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Staffler vows to push for funding for NMTI
Rep. Leila Staffler (D-Saipan), who heads the House Committee on Education, assured the Northern Marianas Technical Institute board of trustees that the leadership of the House of Representatives will continue to look for ways to support the institute.
During the public comments portion of the NMTI board meeting last March 20, Staffler assured board members that the House will continue to push for NMTI to receive funds that will help the institution.
“As chairperson for the committee on education and workforce, I believe it is so important that we invest in institutions like NMTI so we can provide a pathway for people to become skilled workers so they can join our workforce, so they can become self-sufficient contributors to our community,” said Staffler.
Additionally, she said Gov. Ralph DLG Torres has “pledged a large sum of money” to support NMTI’s transition. It was not immediately learned how much would be given to NMTI.
“You asked the House [of Representatives] to help you get budget authority to access money, and I assure you that I [and] Senate chair Justo S. Quitugua are circulating a joint resolution that would compel our governor to transfer CW funding to you as soon impossible. …We’re planning to send it your way,” said Staffler. The CW funding refers to the CNMI-Only Transitional Workers funding, which CNMI employers pay into when petitioning a foreign worker into the CNMI.
According to Staffler, Labor Secretary Vicky Benavente said the top five occupational groups in the CNMI is construction and extraction occupations, followed by installation, maintenance and repair, then building ground cleaning and maintenance, then the food preparation and service industry, and lastly, personal care and services occupations.
Benavente says this list has not changed even with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s noted that all of these occupational groups could be addressed at NMTI…and so through NMTI, we have already begun having this pathway of education and access to skilled learning and we are so grateful that this is going to continue,” said Staffler.
