Senate President Pete Reyes, R-Saipan, who sponsored Senate Legislative Initiative 16-2, said the measure is necessary to meet the islands’ need for human resources in specialized fields.
If ratified, the amendment would also cover reemployment of retired qualified professionals as dentists, dental lab technicians, dental assistants, medical lab technicians, medical assistants, therapists, veterinarians, animal health officer or equivalent, and the like.
The Northern Marianas, a self- governing commonwealth of the United States in the Pacific, hosts more than 18,000 foreign workers.
Majority of medical professionals at the islands’ only government-owned hospital are from different countries.
The local labor pool remains very limited.
A legislative initiative must get a three-fourths vote in both houses of the Legislature to be included on the ballot for the next general election.
The House of Representatives is scheduled to hold a session this week.
