Stop importing workers

Human trafficking is a horrible part of any nation, and I applaud anyone and everyone that takes the steps to stop it and assist in its halting. People are greedy and if you can make a buck and not get caught, people will do so sometimes without regard to the harm they cause others and the community around themselves. It’s despicable. While I lived in the CNMI, I saw a boat captain loading close to half a dozen nicely dressed Chinese women aboard a fishing boat to go fishing. I immediately went over to the FBI office and told the FBI. They caught the boat, the captain and the ladies the next day less than 100 yards off the coast of Guam, and seized the boat. It was later returned to the owner as he had no part in the operation. I received nothing in return other than the thanks from the FBI—and I certainly did not expect anything. It was the right thing to do, so I did it.

The traffic intervention coalition has my applause for its efforts on the face of things. The surest way to lower the rate of human trafficking and rid the island of this crime is to stop importing guest workers. Tony Pellegrino’s Trade Institute needs help, and I agree with his efforts. During my decade-long stay on the island, I was approached by a CNMI college professor who said he needed help in staffing for his marine courses. How so, I asked? He said he needed instructors in practical marine skills—in other words how to become a competent mariner. I accepted the challenge and taught four courses over four semesters to students. I received nothing other than the knowledge I was doing what was needed and right. More thinking like this is needed on island, but again, if the wages for mariners is too little to support a family in other than Third World-style, what is the point? The students will leave to find work off island. Restricting the import of guest workers and phasing them out of the work force is the only thing which will increase the pay scale.

Local offices that deal with the import/taxing/regulation are rife with opportunities for corruption and scandal, and have seen more than the fair share of such. Abuse of the office—and abuse of the workers—abound. Want to get rid of part of the corruption and abuse? Stopping the importation and hosting of guest workers will help cure this issue.

Here are three issues—human trafficking, low wages driving young citizens out and one part of the prevalent government corruption—that are a direct cause of the importation of guest workers. Note that the guest workers themselves are not the cause; they are not to blame—but the importation of them is.
[B] William Mccue[/B] [I]Wellington, Florida[/I]