I didn’t hallucinate the meeting Jim doesn’t remember

I am writing to help my friend Jim Benedetto, federal labor ombudsman, remember a meeting that happened in February, or March, of 2005 where recruitment fees for Saipan factory workers were discussed with local labor officials, Tim Bellas from the Garment Oversight Board, AG Pam Brown and CEDA Secretary Mr. Shang (thanks for correcting my spelling, Jim).

The meeting was not at the Attorney General’s Office. It was at the Office of the then-Secretary of Labor, Joaquin Tenorio, at the Afetna Center in San Antonio. Jim wore a black shirt (a Tommy Bahamas, I think), and faced westward during the meeting. Jim sat away from the table and seated himself to Mr. Shang’s right. Shang was seated almost directly behind Tim Bellas, who sat facing me. The time was approximately 10am.

I believe more important than whether Jim recalls the meeting, or not, or my recollection of the parts of that meeting that prompted my initial letter to the Marianas Variety, is that a portion of the recruiting fees paid to a recruiting company by a worker in a Saipan factory can be returned if they do not fulfill the anticipated time of service in the CNMI.

Jim said he called Mr. Shang at the CEDA office and Shang did not recall saying this. Once again, it’s not whether he recalls it, or not, it is whether it can be done. I just finished talking with Mr. Shang at his office. He verified that this can indeed be done; that a garment factory worker, if not finishing their two-three years of work on Saipan due to factory closure, can have a pro-rated share of their recruiting fees returned to them.

This would apply to all workers using CEDA-approved and licensed recruiting firms. Further, according to Mr. Shang, since 2005 no workers have come to work in Saipan factories that have not gone through the CEDA office contract approval process. Nearly 80 percent of all factory workers recruited prior to 2004 were through licensed recruiters with a working relationship with CEDA.

Interestingly, as well, is that none of the factories going through closure now—American Pacific Textile, Hansae (Saipan) and Handsome (Saipan), Inc.—have had paperwork go through the CEDA offices since last year.

I won’t get into Jim’s other claim that he doesn’t recollect us talking about workers using recruiting fees as a reason to file frivolous complaints to stay on Saipan longer, even though that’s why Mr. Shang shocked everyone at the meeting Jim doesn’t remember by asking for determination letters from CNMI Labor to allow CEDA to refund a portion of the recruiting fees to workers from Sako and Marianas Fashions.

Mr. Shang, aged 29, remembers better than me at 57, and Jim at 56, that the meeting occurred. And, he reconfirms that CEDA can assist factory workers, or any workers coming to Saipan from China using the recognized recruitment firms.

Praise the Lord for the Marianas Variety. And, my photographic memory.

Richard A. Pierce
SA for Trade Relations