U.S. Ombudsman justifies hiring of resident alien

Federal Ombudsman Pamela Brown yesterday justified the employment of a resident alien at the U.S. Labor Office on Saipan despite allegations that the recently-hired employee had been convicted of violating local labor laws.

Ms. Brown said Min Fu Kirk was hired by the Labor Ombudsman Office to provide translation and caseworker services necessary for conducting interviews based on her high proficiency in both Cantonese and Mandarin languages, as well as her immigration status.

She said Ms. Kirk showed superior knowledge of the Chinese language and is familiar with the local business sector and labor laws which were the bases of her employment with the Ombudsman Office.

“I would like to put to rest any speculation about the contracting practices of the Ombudsman’s Office. My office searched for people with superior language skills, for people who had valid immigration status, for people with knowledge or the local business sector and applicable laws, and for people who had the trust of those living in their communities,” she added.

Ms. Brown disclosed that Ms. Kirk had informed her during an interview for the job position that she entered into a plea agreement with the CNMI government April 28, 1998.

“[Ms. Kirk} told me that this was the only time in her life that she was charged with a violation of the law,” Ms. Brown said, adding that the Court has suspended the imposition of penalty against Ms. Kirk.

She stressed that Ms. Kirk was given by the Court the opportunity to have her record completely expunged in two years. The hearing of the expungement is set for June 8, 2000.

“[She] informs me that she has obeyed all laws throughout these two years. In light of the court’s treatment of this case, I did not view her legal situation as a bar to contracting with Ms. Kirk,” she said.

Ms. Brown said Ms. Kirk has also provided services at the behest of the CNMI Department of Labor and Immigration, the CNMI Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Ms. Brown earlier welcomed the proposed inquiry on the agency’s alleged employment of a permanent resident alien convicted of violating CNMI laws on the hiring of illegal foreign workers.

CNMI House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial previously claimed the Ombudsman Office of the interior department recently hired a U.S. resident who was previously found by courts of law guilty of several felonies.

In a recent letter, Mr. Fitial has requested U.S. Inspector General Earl Devaney to investigate the hiring practices of the Federal Ombudsman’s Office in the Northern Marianas.