New CNMI Labor secretary sworn in

In the presence of her family and friends, former Workforce Investment Agency executive director Edith DeLeon Guerrero took her oath of office yesterday morning as CNMI Labor secretary. This comes at a time when the Commonwealth needs to get as many U.S. workers as possible in the workforce to reduce reliance on foreign workers. The transitional foreign worker program would end after Dec. 31, 2014, unless extended up to 2019.

DeLeon Guerrero couldn’t help tearing up when she thanked her family for their support, as well as Gov. Eloy S. Inos for “believing in me.”

“I have come a long way in life,” DeLeon Guerrero said in a brief ceremony on Capital Hill. “To my son Jay who is still serving our country, this is also for him, and to all my children, my family, my siblings, the staff of Labor.”

She said there’s “a lot of work ahead of us” but expressed confidence that with teamwork built, “we’ll be very successful in what we’re doing.”

“We made some progress already since I took over as acting secretary of Labor. But again I’m doing this all in the best interest of the Commonwealth. I come with sincerity, and I just want to do a good job for everybody,” the Department of Labor secretary said.

She asked for blessings and support “so that we can move forward with what we need to do [for] the Commonwealth.”

The governor, before administering the oath of office to DeLeon Guerrero, acknowledged her hard work as WIA executive director and her new challenges as Labor secretary.

Inos said even his office received WIA trainees, and “it’s always good when we see most [WIA] trainees move forward toward permanent employment not only in government but [also] in the private sector.”

The governor also noted that DeLeon Guerrero heads the Labor Task Force, whose objective is to get as many local people employed to reduce the need for foreign workers.

“With a team put together, government and private, I’m sure we will be able to achieve that goal. And finally get more local folks on board,” Inos added.

DeLeon Guerrero’s swearing in came six days after the Senate confirmed her appointment, along with that of three other governor’s appointments.

Before her appointment as acting Labor secretary, DeLeon Guerrero was WIA executive director from 2006 to Oct. 2, 2013. Her Labor secretary appointment also coincided with the merging of WIA and the Department of Labor at the start of fiscal year 2014 on Oct. 1.