Marianas Islands’ Governor to Sue U.S. Over Immigration Law; Public Employee Union in Solomons May Strike Friday; UPDATE: $6 Million Needed to End Blackouts in Saipan

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SAIPAN, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands — Northern Mariana Islands Governor, Benigno R. Fitial, is preparing to sue the U.S. Federal government over labor provisions in the federal immigration law.

In a pre-recorded statement, Fitial argued that the U.S. is imposing a new immigration law that violates the document set up between the two countries describing the U.S. and the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) political relationship, or the “Covenant.” By its terms, the Covenant ensures CNMI the right to self-government, and provides that the U.S. promote the CNMI’s economic growth and development.

Fitial’s main concern is that the new immigration law will violate the U.S.’s commitment to the CNMI through the Covenant. The current cap on foreign workers allowed in CNMI has hurt major construction projects, and many foreign investors have backed out of projects due to the uncertainty of CNMI’s workforce.

The new immigration law calls for 20,000 foreign workers in CNMI to obtain federal visas by at least December 31, 2014. At present, very few foreign workers hold U.S. working visas, and the fear is that these workers will no longer qualify once the federalization law is in place.

“Let me be clear. We do not question the authority of the Congress to apply the existing federal immigration laws that apply to every other part of the United States except American Samoa. We agreed to that in the Covenant. Our complaint focuses on the labor provisions of the legislation, which are not, and never have been part of the federal immigration laws,” Fitial said.

Fitial plans on suing unless his attorneys in a U.S. based firm advise him otherwise.

For more information, please see:
Pacific Magazine — Governor To Challenge Washington Takeover In Courts — 25 June 2008

Saipan Tribune — Fitial poised to sue US govt — 25 June 2008

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HONIARA, Solomon Islands — Public servants are planning a nation-wide strike Friday in response to dissatisfaction with Prime Minister, Derek Sikua’s government.

A Solomon Islands Public Employees Union (SIPEU) is behind the proposed strike. According to a SIPEU representative, the Union is upset with the Government ministers’ performance. The Union is demanding a 49 percent wage increase, and has given the government 14 days to address their concerns.

Paul Belande, general secretary to SIPEU, confirmed that public servants will walk off their jobs this Friday in a nationwide strike.

“[T]he current government miserably failed to fulfill some of its planned obligations which we, the workers, will feel and know if a certain government is not actively driving things forward,” Belande said.

Some sources have said workers will walk off their jobs Thursday. If demands are not met, a full strike will take place Friday.

For more information, please see:
Solomon Star News — Gov’t workers say they’ll walk off jobs Friday — 25 June 2008

Solomon Star News — Govt Workers Planning National Strike, Newspaper Reports — 20 June 2008

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SAIPAN, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands — An international leasing firm will put in a bid for $6 million to end electricity outages that have plagued Saipan.

Aggreko, an International firm from the Netherlands, will provide 15 units of one-megawatt generators, personnel, and materials as part of a one-year contract for $6 million. In return, the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) will run the generators on its own diesel fuel.

Poorly maintained generators and finance troubles have plagued the CUC, and by extension has troubled residents for some time. The new generators will arrive from Singapore in roughly 26 days and should provide a stable source of electricity to residents.

For more information, please see:
Saipan Tribune — $6M Deal To Lease Power Generators For Saipan — 24 June 2008

Author: Impunity Watch Archive