FLASHBACK – August 5, 2011

DOLI exempts garment firms from PROC ban[/B]

The Department of Labor and Immigration has issued another memorandum to clarify an earlier order banning entry of workers and visitors from mainland China, exempting factories belonging to the Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association. Addressed to all airlines, immigration and labor offices and ports of entry of the CNMI, the memorandum is the third in a week from the department, following claims by some sectors that nationals from the People’s Republic of China are eligible to seek asylum here. “The PRC ban… remains in effect,” said the brief memorandum issued by the acting DOLI secretary the other day.

The Northern Marianas will receive some $206,608 in federal grant for its tobacco program which will allow the island to carry out its educational campaign against the hazards of smoking, according to Public Health Secretary Kevin Villagomez. Villagomez was informed by the Atlanta-based Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the grant. Earlier, Karen Siener, MPH program consultant for the United States Office on Smoking and Health, told Villagomez that the federal agency was impressed with the goals set up for CNMI’s Tobacco Comprehensive State Plan for 1999-2000 program year, including implementation of long-term health care services for citizens in the Northern Marianas. “We are very happy that the CNMI is among the few areas given funding. We are grateful to CDC for the assistance,” said Villagomez.

Process of replacing employees clarified[/B]

Amendments to provisions on the moratorium law on the hiring of nonresident workers benefited an employer—and possibly his prospective employee—whose late filing of application with the Division of Labor was condoned due to the ambiguity that the changes created. In an administrative order, Labor hearing officer Jerry Cody said that interpretation of the 90-day-deadline may have confused the Agbanlog Enterprises, Inc., a manufacturer of construction materials using corals. The ambiguity, before it was resolved by the Labor hearing office, arose from how to interpret the 90-day deadline of a replacement application, when the nonresident worker to be replaced did not actually complete his original contract’s expiration.

The Commonwealth Development Authority is seriously studying the tax relief applications submitted by two other businesses after authorizing the relief sought by three multi-million businesses in the CNMI. The CDA Board started collating comments from the public for the Qualifying Certificate Program application submitted by the SEPC-Rota Spring Water Inc. and the Hyatt Regency-Saipan. CDA Executive Director Mary Lou S. Ada said the Board would look into the tax break applications submitted by the two firms in efforts to help them weather the economic crunch besetting the region.

Proposed NMI Nat’l Guard gets support[/B]

The CNMI’s thrust for a National Guard of its own got a boost with a promise from the commander of the entire U.S. Pacific Command that he will put in a good word for the Commonwealth on the matter. Gov. Juan N. Babauta, who just returned over the weekend from Hawaii, said he met briefly with Admiral Thomas Fargo and took up the issue with him. “Gen. Fargo and I spoke very briefly on the National Guard and I expressed to him that we are working with [Hawaii] Sen. [Daniel] Akaka on that and his support is obviously very important. He gave me a positive answer on his support,” said Babauta in an interview with reporters.

The Department of Public Health has extended for another month its existing contracts with three manpower agencies that provide nursing staff to the Commonwealth Health Center. The last extension of contracts of the agencies-Paras Enterprises, SEAS Inc., and Marianas Health Services-had expired on July 31. “There’s a new change order. We’re given another one month extension,” said Vince Seman of Paras Enterprises. The health department had first extended for one year the agencies’ contract in September 2001. On the same month the following year, the department gave them a 90-day extension pending protests from new proposers.