Demapan: Locals should avail employment opportunities

House Speaker Rafael S. Demapan (R-Saipan) is encouraging the local workforce to take advantage and avail of the employment opportunities that can be seen with the current economic situation of the CNMI, particularly on Saipan.

Several establishments have opened the past few months with Best Sunshine International, Ltd.’s casino resort and two more hotel projects now under construction.

Demapan said the Department of Labor has programs like the Workforce Investment Agency to help local citizens find jobs. “We talked about training and employment for our citizens. They must also avail of the services of the Department of Labor.”

“So that [Labor] can assist them, make the assurance that they be placed on the employment market. We need to point that out so they would know where to go. Finding employment, getting hired, and having the proper training.”

Training the local workforce would lessen the impact of businesses that were affected by the issue on the CNMI-Only Transitional Worker nonimmigrant visa (CW-1) program, which ends in 2019.

The administration of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Delegate Gregorio “Kilili” C. Sablan (Ind-MP) are pushing for an extension of the program for 10 years and the raising of the cap to 18,000 to augment the expected need for additional workforce.

He added that the government and Legislature should encourage the Northern Marianas College, Northern Marianas Trades Institute, and businesses to offer short training courses especially those in the hospitality and tourism industries—one of the CNMI’s source of revenue.

“I think they should focus and invest more in training the local workforce. So we try to also alleviate the financial situation of the people and address the concerns of the labor issue in the Commonwealth.”

“In the meantime, we’re working to see how we can address the shortage of workers or manpower. I strongly urge businesses to focus more in training employees so there’s no disruption of operations with their businesses,” said Demapan.

NMC interim president David Attao, in a presentation to the Saipan Chamber of Commerce members early this month, showed the top positions held by CW workers as of fiscal year 2013. The CNMI Department of Commerce and DOL are the source of the data.

Maids and housekeeping cleaners are on top with 1,023 followed by general and operations managers with 651, while janitors and cleaners (except maids and housekeeping) are at third with 548, and waiters and waitresses at 537.

Accountants and auditors (480); retail salespersons (363); security guards (363); cashiers (320); restaurant (296); cement masons and concrete finishers (268); other managers (232); cooks, maintenance, and masseuse (201 each); food prep and stock clerks (163 each); and bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks (162) are the other jobs listed.