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OPA request to extend hiring of aliens backed
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Posted on Feb 23 2001
Office of Personnel Management Director Mathilde Rosario yesterday supported the Office of the Public Auditor’s request to extend its hiring of nonresident professionals beyond the Sept. 20 deadline specified by Public Law 10-4.
However, Ms. Rosario aired concerns about the lack of an expiration date on OPA’s extension request, contained in House Bill 12-74, and feared that the intent of PL 10-4 and the “sunset provision” may never be realized.
In a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Resources, Economic Development and Program, Ms. Rosario noted that, “If the sole efforts of replacement is aimed at waiting until such time as sufficient professionals in the field of accounting and auditing are available locally, this replacement may never occur.”
Ms. Rosario suggested that OPA assign a deadline for the transition from nonresident to resident staff. Although she agreed that the goal of filling all government positions with local citizens is admirable, she doubts whether this would happen right away.
However, the OPM director opined that her pessimism is due primarily to the unpredictability of the career aspirations of college-educated citizens of the CNMI, and not to their lack of talent.
As a stop-gap measure, Ms. Rosario recommended that the OPA also train its sights in the recruitment of US citizens in the mainland US or Guam.
Currently, OPA has 29 full-time employees, of the number 20 employees are nonresidents and the rest are citizens of the CNMI. In 1995, OPA had 16 full-time workers, 13 of them being nonresidents.
On the request for higher compensation for OPA personnel embodied in HB 12-74, Ms. Rosario argued that it is inappropriate for the Office of the Public Auditor to have the capability of paying their employee at a higher level than other departments/activities.
“Many departments have similar problems recruiting and retaining professionals within the salary cap of $50,000,” she said.
