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Temporary lifting of moratorium on hiring alien workers sought
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Posted on Sep 14 2004
Citing the need to hire nonresident workers to help the islands of Tinian and Rota recover from the devastation caused by Supertyphoon Chaba, Sen. Diego M. Songao yesterday introduced a bill that seeks to temporarily lift the moratorium on hiring alien workers on the two islands.
The exemption from the hiring moratorium that Senate Bill 14-71 seeks, however, is limited to alien workers for the farming and construction industries
Songao stressed the need to quickly remedy the losses incurred by the two islands due to Chaba’s destruction, noting the many houses and buildings that were damaged or destroyed by the supertyphoon. Chaba also damaged the islands’ crops.
The number of CNMI houses that were either destroyed or damaged reached at least 2,150, based on preliminary damage assessment conducted by the American Red Cross. Some 323 houses were totally destroyed, 883 sustained major damage, while 944 had minor damage.
Saipan had the highest number of wrecked houses, with 222 totally destroyed, 583 sustaining major damage, and 367 left with minor damage. Tinian had 28, 122, and 54, respectively; while Rota had 73, 178, and 523.
“For the safety and welfare of the citizenry, and to improve the economic prospects in these [islands], crops must be replanted and buildings must be repaired,” Songao stated in the bill.
“The amelioration of the deleterious effects of the recent typhoon activity implicates the health, welfare, and safety of the residents of the Commonwealth such that legislative action is both necessary and proper,” he said.
The bill seeks to allow employers on Tinian and Rota to hire nonresident workers in the farming and construction industries by giving them six months to process the necessary paperwork in facilitating the employment of alien workers.
“The term of the contracts of nonresident workers…shall be for one year and may be renewed only until such time as the project for which they were originally hired has been completed,” the bill states.
The bill seeks to allow the worker to remain employed until his valid employment contract expires, even if the project is completed earlier.
