into consideration,” he said in the phone interview.
Tenorio led the CNMI delegation that included House Speaker Diego T. Benavente, Senate President Paul A. Manglona, other members of the Legislature, administration officials and representatives of the business sector.
