He did not provide figures, but he said these foreigners’ illegitimate operation is hurting the economy of the CNMI and they are unfairly competing with local farmers.
According to Camacho, he learned that some foreign vendors who deliver farm products to retail stores are not issuing official receipts.
“They circumvent the law and are depriving the government of revenue,” he said.
Camacho urged legitimate retail store operators and owners to insist on getting official receipts from the farmers.
They can also ask if these farmers have business permits, he added.
He suspects that “somebody is sponsoring” these nonresidents.
“Some of them may have ghost employers,” he said.
Camacho is asking the government to look into this problem.
“I don’t believe they don’t know about these things,” he added, referring to the authorities. “This has been happening in plain view.”
He also asked the federal government to look into the immigration status of nonresident farmers and street vendors.
