HB15-38/ PL15-108 Labor Reform: Fitial calls for Benedetto's head

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Fitial calls for Benedetto's head

Local Thursday, November 15, 2007 By Agnes E. DonatoReporter

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial says Federal Ombudsman James Benedetto is unfit for his job and must be removed from office.The governor cited three reasons he is calling on the federal government not to reappoint Benedetto to his labor ombudsman position: lack of qualifications, unsatisfactory level of performance, and unacceptable political partisanship.“I understand that Mr. James Benedetto is being considered for reappoinment to his present position as federal ombudsman in the [CNMI]. I do not believe he should be reappointed,” Fitial said in a five-page letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne.This is not the first time the Fitial administration has been at odds with Benedetto. Previously, the governor complained about Benedetto's criticisms of the local labor and immigration system. Earlier this month, Benedetto figured in a public debate with Rep. Cinta Kaipat over the administration-backed labor reform bill, which is now law.Benedetto said he was leaving the issue up to his superiors.He said, “I have spoken out in support of a worker's right to file a labor complaint, and to remain in the Commonwealth until he or she has had a meaningful opportunity for a hearing, as guaranteed by the CNMI Constitution. My duties as Federal Ombudsman also include providing the public and the workers appropriate information about the law.“The governor has the right to complain to my superiors; if I have not performed well, or if I have overstepped my bounds, they will take appropriate action.”According to Fitial, Benedetto lacks qualification to serve as federal ombudsman because he has been unable to pass the CNMI Bar Examination. Fitial said Benedetto's lack of Bar membership makes it difficult to supervise his staff or advise workers, and enables Bar members to take advantage of him to the disadvantage of the workers he is responsible for assisting.The governor accused Benedetto of spending more time campaigning in the CNMI than assisting workers. He added that Benedetto had fostered an adversarial relationship with local employers, failed to educate foreign workers on their rights and obligations, failed to work productively with the CNMI Department of Labor, and for claiming undue credit.Furthermore, Fitial said Benedetto engaged in local politics and was “personally opposed to me and my administration.” He expressed offense at Benedetto's purported attack on Rep. Cinta Kaipat, who sponsored the labor reform bill that Benedetto opposed. The governor suggested that Benedetto published an article against Kaipat's bill in a bid to ruin the lawmaker's chances at reelection on Nov. 3.“I confess to some personal bias here-Representative Kaipat is my niece. She deserved better. Mr. Benedetto deserves not to be reappointed,” Fitial said.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Questions

HERE are a few questions that I would like to ask the federal government and the guest workers who really want fairness and justice, especially the guest workers who have been in the CNMI for five years or more and would get a status enjoyed by FAS citizens.

Questions to guest workers:
1. Have you paid any form of federal taxes?

2. What would the impact be on Medicare and Social Security which I have paid to ever since I was 13?

3. What would the impact be on other federal taxpayer programs like Medicaid, HUD housing, food stamps, etc.?

4. Isn’t it that what you really want is U.S. CITIZENSHIP?

5. Where did most of your earnings go?
To the federal government:

1. Why would you think that giving guest workers FAS status a reasonable idea?

2. What would the impact be on Medicare and Social Security since they have no prior contributions to any form of federal taxes?

3. What would the impact be on other programs like Medicaid, HUD housing, and food stamps, etc.?

4. Do you all know that an average local worker that earns $3.05 in minimum wage salary takes home less than a guest worker who gets housing and other benefits?

5. Will the federal government pay for the guest workers’ impact like the FAS Compact- Impact?

So both parties — can you tell me where is the fairness and justice here? It’s more like a slap to the faces of locals. U.S. citizenship is what you really want so stop all the pretense of human rights abuse blahblahblah, fairness and justice blahblahblah, and remember your employment there is your choice. Weren’t you all supposed to work and leave and not migrate?

PRINCE RENGIIL
Key West, Florida

QUIZ ON THE MARCH TO FEDERALIZATION

01. Who had Cohen's job in Washington in the late 1990's?
02. When was local legislation introduced to put a cap on guest workers entering CNMI?
03. Who was Speaker and Senate President during that period?
04. Who was working in the Senate as a legal Council during passage of this and other labor reform acts?
05. Who established the Omnibudsman's office in CNMI?
06. Who worked at the DOI and met and arranged meetings in 1998 between Plaintiffs in Class Action and lawyers (Milberg&Weiss) that sued the Garment Industry in 1999?
07. Who did North work for at DOI?
08. Why was Alan Staymen removed from his position at DOI?
09. Was Alan Staymen indicted for his criminal activities while Under-Secretary of Insular Territories at DOI?
10. Who hired Pam Brown as Omnibudsman?
11. When Pam Brown resigned from Omnibudsman position, whom did she recommend and assist in being hired?
12. When Pam Brown became Omnibudsman, how many guest worker case were filed with the EEOC?
13. If employee files and EEOC complaint, does that worker obtain a TWA and allows them to stay on island?
14. When Pam Brown resigned from Omnibudsman office, did she work for Milbery&Weiss on the Class Action case against the garment industry?
15. Pam Brown quit an $85,000 year job with Federal Government, how much did the Class Action attorney’s pay Pam Brown for six months of consulting work to help Milbery & Weiss?
16. Was a conflict of interest brought up in court by Defendants that Brown took case files from EEOC and opened those filing with Class Action Attorney’s and was paid to do so?
17. Did Judge Munson rule that if a conflict were created in Brown’s actions, that it should be the EEOC and Justice Department that should bring the matter up before the Court?
18. Why didn’t EEOC investigate the actions of Brown in taking case file to Milberg &Weiss?

Congresswoman Donna Christensen Statement

Congresswoman Donna Christensen Statement "The residents of our insular areas are stewards of some of the most beautiful and environmentally sensitive areas under the U.S. flag. It is so important that we work diligently to preserve and enhance this inheritance." Ron de Lugo, Former Chairman of the Subcommittee on Insular and International Affairs The United States presently maintains sovereignty over five inhabited territories that vary in population, land mass, economic power, and political development. Congresswoman Donna M. Christensen (D-VI) is the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, which was re-established in the 110th Congress and has the primary jurisdiction to set federal policy for each of these territories. Article IV, Section 3, of the United States Constitution, known as the Territorial Clause, provides Congress with power over the territories. The Insular areas of the U.S. include the territories of American Samoa, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), as well as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The U.S. was ceded three of the five territories at the end of the Spanish-American War and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, originally, as a United Nations Trust Territory at the culmination of World War II. The remaining territories were either acquired by the U.S. through a Deed of Cession, as was American Samoa in 1900, or through outright purchase, when U.S. Virgin Islands was purchased from Denmark in 1917. In addition, the Committee oversees matters regarding the Compact relationship between the U.S. and the 'Freely Associated States' of Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia. Under Congress' authority, these territories have been able to exercise limited self government. Like the States, each territory elects its own head-of-state (governor) and legislators who serve in either a unicameral or a bicameral legislative body. In general, federal law applies to all the territories, and local legislative bodies are responsible for laws that have local application. Except for the CNMI, Congress has authorized elected representation from each territory in the U.S. House of Representatives - providing representatives the opportunity to participate in shaping the federal policy that impacts their home territories. Today, after more than a century under the American flag and as a part of the American family, U.S. territories continue to struggle with a multitude of issues. From working to protect their indigenous cultures and languages, to tackling federal policies that impact their economic, social, and political development - it is clear that these regions are challenged with a multitude of issues that inhibit their full political, economic, and cultural development. Further, for colonized cultures there is a natural aspiration for political advancement through self-determination. The Committee strives to consider issues of self-determination that are constitutionally sound, and provide the territories with a clear direction for achieving political status consistent with the U.S. Constitution. The territories already contribute economically, socially, and militarily to the American fabric - and it is only fitting that we work to help meet the challenges they face and assist in their continued well-being. They are, after all, our fellow American citizens.

PROBLEM IN PALAU with U.S. State Department (101507 mv)

Palau pushes for greater US engagement in Pacific By Giff Johnson For Variety MAJURO — As Asian, Australian and European Union influence grows in the Pacific, the United States appears to be taking a back seat in affairs of the region, said the president of Palau. “I feel the U.S. can do more for its friends in the Pacific — not just the three Freely Associated States (Palau, Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia),” Palau President Tommy Remengesau Jr. said here, Thursday, on the eve of the Taiwan Pacific Allies Summit. The 16 independent nations in the region “are not asking for much,” he said. “They have small, simple problems. It’s within the U.S. capability to pay more attention to the issues and be more of a partner with the Pacific.” With the exception of the massive military buildup in progress in the U.S. territory of Guam, Remengesau doesn’t see the level of engagement that he believes would be in the interests of both the U.S. and the islands. “It’s a frustrating situation,” he said. “We don’t get the attention that friends should receive from each other. Maybe it’s because we’re not a problem.” Palau is quickly approaching the final stages of a 15-year Compact of Free Association with Washington that provides large scale U.S. funding through 2009. But the U.S. State Department bluntly announced recently that the American government has no plans to offer Palau any more aid when the current funding pact expires. Remengesau called that “a disturbing statement.” He said relations between the U.S. and Palau under the Compact “can be summed up in one word: success.” “We’ve come a long way since the Trust Territory days,” he added. “But as in any marriage, there’s always room to improve.” But, he added, “I don’t want our relationship to take a backwards step.” He called the U.S.-Palau relationship a close big brother, small brother tie. In terms of future U.S. aid to Palau, Remengesau said that “all along we’ve felt that we (U.S. and Palau) would come to the table as good friends rather than adversaries” to address the next phase of the relationship. The State Department position casts doubt on that expectation, putting U.S. plans for a clear aid exit strategy on the table. Earlier this month, U.S. and Palau officials officially opened a U.S.-funded 53-mile long road that took about five years and more than $100 million to build. “We don’t expect the U.S. to do everything Palau asks,” Remengesau said. “But there are areas that we continue to need help in. We’ve done a lot but we are nowhere near the economic self-sufficiency we need to achieve.” Palau was a United Nations Trust Territory under the U.S. from shortly after World War II until it became an independent nation, though still closely associated with the U.S., in 1994. While the country has established a significant tourism industry focused on scuba diving in its pristine waters, Palau remains dependent on aid from Washington. Remengesau said he expects to name a Compact negotiation team before the end of 2007 to fast-track talks with Washington, with the goal of completing discussions with the U.S. during 2008 — all of which depends on the State Department playing ball. U.S. congressional leaders are supportive of renegotiating the Compact and have issued a letter to the State Department encouraging the U.S. review process to begin as soon as possible, Remengesau said. “They don’t want to be faced with last minute legislation,” he said. Alluding to Palau’s economic strength relative to its more dependent Compact neighbors Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia, Remengesau said this should not be reason for the U.S. to completely pull the plug on financially assisting a nation that has been its ward and ally for more than 60 years. “One point I’ve made to the United States is that I hope Palau does not get penalized for being a success story,” he said.

Signing of HB 15-38 into law - PL 15-108

Links

While law In Process

Guest Workers

Dekada Movement counsel Stephen Woodruff

BENEDETTO

TINA SABLAN & Propts movement

Indigenous Community Opinion

TAOTAO TANO OPINION

TAOTAO TANO Follow up

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Fitial calls for Benedetto's head

No comments:

EXTENDED LINKS

About Me

Blog Archive

Questions

QUIZ ON THE MARCH TO FEDERALIZATION

Text-Ads

Feeds

Congresswoman Donna Christensen Statement

PROBLEM IN PALAU with U.S. State Department (101507 mv)