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U.S. Ombudsman welcomes IG inquiry on hiring practices
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Posted on May 15 2000
The United States Labor Ombudsman Office yesterday welcomed the proposed investigation into the agency’s alleged employment of a permanent resident alien convicted of violating CNMI laws on the hiring of illegal foreign workers.
Federal Ombudsman Pamela Brown was reacting on claims by CNMI House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial that Ombudsman Office of the interior department recently hired a U.S. resident who was previously found by courts of law guilty of several felonies.
Ms. Brown expressed confidence that the investigation will only prove that the Ombudsman Office has observed all legal and moral requirements in all its hiring practices.
“I welcome such an investigation which would clearly show that all contracts with service providers were obvious choices, awarded to those who demonstrated superior qualifications and uncompromising character,” she stressed.
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.
The Speaker said the Ombudsman’s employment of the alleged NMI labor law violator casts doubt on the office’s integrity, since it was primarily established to provide guidance and information for both employers and their workers.
Mr. Fitial reminded the Ombudsman that its role is to promote and improve compliance to both federal and local labor laws. “Having a convicted abuser of these laws creates a real perception problem for this agency.”
He was referring to the Ombudsman’s employment of Ming Kirk, a resident alien who was convicted of various counts of hiring illegal aliens to work for a company she was affiliated to prior to her conviction.
