House balks suspension of 3-year stay limit law • Congressmen say elimination of the business-unfriendly law is the only best option left

The House of Representatives yesterday rejected the Senate version of the repealer on the three-year stay limit law, which only grants temporary suspension of its implementation.

Instead, the lower house tossed the issue to the conference committee because of the need to come up with a more concrete measure that will revive diminishing investor confidence in the Northern Marianas.

House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial appointed House Committee on Commerce and Tourism Chair Florencio Guerrero to head the conference panel to deliberate on the proposal adopted by the upper house.

Rep. Heinz Hofschneider questioned the motion to reject as floated by Floor Leader Oscar M. Babauta, inquiring about better alternatives that may be offered in place of the Senate’s proposal to suspend the stay limit’s implementation by two years.

Mr. Hofschneider said the House can adopt the proposed suspension of the three-year limit law until 2005 and to restructure calls for its total repeal.

He added that the Legislature should revisit the proposal after the election when politicians are through with campaigning and alternative measures can then be implemented.

The legislator also urged lawmakers to compromise with the Senate and discuss the potential crisis at hand.

But Mr. Fitial said many businesses have been affected by the economy since the slowdown in 1998. More than 1,000 investments have so far closed down and the nonresident stay limit law might add fuel to the problem.

The House voted to reject the Senate proposal to suspend the implementation of the stay limit law and to deliberate on the crisis to enter into a compromise legislative measure.

“The discussion offered by the Senate is a strong position, creating the conference committee will only delay the process when we can solve it here now,” said Mr. Hofschneider.

On the other hand, Mr. Fitial said, “If we continue to play with businesses, how many more business will close down? How many businesses in the CNMI do you think support this bill? We must think of the economy and not what the Senate will think.”

The upper chamber earlier passed Senator Ramon S. Guerrero’s proposal that will create a task force to study possible effects of the three-year stay limitation law to businesses in the Northern Marianas.

Congressmen believe a more concrete action — one that is long-term in nature and one that will give existing businesses and future investments more security in terms of workers’ availability — is the only answer.

Senators criticized the business sector for using public lands and for demanding more incentives, as he claimed that there had been so little effort on the part of the private sector to hire local workers.

Sen. Pete P. Reyes threw his support to the calls made by the business sector which came in full force yesterday to personally witness how the Senate would decide on the three proposals pending before the chamber.

“There is no division among the business industry. They come together and unite to rid nuisance legislation. Not only businesses will suffer but even childcare and health services. We have problems on human resources and that gap can be filled only by nonresident workers,” said the senator.

Further, the legislator reminded his colleagues that investments are the backbone of the Commonwealth economy, adding that the economy will continue to grapple in the dark once investors decide to leave the Northern Marianas due to lack of qualified workers.

Businessmen present at the gallery expressed disappointment over the decision made by the Senate. They said the amendments do not resolve the issue at hand.

Hotel Association President Ron Sablan said it was a letdown on the part of the businesses since all necessary information were forwarded to the upper chamber to help them decide on the issue.

“We accommodate local employees, but until when will they understand there’s not enough workforce to support the businesses. If we want that to happen, we have to wait until 2045 to have enough local workers,” said Mr. Sablan.

He said businesses are still hoping for a total repeal of the three-year limit law, in order to alleviate the conditions faced by both the local business community and the Commonwealth economy.

Under the existing law, guest workers who have stayed in the Commonwealth for three consecutive years must leave and stay outside the Northern Marianas for six months before they can be employed again. (EGA)