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Where were you?
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Posted on Nov 14 2008
The only adverse consequences that took place years ago with the minimum wage was it kept our local U.S. citizens unemployed due to the demand for cheap labor by the garment industry and the business community, something that Mr. Rasa was well aware of as he once was former speaker of the House, a lawmaker.
As president of Taotao Tano, I was personally and heavily involved in the historical field hearing held in August 2007 by U.S. congressional members Donna Christensen of the Virgin Islands, Madaleine Bordallo of Guam, Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa, Insular Affairs’ David Cohen, and numerous dignitaries testifying on H.R. 3079 (later changed to S.1634 and now U.S. Public Law 110-229), extending federal control of our immigration system.
The question is, where was Mr. Oscar Rasa when all this hearings and public hearing took place? I don’tt believe that a huge issue had taken place in our homeland and he was not aware of it.
It’s rather contradictory that a former Covenant negotiator and a speaker of the House waited until PL 110-229 passed to come and show his opposition. Two decades have lapsed and with previous threats of a federal takeover, it’s only now that you and Gov. Benigno Fitial noticed that we have a Covenant agreement in political union with the United States?
This federal lawsuit is only hindering our relationship with U.S. Congress and the federal government. The only solution right now is to seek a seat at the table if it’s not to late and discuss, submit and negotiate with the federal government in the making and implementation of the federal regulations.
The governor and Mr. Oscar Rasa had known for years but the preference of hiring a corrupt lobbyist at our expense kept our local indigenous Northern Mariana descent citizens at bay, unemployed and unskilled in the trades field. I believe that a taxpayer lawsuit is already warranted against this administration for its continued bias and ignorance that the people of the Commonwealth have long suffered enough.
[B]
Gregorio Cruz Jr.[/B]
[I]Taotao Tano CNMI Inc.[/I]
