Jim Beighley, managing director of DFS Pacific Division, U.S. Group, at the same time assured members of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce on Saturday night that his firm is committed to stay in the CNMI and the region despite these challenges.
“I have some very serious concerns with the situation we are in and what we are facing —the outlook for the economy and the business climate presents enormous challenges for all of us,” said Beighley, the keynote speaker for the chamber’s installation dinner.
He added, “To deal successfully with these challenges will demand an unprecedented amount of effort and collaboration between elected officials and the private sector.”
According to Beighley, the federalization of the local immigration system will impact everyone in the community, including DFS, the world’s leading luxury retailer.
“There is still so much that is unclear and needs to be clarified over the next several years,” he said.
To rise above this challenge, he said a strong collaborative effort must be seen among the CNMI’s elected leaders and the private sector.
“What I mean by that is having the governor’s office, the Legislature, our new representative in Congress and the private sector on the same page — speaking with the same voice, to the U.S. government in Washington, D.C. This will be an enormous challenge, but it is absolutely crucial if we are to succeed,” said Beighley.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has published a preliminary regulation rejecting the CNMI’s request to grant visa-waivers to Russian and Chinese tourists.
Beighley believes Homeland Security will listen to the CNMI’s concerns.
“I remain optimistic about the regulation that will be published and the visit of these [federal Homeland Security and immigration] officials this week when they talk about that regulation,” the DFS executive said.
“If we are successful, it will be for one reason — that we approached [the feds] with a unified voice…. Now, the visa waiver was only the first of a number of issues that need to be addressed. Guest workers, labor provisions and related immigration provisions, foreign investor permits are all incredibly important issues that will have massive long-term impact on the economy and society,” he added.
“There will be many more visits this year of federal officials…. We must be involved in these visits and we must be involved in Washington.”
