ent001654-002

OPINION?½ We import labor while locals need jobs Is the system working as far as hiring foreign pro- I fessional people or even construction workers on Guam? I The truth is that we have a lot of people, many of I them young, seeking employment, and yet we man- l aged to certify for approval 14,699 h-2 workers last ?√ßyear. Doesn't this seem strange to you? I It may be that Guam's educational system, vocation lor otherwise, is simply not producing the skilled work- lers we need on Guam. Or it may be that certain busi- nesses or construction firms are finding it cheaper or Imore convenient to bring over workers from the Philip- Ipines, China, or other low wage countries, in effect cir- ?√ßcumventing existing laws. I Of course, Guam isn't the only place doing this sort ?√ßof labor importation. The Northern Marianas is far more ?√ßaggressive in this. Virtually half of the population of ?√ßthe CNMI consists of alien workers or professionals. The ICNMI House of Representatives is now considering a ?√ßlaw that would limit hon-professional alien workers to ?√ßfour consecutive years of employment in the CNMI. This ?√ßmay become law, influenced in part by all of the union ?√ßrecruitment activity going on in the islands. I On Guam the Chamorro activists, concerned about ?√ßlosing political power in the future, tend to blame U.S. I immigration policies for the permanent status of thou- sands of outsiders in recent years. Part of that prob- llem, if it does exist, may lie with GovGuam's Depart- Iment of Labor itself, which certifies alien labor. I It is also true that many foreign workers on Guam |find legal and illegal ways of staying here. Just recently several Guam senators expressed con- cern that the alien labor situation lacks sufficient mon- itoring in order to evaluate its effect on local employ- ment. We agree heartily. And it is going to get a lot worse instead of better, ttf Guam goes ahead with Vision 2001, and builds an- other 5,400 hotel rooms ?╟÷ and the infrastructure nee- JOE MURPHY Pipe Dreams essary for these rooms ?╟÷ we're going to need thou- sands of construction workers over the next five years. Then, when the rooms are built, we're going to need thousands of hotel workers to work in these hotels. Are we making the proper and conscientious effort to re- cruit and train these construction and hotel workers? Or will we be forced, as we have been in the past 50 years, to seek foreign workers? Guam Department of Labor Director Julan Taijito said the biggest problem affecting Guam?╟╓s labor mar- ket is the lack of available ?╟úable, willing and qualified workers.?╟Ñ He says: ?╟úOver the past decade, Guam has misdirected its priorities and resources to educate and train for the necessary skilled manpower needs of this territory. Which leaves us to question the priorities of the institutions towards manpower development.?╟Ñ Tai- jito said that for fiscal 1995, the labor department pro- cessed 498 applications for permanent alien certifica- tion. The Department of Labor advertises for local la- bor for 30 days, the only requirement to determine the availability of qualified U.S. workers. Then, if it is un- able to find qualified people, they are required to con- duct further recruitment in the continental U.S. You know and I know that this is an exercise in futility. The whole labor importation process is controlled by the Immigration Department, which itself may be sub- ject to pressures. It is understandable. Businesses and construction companies need workers. If they can't find them here they quickly look elsewhere. Mark Mamczarz, president of the Guam Contractors Association, questioned the amount of alien labor on Guam. He said that the number approved this year, 14,699 workers, is ?╟úabsurd for the construction industry. The whole construction industry on Guam is half that.?╟Ñ It does get ludicrous. You see ads in the Daily News advertising for company presidents, or an auditor for $12 an hour, or an architect at $12.54 an hour. Per- sonally, I wouldn't want to work in a building designed by a $12-an-hour architect. The alien labor situation in the States is creating pressures in Congress to make it more difficult and ex- pensive for U.S. corporations to hire highly skilled for- eign workers. Proposals are circulating that would not only require employers to pay a hefty fee of $10,000 or more each time they hire a foreign worker, but would reduce the number of skilled workers allowed into the country, and would require employers to pay them high- er wages than Americans receive for the same work. The problem of alien workers seems to be growing. Even in South Korea the number of foreign workers is in excess of 100,000. Hong Kong and Taiwan have the same problem. Even bustling Thailand has begun to import ?╟úcheap?╟Ñ labor from Burma. There are no short-term solutions. There is a need, as several of our senators have noted, for monitoring our labor needs and our importation of foreign work- ers more closely. But more than that, our educational institutions need to develop more manpower solutions, in conjunction with the Labor Depairtment and Busi- ness and industry. Why import labor if we can recruit and train our own island people to do the job? Joe Murphy is editor emeritus of the Daily News. peedy handling of child support appreciated On behalf of Sen. Angel Santos and bur office, I am writing to convey our appreciation to Mr. John Salas* the di- rector of the Department of Administra- tion, for his department's extremely co- operative assistance with respect to my ecent inquiry on the child support mat- er. With the acumen you have acquired luring your long tenure in public service, trou are unquestionably aware that re- quests from the public require immedi- ate and responsive attention. As public Servants, it is an integral part of our iaily duties. * Consequently, when I called your of- ice directly to jgairi information for A lumber of our constituents who receive fchild support checks, I was impressed phat your secretary immediately routed; le to the comptroller's office in your kbsence. As Mr. DeNorcey was not avail- able, staff then routed me directly to Ihe acting treasurer, Ms. Rosaline Ig- lacio. 1 ' While each instance of speedy refer- ral was exemplary, I was most im- pressed with Ms. Ignacio?╟╓s sincerity and tandor. Her own compassionate concern for the plight of the parents was gen- I lely evident, and her candor in con- veying how the delayed child support payments came about reflected a high evel of professional ?╟÷ as well as per- sonal ?╟÷ integrity. When I remarked on Ihis to Senator Santos, he stated that VOICE OF THE PEOPLE S&.not poetiy ?╟÷ ?√ßl taste. Sign the daytime telephone ?√ßMl d photograph of liven, to letters of no I everyone a chance, ?√ß'of#* Poodle-is "for I and addressed to;I letter to 477-3079. DOA, with you at the helm, has sig- nificantly raised the level of commit- ment to open communications in gov- ernment agencies. As this office deeds on a daily basis with any number of government agen- cies, he agreed with my own assessment that the caliber of your leadership reflects on the high caliber of those who operate under your guidance and instruction. The senator also remarked that DOA has the advantage of your seasoned leadership, a quality that most government agencies don?╟╓t always eqjoy. In any event, he was delighted and im- pressed with DOA?╟╓s responsive, and re- sponsible assistance ?╟÷ and gratified that the delay on the check disbursement is being speedily rectified. This is also the message we wish to convey to the me- dia. Thank you for providing us with a re- freshing exposure to a government agen- cy which decidedly has its act together. It is most reassuring. Senseramente and Filis Pasgua! HAROLD J. CRUZ deputy chief of staff Fans want teams to stay put In the ?╟úOther Voices?╟Ñ editorial of to- day?╟╓s (12-19-95) PDN, you quote the Ad- vocate of Baton Rope, La., as objecting to congressional action limiting the move- ment of National Football League teams to ensure their profitability. To the best of my knowledge, the ?╟ Tan's Bill of Rights?╟Ñ currently circulat- ing in the Capitol does no such thing. toonesbury By Garry Trudeau YOU'RETURNING INTO QUITE THG LITTLE PROPELLER- y HEAP, ARE A VOU, ALEX? o W m m 12-21 UH-HUH. MY TEACHE I'M MORE COMPUTER?╟╓LITER- ATE THAN ANYONE CLASS, EVEN THOUGH MOST OFTHE KJPS HAVE SEATTLETHEIR WHOLE LIVES! WOW... YOU ?╜ KNOW J[ WHAT, BABB? PAPPy? 'A* & ?? X PON'T FEEL LIKE A TINY SPECK Of p/rt ANYMORE. WELL, I NEVER COULP SEETHAT\ MYSELF: ?? M It does require that the existing home city be given an opportunity to match any offer being made by prospective suit- ors to its team. More importantly, it al- lows the owners a narrow exemption from antitrust regulations to police these movements. This they are allowed to do under rules to which they are all sig- natories; unfortunately the courts have found against them and the league in a suit brought by A1 Davis and the Oak- land Raiders a few years back. Grant- ed this exemption, the league will pre- vent moves from supportive cities such as Cleveland. As to the Advocate?╟╓s claim that the teams are private entities with which Congress should not interfere, the teams which are moving hither and yon are scarcely acting like independent busi- nesses. In each case, they are being lured away by hundreds of millions of dollars from local and State govern- ments. If they were prevented from suck- ling at the public teat, pitting one mu- nicipality against another, then they could legitimately claim the rights of full and unfettered movement under the cap- italist system. Until and unless they are ready to compete in a free market, min- imal governmental cooperation with league strictures does not seem unrea- sonable. KELLY FITZPATRICK Ipan TODAY?╟╓S THOUGHT ?╟úThrough patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.?╟Ñ (Proverbs 25:15) Guam Ministerial Association PACIFIC fl)AILY NEWS, Thursday, December 21,199ip