Kilili: Helping NMC is top agenda for fourth term

After helping the CNMI Public School System in his first three terms in office, Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan will now focus his attention on working with the Northern Marianas College to improve the level of higher education in the Commonwealth.

“I never wait for Congress to start. I always do as early as I can what the agenda is for next Congress. Obviously it changes as we find out what is going to move. One of the things that I’m aware of that’s been talked about, that there are going to make a real effort to pass, is higher education reauthorization so we really have to look at that. I’m senior enough to get into the subcommittee and I’m going to try and bid for a position in the subcommittee,” he told reporters Wednesday at his office in Susupe.

If higher education is reauthorized, Sablan said he would like to put in two items that are a priority for NMC. That is, if NMC would allow him to work with them.

“I’ve got to find way to work with people of NMC. I can’t figure out why exactly why I can’t work with NMC the way I do with PSS. The reason I work well with PSS is because we’re honest in our relationship and they’re willing to identify and work with me on what it is that they need. I’m not saying that I would have the same relationship with NMC. There are other agencies that we work very well with.”

Sablan said his relationship with NMC is a work-in-progress, but revealed that it has come to a point that he’s been called names. He, however, said he is willing to reach out to NMC president Dr. Sharon Hart and the college.

“I’ve gotten lectures from NMC and not support. Yeah, lectures and not support. For me to work with them, they have to understand that I’m the one who’s going to bat and not them. So they just can’t come here and lecture me. They need to work with me. I’ve been told names, I’ve been told things but we’ll leave that in the past. I already asked staff to open up communications with NMC and find out one or two things they think they need done.”

Aside from his agenda on higher education, Sablan said he would first try to get a feel for the incoming 14th U.S. Congress before introducing any piece of legislation.

“Higher education, I’m trying everything to get us in there. There are other things I want to work on. I will not have a lot of bills to introduce in the very beginning. I will be very conservative on the number of bills I will introduce until I see the lay of the ground and decide what to introduce as we move along. It would be great if we prioritize higher education because there are things we could really do to help the Northern Marianas College,” he said.

Dearth of workers

Sablan also gave his 2 cents worth on the mammoth $7-billion Saipan integrated casino resort development of Best Sunshine International, Ltd. and the big question how and where it will get the 9,000 or so workers it needs.

“We have a problem here where the Commonwealth government deciding to expand economic development and when I talk about expansion I’m talking about huge expansion. I don’t know if we’ll get to $7 billion on this casino proposal. It is huge and they’re going to need workers and they’re going to need access to tourists.”

Currently, the cap of H workers in the entire U.S. is 65,000 and not all workers Best Sunshine is looking to bring in to the CNMI can qualify for H visas.

Best Sunshine’s project is not the only mega development in the horizon for the Commonwealth, as Alter City Group is also eyeing a $360-million development on Tinian and Honest Profit International Ltd. is plunking down another $130 million investment for a hotel in San Antonio.

“That’s exactly why I can’t figure out why the very same people opposed to comprehensive immigration reform supported the casino bill. The only reason I can think about is they haven’t read the immigration bill. That is not just about long-term nonresidents; it’s also about H workers and other workers needed. Whether it’s H1B or H2 workers. I don’t know how we’re going to go about it. The governor and I need to sit down and figure out how to do this,” said Sablan.

He also said that if Best Sunshine and Alter City Group are thinking of bringing in people from China, then they have another think coming.

“China has no treaty with the U.S. on H workers. You need a special waver. It’s not easy. There’s a problem [but there] are ways around this but it requires legislation. I’m now baffled, maybe someone in the Legislature has an idea as to how they’re going to do this because they’re saying ‘yes’ on one hand and ‘no’ on the other and these things need to come together.”

Sablan said he would be working with Gov. Eloy S. Inos to figure out a plan to supply the labor needs of the CNMI in the face of these mega developments.

“It’s going to be a very difficult issue in Washington because, again, it’s an immigration issue and we’re no longer outside the federalized immigration system and we’re now in the system. It’s going to be complicated, whether it’s the workers or the visa waiver program.”

After a short Thanksgiving break, Sablan is set to leave for Washington, D.C. today. He said Congress would have its last day of session on Dec. 12. He would be back in the CNMI for a two-week Christmas break.

Saban will take his oath as a member of the 114th U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 6 in the nation’s capital.