Fitial volunteers for disability workshop

House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial recently participated in a workshop sponsored by the Developmental Disabilities Council. The workshop, dubbed the “Ed Roberts PARTNERS program,” encouraged advocates of disability issues to lobby for desired legislation.

In a mock legislative hearing held at the Aqua Resort last Saturday, workshop participants were divided into two groups lobbying for and against H.B. 14-61, a bill to extend to two years the privilege of having nonresident workers with special skills and qualifications to fill hard-to-fill vacant positions within the Public School System in the areas of Special Education and foreign language.

“House Speaker Fitial was part of our mock hearing,” said Thomas J. Camacho, the executive director for the CNMI Council on Developmental Disabilities. “He [Fitial] was briefed that this venue [was essential in helping] participants understand what to expect when advocating for a bill in the future.”

Fitial served as a resource to workshop participants by listening to both groups and provided feedback on how to effectively lobby for desired legislation. He listened to the presentations of both groups and determined which group delivered the stronger, more persuasive, presentation.

House leadership spokesman Charles P. Reyes Jr. noted that Fitial is well versed on the subject of lobbying for needed legislation, having served as Speaker of the House in the 3rd, 12th, and 14th CNMI Legislatures.

“Speaker Fitial knows a thing or two about lobbying for legislation and was delighted by Tom Camacho’s invitation to share his knowledge and experience with disability advocates,” Reyes added.

In his letter accepting Camacho’s invitation, Fitial noted that he preferred the workshop’s innovative interactive approach to a traditional presentation and accepted the invitation as a contributing panelist or role player rather than as a formal guest speaker.

Camacho expressed gratitude for the legislator’s presence and support for the Council and the participants, saying he has “a good feeling that policymakers like the Honorable Speaker [are] very interested and supportive in partnering with the participants’ goal of effectuating future public policies for people with disabilities and their families.”