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Agencies a no-show at hearing
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Posted on Apr 02 1999
The chair of the House committee on Federal and Foreign Relations Committee has lamented the snub by some government officials on a series of public hearings they conducted on a crucial legislation that establishes habitual residency among Freely Associated States citizens.
Rep. Melvin Faisao has asked the governor’s assistance to require representatives from departments and agencies to attend future meetings, noting that some questions by the public should be answered by administration officials.
In a letter to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio, the representative said that as public servants, information must be provided to the people on matters like pending measures that will affect the general population.
“We ask that you make it a priority to assure that when the legislature asks public officials to be in attendance at a public hearing,” Faisao explained, “that they do so, and arrive prepared to discuss the topic as scheduled.”
The legislator cited the absence of several representatives during the hearing held last month on Saipan to discuss House Bill 11-294, which seeks to restrict stay of FAS nationals on the island.
While the hearing, the first in the three meetings scheduled by the joint panel of FFR and the House Labor and Immigration Committee which is reviewing the measure, drew island residents, it appeared to have fizzled because some questions were left unanswered as proper authorities were not there.
Only representatives from four agencies attended the town meeting, according to Faisao. He also expressed irritation that the Department of Labor and Immigration continued to ignore request for comment on the proposal.
“A notice of hearing was sent to all referenced department heads, yet none of those who didn’t attend provided us with notice that they or a representative from their office would not be in attendance,” he pointed out.
The Legislature has in the past raised what it calls “troubling” issue on the failure by some government agencies to participate in public hearings on important bills that require comments from CNMI residents.
Meanwhile, the last hearing on HB 11-294 is scheduled on April 8 at the Tinian Municipal Council conference room.
