Man’amko Center shelters workers

The Office on Aging on Saipan is currently lodging over 20 allegedly illegal construction workers, while the CNMI Department of Labor continues to conduct its investigation.

In all, about 27 illegal workers, all of them Chinese nationals, are currently residing at the Man’amko Center.

According to an interpreter, the workers are a combination of employees of MCC International, Beilida Overseas, and CMC Macau.

According to previous Saipan Tribune articles, these workers entered the Commonwealth as tourist and are therefore not allowed to work here. These workers were allegedly treated poorly by their employers and were not paid their wages.

According to acting Labor secretary Gil San Nicolas, thee workers will be staying at the Man’amko Center until further notice, while Labor investigators look into these workers’ claims or until a more permanent living arrangement is discussed with the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, which operates the Man’amko Center.

DCCA Secretary Robert Hunter said the arrangement with Labor to move these workers to the Man’amko Center temporarily was made because it is the only functioning primary shelter on Saipan right now.

According to Hunter, all shelters are currently under renovation and schools could not be used as shelters because classes are still in session, leaving the Man’amko Center as the only functioning shelter on island.

According to San Nicolas, there has been no feedback yet from DCCA about transferring the workers from the Man’amko Center to a more permanent site.

According to an interpreter, the illegal workers have no complaints about their stay at the center. Due to the short notice, the center was only able to provide two beds for the workers. For food, the workers have MREs (meals ready to eat).

The group was moved to the Man’amko Center last Tuesday evening and they are still there.

In a visit to the center yesterday, Saipan Tribune saw only a couple of man’amko there. They were seen clearing the center’s surroundings of cigarette butts, even though the center is a no-smoking area.

According to Hunter, DCCA is working on arranging a permanent shelter for situations like these.

As of now, the duration of the workers’ stay at the Man’amko Center remains indefinite, according to San Nicolas.