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HANMI: Delay implementation of compensation act
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Posted on May 06 1999
The Hotel Association of Northern Mariana Islands and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce yesterday asked Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio to order the Office of the Attorney General to temporarily suspend the promulgation of the draft rules and regulations of the Resident Workers Act pending inclusion of proposed amendments to the new law.
According to Ron Sablan, president of HANMI, the delay in the promulgation process of these regulations will enable the government and the legislature to work with the private sector in clarifying certain ambiguities.
In a letter to the governor, Sablan said it would be a necessary step in remedying the inequities which the implementation of Public Law 11-74 will create for the resident worker, employers and even non resident worker.
“Unfortunately, the said law is so restrictive that it is very difficult to have regulations that can remedy the situation, but rather can only mitigate some of the inequities involved,” Sablan added.
The Attorney General’s Office gave the public until May 15, 1999 to comment on the proposed rules and regulations of Public Law 11-74 before these are adopted.
HANMI and the Chamber emphasized that they are infavor of the resident worker obtaining benefits or salary that would equal the non resident worker’s salary in addition to their benefits. However, they do not believe that Public Law 11-74 can accomplish that goal without numerous inequities to all and a resulting negative effect in the employment arena of the CNMI.
Earlier, the Chamber asked House Speaker Diego T. Benavente and Senate President Paul Manglona to hold a public hearing on the proposed rules and regulations so that the legislature can consider the amendments to the law.
Public Law 11-74 states that locals whose wages are still below the prevailing minimum $5.15 in the U.S. are entitled to receive in-kind or the cash equivalent of the full benefits such as subsidized food, housing, local transportation, health insurance and medical care.
