Legislators asked Recognize contributions of nonresident workers

The persistent implementation of Public Law 11-69 or the three-year limit law will undoubtedly drive a stake to the heart of the economy. But this is not everything it can do.

Business leader Anthony Pellegrino said it will also prove how “heartless and unappreciative” leaders of the CNMI are to the Commonwealth’s nonresident labor force.

Mr. Pellegrino argued that the CNMI government has not touched the sensitivity of the issue and seemingly forgotten that the three-year limit law affects the lives of people.

“One of the sad things about playing with this three-year limitation by waving on the fence at this stage of the game, is that it gives all the nonresident workers a very bad feeling,” Mr. Pellegrino lamented.

“They feel they’re not being appreciated and it gives them the impression that any minute, they could be thrown away,” he told an interview.

Mr. Pellegrino, who serves as president of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the education board, also said nonresident workers have served the CNMI well and should not be treated like commodities which can be shipped out at anytime.

He also pointed out that by dilly-dallying on the measure, employers risk losing the loyalty of their nonresident workers. Mr. Pellegrino said, “It’s just like saying, we don’t care if you’re loyal, even if you’re good we’re going to kick you out of here.”

Aside from the moral issue of not rewarding loyalty and service, the three-year limitation, Mr. Pellegrino stressed, will also prove to be a double whammy to the economy.

He said the Chamber believes the three year limit to nonresident workers puts undue financial burden to both the migrant laborer and businesses in the CNMI that employ them.

“What will the company do to replace the productivity of that employee for six months, in turn, what will the nonresident worker do in his home country during that period without income,” Mr. Pellegrino contended.

He argued that economics of repatriating a laborer and bringing him back would add up an enormous amount of expenditure for local companies.

He said the employer would have to pay for the worker’s plane fare, application for new licenses and medical check up, among others.

Public Law 11-69 was repealed by the House of Representatives last March 1, 2000 and is now awaiting the decision of the Senate.

Already, there has been at least one senator who came out and said that he is not amenable to the passing of House Bill 12-317 in its entirety, unless some of its provisions are changed.