DOLI gets another lashing

Responding to complaints from the business sector, the chair of the House Commerce and Tourism Committee has vowed to meet with officials of the Department of Labor and Immigration in an attempt to work out a solution to problems facing companies in the islands.

“This is an administrative nightmare,” said Rep. Oscar M. Babauta, referring to the dissatisfaction by the private sector over DOLI’s performance in recent months.

Likewise he chided Sec. Mark Zachares for his failure to attend a recent meeting with members of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce where he was the invited guest speaker.

While the DOLI chief had informed the Chamber of the last-minute cancellation due to other pressing matters on Tinian, the legislator said that was not an excuse as he could accommodate the one-hour meeting just to meet representatives of the private sector.

“The meeting was meant to clarify some issues concerning the private sector,” Babauta told in an interview Friday. “The government should provide utmost efforts to help deal with the situation of companies on the island since they are the ones keeping us on business.”

Zachares could not be reached for comment despite attempts to contact his office. A DOLI employee said he was on Tinian to attend to the situation of the illegal Chinese immigrants temporarily staying at a makeshift shelter in the island municipality.

Chamber members earlier have voiced out concerns regarding DOLI’s handling of its affairs, noting the inefficient, slow, prejudiced and bureaucratic procedures that companies have to deal with in processing documents or in meeting various labor requirements.

According to Babauta, his office also receives numerous calls complaining about the way they are treated by labor and immigration employees conducting transaction at the department.

For instance, he said several business owners have approached him to complain about decision by DOLI to withhold release of application for work permit for 90 days.

“We are very disturbed by the slow pace in the processing of their documents,” Babauta said, adding that he does not understand why there would be delay when companies are doing the paper work every year.

Despite attempts by the Legislature to ease the procedures, “the issue has not been resolved and in fact, it continues to build up and many businessmen are getting frustrated,” the representative said.

He expressed hope the forthcoming meeting between his committee and Zachares as well as other DOLI officials will open the communication line with the private sector.

“We need to be cognizant of the fact that businesses continue to contribute to government resources through taxes they pay. We must have an open mind and good dialogue to find solution to their problems.”

While the meeting will assist the committee on what steps they have to take to deal with the situation, Babauta does not rule out a public hearing on DOLI “so people will be heard on what they want.”

He added: “We cannot just sit back anymore when these people, who invested so much of their money here, complain about government service. It is essential that we strive hard to keep them in the CNMI because without their investments, we will not have revenues to pay our salaries.”