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Let’s call it a reward
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Posted on May 13 2009
I have heard and read positive and negative comments regarding the CNMI’s transition period for us long-term guest workers. Being one of many long-term Filipino guest workers, this is my view:
Most of our business sectors believe in the capacities and capabilities of alien workers. This is why some of us have been retained on the islands for a long period of time. We never complained and we fully devoted our time and effort to our jobs and we love doing it, not just because we need the money but because we do not want to jeopardize the businesses where we are working. Come to think of it, most of us are still here in the CNMI even when the economy went down, even if they have cut down our working hours, even if they have taken out some of our benefits. We remain working side by side with our employers.
For us long-term guest workers, living and considering the CNMI as our second home, we want our stay to be permanent and for us not to be called aliens. Knowing that there is a chance for us to be given a more permanent status, if the Secretary of Interior makes such a recommendation to the U.S. Congress, it would be a good reward that the U.S. federal government could grant us. I am reaching out to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, with the help of some of our active fellow long-term guest workers like Boni Sagana and Malou Berueco, to name a few, to continue their struggle for this reward that we seek.
[B]Pamela Hernandez[/B] [I]Gualo Rai, Saipan[/I]
