Kilili plans to tackle higher education, CW issues
Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) and his wife Andrea have their picture taken after voting at the Garapan Elementary School. (Erwin Encinares)
Although serving the CNMI as its delegate in Congress is a privilege, Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) believes he must step up his game in order to not disappoint.
“I feel privileged and humbled but at the same time I do not take the people’s vote for granted. I did some campaigning throughout this season as well. This probably gives me even more reason to work harder. In the next Congress, there are things that still need fixing and things that need to be done, and I’d like to see these things get done,” he said.
Sablan, who shared with Saipan Tribune yesterday his feelings about running unopposed in the 2016 midterm elections, plans to tackle the re-authorization of the Higher Education Act, which has been in the works for quite a while.
Sablan eyes the complete passage of the bill with the help of the CNMI’s lone community college, the Northern Marianas College.
“We could now start to work on those things that we need to negotiate on to develop a complete bill. That one, of course, is legislation that affects higher education and thus I have reached out to the Northern Marianas College and we’ve been having conversations,” he said.
Sablan also plans to tackle the ongoing CW crisis. While recognizing the need for more workers, Sablan plans to coordinate with the Government Accountability Office to look into the minimum wage while also looking to address the CW problems in the CNMI.
“The issue of our need for third country national workers is something that, unfortunately, we continue to need. We’re working with the governor. In April the Government Accountability Office will issue a report on the minimum wage but we’ve also asked them to look a little bit into the need for workers from [other] countries,” said Sablan.
Sablan also eyes comprehensive immigration reform in order to accommodate CW workers who have remained loyal to the CNMI for decades.
“If we could do a comprehensive immigration reform, there would be a situation where we would be able to wean ourselves from bringing new workers into the Commonwealth because we already have people who have been here for a long time working. I want to make sure that they remain here,” said Sablan.
“Not just based on that, but if the parents remain here with their children, who we have educated and are U.S. citizens, will continue to make the CNMI their home. Those are two things that are on the top of my head. There are several others that we would have to consider,” he added.
Sablan recognizes the CNMI’s need for CWs, but is with Gov. Ralph DLG Torres in pushing forward with using H-2 visas.
“The governor and I are in the same position that construction workers should apply for H-2 visas. Those that are here for those new projects must understand that those are temporary projects. Once these jobs are done, they should return back to their country,” said Sablan.
“Unfortunately they didn’t even heed the governor’s call and so we need to do something because we have what we call legacy workers. People have been here for a long time. People who clean our hospitals, the nurses up there, bakers at Herman’s Bakery and other bakeshops, the people who clean the hotel rooms, and the people at the front desk [just to name a few], we still need them,” he added.
Sablan thinks that slightly adjusting the fiscal year 2017 CW cap immediately will improve the situation of foreign workers and immigration situation in the CNMI.
“We need to find a way to adjust something immediately for fiscal year 2017 while we work on the larger bill of not just immigration reform but also our situation here in the CNMI in terms of CWs.
“We have a plan but I prefer to keep this plan close to my chest because I still need to reach out to some of my colleagues and educate them. I would like to say that the governor and his staff have been true partners in this and we are working together in trying to find a solution to this problem that will benefit and continue to contribute to keeping our economy moving and growing,” said Sablan.
Sablan has been in office for the past four terms since 2008 and has been continuously elected for five consecutive terms, including the 2016 midterm elections.
He can start by getting a college degree
Fortunate to run unopposed, best you TAKE the opportunity to actually show for, and prioritize THE PEOPLE you represent. AND NOT FOR GRANTED. Si yuus maase…
cw again, what about the people here. oh btw, good luck with these knew republican controlled goverment in the mainland.
CW is the reality. You always talking about “it would be nice”.
I do not know what you are doing for living, but all businessmen talking about critical situation with a labor force. Local labor pool just do not deliver what you stating it should.
cheap labor is reality and i live better than you. im here to stand for my people not you. your nothing more than a cheap labor from a third world country. with these new republican president, i can see you going home for good since you show no respect and disdain for our people who are fighting the goverment for what is rightly theirs, to work and be part of their islands growth and not be dependent on cheap foreign labor, comprendi?
‘cheap labor is reality”
Yes, it is and it is created by the local Government (do you see any non-locals up there?). I would like to refer you to Business Reference & Business Guide to the Northern Mariana Islands by James H. Grizzard (Library of Congress Card Catalog #85-070985) published under CNMI Government Contract C41460-01. This book presents (with CNMI Government acknowledgement) wage rate below US Minimum Wage Rate and luck of trade unions in CNMI as an attraction for investors.
“and i live better than you.”
Well, I have a 4 bed room house with a garden, two cars and travel on regular basis. If you live better us me, I congratulate you.
“your nothing more than a cheap labor”
M-m, particularly my labor is not cheap one but taking this sentence in general, I would like to ask did you read on FB recent posts about some statement that local people experienced back in US mainland and replies about racism?
“im here to stand for my people not you”
First, I do not ask you to stand for me. Second, you do not stand for “your people”. The late would mean that you promote better education, healthy habits, motivation to work. But you are just a big mouth that promotes hatred to cover local politician blunders.
Third, if my country is the Third World country, the country of which World is CNMI?
As for the rest of your reply, I respect local people and have many friends among them. Yes, I am going home. I have my skills with me and there are places that offer good job and good pay. I will close my bank account, I will not buy new car, solar batteries and will not do other improvements on my house (just ask bank manager, car and power equipment dealers how happy they will be), I will not buy groceries and gas that I hope will make you really happy. O! I will not pay CNMI taxes any more. When you will escape to US mainland good lack in dealing with White Power.
your not local, it’s because of you that i stand up, not for you!!!. i’m an islander, im not like you to go somewhere to find a good life. i appreciate everything here on my island and for those who left, it’s their choice. we are not a third world country, but when you came here you made it into one. good luck when you leave, i will not shed a tear and no one will even remember your contributions, because you were paid to do it.
I tried to discuss real issues of the local economy, but all I can hear is just a hatred. Enjoy it.
it’s not hate, it’s real. now that’s reality for you, boy!!!
‘cheap labor is reality”
Yes, it is and it is created by the local Government (do you see any non-locals up there).
I would like to refer you to Business Reference & Business Guide to the Northern Mariana Islands by James H. Grizzard (Library of Congress Card Catalog #85-070985) published under CNMI Government Contract C41460-01. This book presents (with CNMI Government acknowledgement) wage rate below US Minimum Wage Rate and luck of trade unions in CNMI as an attraction for investors.
“and i live better than you.”
Well, I live in a 4 bed room house with a garden, two cars and travel on regular basis. If you live better us me, I congratulate you.
“your nothing more than a cheap labor”
M-m, particularly my labor is not cheap one but taking this sentence in general, I would like to ask did you read on FB recent posts about some statements that local people experienced back in US mainland and local replies about racism?
“im here to stand for my people not you”
First, I do not ask you to stand for me. Second, you do not stand for “your people”. The late would mean that you promote better education, healthy habits, motivation to work. But you are just a big mouth that promotes hatred to cover local politician blunders.
Third, if my country is the Third World country, the country of which World is CNMI?
As for the rest of your reply, I respect local people and I have many friends among them. Yes, I am going home. I have my skills with me and there are places that offer good job and good pay. I will close my bank account, I will not buy new car, solar batteries and will not do other improvements on my house (ask bank manager, car and power equipment dealers how happy they will be), I will not buy groceries and gas that I hope will make you really happy. O! I will not pay CNMI taxes any more. When you will escape to US mainland good lack in dealing with White Power.
cry me a river, if your so smart, what are you doing here. oh i forgot, your too cheap.
Well, for beginning, if this is an intelligent exchange of views and comments is there any need on such aggressive rhetoric?
As for the comment, at the night you enjoy the comfort of air conditioned bed room, in morning you shower, have breakfast and use many things as granted. Do you want them every day or you are ready to switch off everything and wait when and if local guys and girls would enroll with CUC and other services and undergo training and get necessary experience? Do you want all projects on the island to shut down until local force would come? So, we, foreigners, “do our best with what we have” every day; and the Government is dealing with daily problems not just theoretical ones. This is why they talk about CW issue.
Yes, I am CW, but I live up here nearly for 20 years and I think that this island problems are mine as everybody else. The labor force issue that Saipan is facing since US Naval Civil Administration is not an easy one. It requires prolonged effort: motivation, political will, investment, education. It takes some time to create motivated and skilled work force. It is not enough just to yell “Hire locals”. Those locals have to be: a) available, b) motivated, c) properly educated d) trained. This is why better education has to be available for local kids.
wow. all those intelligent words and wisdom, and you left your country. was your goverment doing these things you were saying, good education and all skilled workers. if you were a skilled worker in your country, what are you doing here then? how can our people be hired when their are available cheap labor who will work for less than what you earned where you came from. you came here because you could not make it in your country even with your skills.
“Those locals have to be: a) available, b) motivated, c) properly
educated d) trained. This is why better education has to be available
for local kids”.
they are available, not used, motivated, not hired, properly educated, compared to your foreign education, trained, there the point, without been trained, why, because of your cheap status.