Marianas Business Network holds mini town hall meeting

The Marianas Business Network held a mini town hall meeting with Saipan lawmakers last July 17 at Tom Yum Restaurant in Garapan.

Eight business owners and executives attended the event which was led by businessman PK Phommachanh-Daigo and Islander Rent-A-Car’s Aileen Arnold. House Speaker Edmund Villagomez (Ind-Saipan), floor leader Rep. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan), and Reps. Marissa Flores (Ind-Saipan) and Vincent Aldan (Ind-Saipan) were the invited members of the Legislature.

MBN was launched to provide networking, mutual support, and referral services, which is highly commendable for empowering small businesses on Saipan. The goal of this informal group, which operates without membership fees, is to give a voice to small business owners who are often overlooked by the larger business community.

According to Phommachanh-Daigo, MBN was created to foster a supportive environment where small business owners can thrive together.

“We started this group because we felt that we, as small business owners, often don’t have a voice in our local business community, some of us generate enough income to feed our families, while others are part-time freelancers trying to supplement our income,” he said.

During the min town hall meeting, members engaged with the representatives, raising several pressing issues affecting their businesses. Topics of discussion included the issues on graffiti on bus stops and crime and theft.

Latte Built owner Derek Cutting, in particular shared, that his solar panel was stolen and how bad the local utility’s technology is.

“Solar power right now is great for us because [the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.] is a very challenging thing to have to deal with, especially as a commercial user versus a residential user. That’s my biggest thing. CUC is still in Stone Age, and it’s always bad,” he said.

Rep. Marissa Flores (Ind-Saipan) said that she has two bills sitting in the House Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee which aims to recodify the act of vandalism and act of burglary, which will increase the penalties such as fines and imprisonment. She also emphasized the importance of community involvement in crime prevention.

Last Shot Bar owner Travis Jones expressed frustration with the lack of action on crime despite multiple attempts at catching thieves.

“All of us are struggling to keep doors and our businesses open. Everybody says put in more cameras, put in more security costs, more money, and I would be more than happy if someone would give us a tax credit to add security cameras… and I still can’t get [cameras to] every nook and cranny in my place,” said Jones.

Flores mentioned that there is a bill—though not under her committee—that would incentivize businesses to have CCTV cameras.

“I believe that it’s in someone else’s committee, but there are colleagues and member of the 23rd Legislature that see what’s happening and trying to pass these bills to get them out, to get them to the Senate, and to pass them at the Senate so we can start offering [incentives] so we can safeguard our community against these high rates of crime.”

Other topics of discussion also included workforce development in the Marianas, including the need for skilled labor and the repeal of the CW-1 program.

Propst discussed the alternative proposal that suggests sharing fees between Guam and the CNMI to support the local workforce.

“Recently when we went to Guam, one of the things that we were talking about was to have a worker visa for the CNMI and Guam where we would share the worker’s fees. That’s a lofty goal, but that’s one of the things that we’ve been discussing.”

Aldan discussed the demand for technical skills in the workforce as he mentioned specific jobs like electricians, mechanics, and carpenters.

“Every building, every household somebody has to maintain your A/Cs, your faucet, your light or whatever it is that you keep your building alive, somebody needs to take care of that.”

Other CW-1-related issues discussed were about businesses preferring to pay minimum wage to workers. Business owners in attendance argue that CW-1 workers are willing to accept minimum wage as it’s more than what they earn in their home countries. They also want the government to address the lack of technical skills training in the CNMI, especially in the field of pastry making and automotive mechanics.

Other topics discussed during the town hall meeting were the following:

Adoptng a long-term strategy for the next 10-15 years

The question of voting rights for undocumented immigrants

Challenges in the economy and immigration

How to address tax evaders

Importance of a criminal justice system that prioritizes rehabilitation rather than incarceration

The meeting concluded with each representative expressing their gratitude to those who joined the mini town hall event. They all emphasized the importance of working together and focusing on solutions rather than dirty politics.

Arnold summed up the night’s event by saying, “Today’s event was a great example of how we can come together to discuss our challenges and find solutions.”

As the Marianas Business Network grows, it invites all small business owners on Saipan to join and be part of this supportive and dynamic community. For more information or to get involved, contact Phommachanh-Daigo or Arnold at the Marianas Business Network and Islander Rent-A-Car Facebook pages.