Bellas said more than 900 separate application from the workers for living expense were denied — 63 workers will be repatriated and 44 workers received medical assistance.
The former judge personally relayed this information to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial.
“The board took into consideration Governor Fitial’s request for possible donation to former guest workers,” Bellas told reporters.
Fitial thanked Bellas and the other board member of the boards: former Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Guy and former California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso.
Bellas said the board will keep a small amount of money for a year to facilitate the requests by former garments workers.
“This is good for the people, the commonwealth, and the workers,” he said.
The board wants to “help as many people as we can,” he added.
He said they are not using the trust fund for operational expenses.
According to Bellas, the board is eyeing “charitable donations to the community that hosted the garment factories.”
But this is still subject to the approval of the federal court.
