Minimum wage politics

In order to advance his candidacy for governor and win the Republican primary, Juan Nekai Babauta is now campaigning hard against a proposed CNMI minimum wage hike in the US Congress. Mr. Babauta is now ostensibly opposing–and lobbying hard against–the Federalalization of our minimum wage. It was not always this way, of course.

For years, ever since the early 1990s–in 1992, in particular–our own Resident Rep. openly supported a higher, Federalized minimum wage. In fact, as recently as a few months ago–in his May 1 “Reporting from Washington” newsletter–Mr. Babauta again openly called for a higher minimum wage, in complete defiance of the CNMI’s existing economic realities as well as the needs of the local business community, tourism and garments alike.

Can Mr. Babauta be trusted on the vital minimum wage issue on which our entire economy depends? Clearly, the answer has to be a resounding and most emphatic NO!

Mr. Babauta cannot be trusted. He has not been consistent on the minimum wage issue from the very start. He has neither admitted that he was wrong nor has he even acknowledged that he ever openly supported higher Federalized wages in the first place.

If the voters are to believe Mr. Babauta, he must finally come clean. Yet, so far, he has not adequately explained himself on the minimum wage issue.

Mr. Babauta’s running-mate, Mr. Diego Benavente, is another problem. Can he be trusted on the core minimum wage issue? Can the local business community, on whose shoulders our economy rests, trust Mr. Diego Benavente to protect our economy on the crucial wage issue?

To be sure, let us remind the local business community–the HANMI, the SGMA, and the Chamber–that Representative Diego Benavente once initially balked at rescinding the original automatic annual minimum wage increases until it finally reached the Federal level. Have we all forgotten about this episode? Former Speaker Diego was scared of the Feds, and he was once initially reluctant to cooperate with Preston Gates and our Republican allies in the US Congress. Just ask Speaker Fitial.

Remember that Representative Benavente was more concerned about the threat of Chinese $4 haircuts than he was about protecting our economy from the ravages of a Federal takeover. Mr. Benavente’s record on defending the local business community and economy is entirely suspect. He was a strong proponent of the misguided Foreign Investment Act of 1997, for instance.

The minimum wage issue and the economy are vital issues of this upcoming gubernatorial election. Yet, on both key issues, the Babauta-Benavente ticket apparently cannot be trusted.

Voters should look at the facts. Dig up those old newspaper clippings. Notice that Peppero never openly supported a Federal, First World, Superpower wage for a vulnerable, struggling, tiny island economy as our own.

Strictly a personal view. Charles Reyes Jr. is a regular columnist of Saipan Tribune. Mr. Reyes may be reached at charlesraves@hotmail.com